When Clyde Stanley Shields was born on 28 December 1918, in Wichita, Kansas, his father, Clyde, was 23 and his mother, Frances, was 20. He married Vaughn Ruth Larson on 16 August 1941. They had two children Penny and Keith during their marriage. He died on 2 May 1977, in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 58, and was interred there. However there is so much more to this story of an expert Army Air Forces aviator and loving husband and father of two.

Perhaps the lasting label that can be applied to Stan Shields is the title of "The First Atomic Bomb B-29 Aircraft Commander", more on that a little later.

After graduating from Mitchell High School. Mitchell, SD Stan attend classes in 1939 at Northern State Teachers College, Aberdeen, SD. However Stan always had a strong scene of duty. The following is a chronological record of his military career journey, and beyond.

14 May to Sept. 1936 enlisted South Dakota National Guard (147th Field Artillery (FA)) private

16 Aug 1941-21 Aug 1941: Brooks Field, Texas (pilot) training break down: 10 weeks Brooks: Primary Pilot, 10 weeks Randolph: Basic Pilot, 10 weeks Brooks: Advance Pilot. Graduating 15 August 1941, commissioned a Second Lieutenant with Silver Wings and new Officer Army Serial Number O-424560.
31 Sept 1941- 15 Jan 1942: 86th Observation Squadron Bellows Field (Pilot) O-47, O-49, aircraft [Pearl Harbor attack]
15 Jan 1942-15 March 1942: 4th Recon Squadron Hickam Field (Pilot) B-18 aircraft
15 March 1942- 1 May 1942: 5th Bomb Group, 72nd Bomb Sq. Bellows Field (Pilot) B-18
1 May 1942- 20 October 1942: 11th Bomb Group, 98th Bomb Sq. 7th Air Force /13th Air Force (Pilot) B-17 [Battle of Midway] & after battle of the Coral Sea (confirmed Shields documents) and in a Shields Guadalcanal diary: three months after “Coral Sea” ditched his B-17E-41-9219 " HELLZAPOPPIN " 13 Sept 1942 after running out of fuel returning from a Jap shipping mission north of the Santa Cruz Islands. Ditching confirmed Osborn’s Fort Log: w/Major Philip (should be Philo) M. Rasmussen – (from documents; Shields was the pilot, Rasmussen, as Sq. Commander was flying 2nd seat). Shields awarded Soldier's Medal for saving Rasmussen’s life after ditching.
20 October 1942- 8 November 1942: Headquarters, Seventh Air Force (Unassigned): assumed B-17 to B-24 conversion training
8 November 1942- 5 January 1943: 307th Bomb Group, 372nd Bomb Sq. 13th Air Force (Pilot) B-24 [Guadalcanal Campaign]
20 January 1943- 28 April 1943 21st Bomb Wing, Salina Kansas (Asst. engineering Inspector)
29 April 1943- 13 June 1943: Army Air Base Camp Williams Wisconsin (Plans & Training)
14 June 1943- 23 July 1943: 21st Bomb Topeka Kansas (asst. Plans & Training Officer and Asst. Executive Officer)
27 July 1943- 31 December 1943: Army Air Forces Material Command, Engineering Div. Flight Section, Wright, Field (Test Pilot); note: B-29-5-BW-42-6259 (future Silverplate prototype) delivered Wright Field 30 November 1943 for modification.
1 January 1944- 30 June 1944: same above, change in CO’s only. Note: Period of Muroc nuclear prototype weapons drop testing.
1 July 1944- 7 November 1944: same as above, change in CO’s only.
21 November 1944- 31 December 1944: Wendover Field, 216th AAFBU WFU (Wright Field Unit) (assigned: standardization Board)
4 January 1945- 11 February 1945: 320th Troop Carrier Sq. Wendover Field (Executive Officer)
12 February- 30 June 1945: 216th AAFBU, Wendover Field (Director of Operations and Training, CO Flight Test Section, and after May 1945 additionally CO 320th Troop Carrier Squadron.
1 July 1945- 8 October 1945: 216th AAFBU, Wendover Field (Director of Operations and Training, CO Flight Test Section.

Backing up a little here to 27 July 1943 is where "The First Atomic Bomb B-29 Aircraft Commander" comes into play. This Army Air Forces career time frame is deserving of further detail as follows:

Maj. Clyde Stanley (Stan) Shields was selected for the Manhattan Project (MP) during December 1943 to January 1944 (no specific date of selection has been found), although Major Shields was already assigned to the Air Technical Service Command, Wright Field, Ohio as a test pilot, his selection for the project appears to run concurrently with the development and modification of the first B-29 initially modified to Silverplate standards at Wright Field to carry early nuclear weapons. This prototype, B-29-5-BW-42-6259 Silverplate aircraft was capable of carrying the proposed 17 Ft. long Thin Man (TM) (Pu-239 gun type weapon) in its newly modified bomb bay where the forward and Aft bomb bays of a standard B-29 were joined to form a single 33 ft. long bomb bay, also capable of carrying the Fat Man (FM) (Pu-239 implosion type weapon and the Little Boy (LB) (U-235 gun type weapon) in the forward section of this newly modified bomb bay, (Campbell 2005, p. 8). Major Shields was assigned as aircraft commander of this new Silverplate (effectively making him the first aircraft commander of a nuclear capable Superfortress) initial drop testing of full size Thin Man and Fat Man weapons started at Muroc Field, CA (later Edwards AFB) in two phases: February – March 1944 and in June 1944. During July 1944 it was discovered by Los Alamos that due to Pu-240 contamination in the reactor bread Pu-239 resulted in the Thin Man gun type weapon being unfeasible. After the June Muroc testing ended Major Shields returned to Wright Field as did the prototype to be modified back to the two bomb bay configuration with the elimination of TM, both FM and LB would fit (tightly) in the forward bomb bay (Campbell 2005 p.10).

On 11 August 1944 the AAF recommended starting the training of the combat crews (509th Composite Group, 393rd Bomb Squadron) with Wendover Field, Utah (code named Kingman, or sometimes W-47 and later in 1945 as “Misplay”) being selected for this purpose, as well as continued drop testing of prototype weapons by the 216th AAFBU (Special), (Campbell 2005 p.10 & 11, Hoddeson, et. al. 1993 p.383). During this interim period some testing continued at Wendover still under the direction of Wright Field Air Technical Service Command, however this effort was waiting on the delivery of the first Silverplate aircraft from the Martin Omaha plant. These first 17 Silverplate’s (classified as Phase II by Campbell) started arriving Wendover from October to December 1944, the original prototype modified back to two bomb bays configuration arrived Wendover September 1944 to join the test effort. 14 of these aircraft were assigned to the 393rd for combat training and 3 plus the prototype were assigned the 216th for drop test purposes (Campbell 2005, p.12), eventually there would be 9 Silverplate’s assigned to the FTS Squadron A, for test purposes.

Also in this interim period Major Shields is transferred from Wright Field to Wendover Field effective 21 Nov. 1944, initially assigned to the 216th AAF BU – WFU (Wright Field Unit) to 31 Dec. 1944. On 4 Jan. 1945 to 11 Feb 1945 he is assigned as the Executive Officer of the 320th Troop Carrier Squadron, Wendover (the personnel and materials transport squadron for Manhattan) – (initially under the command of the 509th CG, until May 1945 when command of this squadron was transfer to the 216th). On 12 February 1945 Maj. Shields is once again transferred back to the 216th AAF BU (Sp), Wendover now under the command of Col. Clifford J. Heflin who takes command of Wendover as well as the weapons test program. Col. Heflin appoints Maj. Shields as the Commanding Officer of the 216th Flight Test Section (FTS), Squadron A. (the Wendover aerial drop test squadron for Manhattan) working in conjunction with the 216th “Special Ordnance Detachment” (SOD), (the Wendover weapons assembly group for Manhattan) the duties of both of these "Special" 216th groups at Wendover were to work in conjunction with the scientists, engineers and ordnance specialists at Los Alamos Laboratory. Together they fashioned a long series of test bombs, drop tested them, evaluated the results, and finally perfected the ballistics of the Little Boy and Fat Man early nuclear weapon designs. An estimated 155 test atomic bombs (less fissile material) were built and drop tested by this combined 216th FTS, SOD, and Los Alamos Laboratory effort to insure ballistic integrity and proper function of all internal arming devises inside both weapon types. One of the major accomplishments of the FTS under Shields’ command was the development of accurate bombing tables for both of these new weapons to aid the bombardiers of the 509th CG combat element in delivering these weapons precisely over the intended target. This testing effort continued at Wendover right up to and slightly beyond combat delivery of both these new weapons during Centerboard I & II. For Major Shields during May 1945 in addition to his command of the FTS, Col. Heflin also added the 320th TCS to Shields command, which in effect put him in command of two squadrons.

During this period WW II in the Pacific ends, and Major Shields requests military discharge dated 10 October 1945, however selects reserve status in this discharge. This discharge was “short lived” to say the least, as post war nuclear testing continued; seems the AAF still required the nuclear weapons delivery knowledge of Maj. Shields.

8 February 1946- 30 June 1946: Recalled to active duty, assigned 237th AAFBU, Kirtland Field, NM (nuclear weapons drop testing had been suspended at Wendover and transferred to Kirtland Field to bring this activity closer to Los Alamos post war. (Assigned Duty Project Officer W-47 (the continuation of Wendover drop testing, now being performed from Kirtland, but still under the W-47 code name)) (unit redesignated 428th (s)
1 July 1946- 8 July 1946: 428th AAFBU (Sp) Kirtland Field (Duty Project Officer W-47) no real change here for Shields, however there were changes in the post war AAF. The designation change here to the 428th AAFBU (Sp) coincides with a change in command from the 2nd Air Force to the 4th Air Force, in a CONUS reorganization of Air Forces.
9 July 1946- 17 April 1947: 428th AAFBU (Sp) Kirtland Field (Duty Project Officer W-47); no change here except for the loss of a typewriter…times must have been tough. (This entry also ends Maj. Shields involvement with the Manhattan Project)
1 May 1947-31 May 1948: 4196th AFBU, Victorville CA. (Chief of Flight Test)
12 November 1948: 5030 Air Base Squadron, Marks AFB, Nome, Alaska (Base Operations and Training Officer)
5 July 1949: Marks AFB, Nome, Alaska (Base Commanding Officer)
I August 1949: 5030 Air Base Squadron, Marks AFB, Nome, Alaska (Base Operations and Training Officer)
1 November 1949: Squadron Commander, Headquarters 4th Rescue Squadron (RS), Hamilton AFB, CA Military Air Transport Service (MATS)
29 December 1949: Squadron Operations Officer, Deputy Squadron CO. HQ 4th RS, Hamilton AFB, CA (MATS)
26 May 1950: Squadron Executive Officer, Hq. 4th RS, Hamilton AFB, CA (MATS)
2 Oct 1950: Squadron Operations & Executive Office, Hq. 4th RS, Hamilton AFB, CA (MATS)
9 February 1951: Flight Commander, Flight A, Hq. 4th RS, Hamilton AFB, CA (MATS)
8 November 1952: Asst. Squadron Air Operations Officer. Headquarters, 6th Air Rescue Squadron, Pepperrell AFB, Newfoundland (Nfld), [near St John's Newfoundland] (MATS) [aircraft type SB-29, and others]
14 November 1952: Sq. Asst. Air Operations Officer, 52nd Air Rescue Squadron, 6th Air Rescue Group, Ernest Harmon AFB, Stephenville, Newfoundland, (MATS) [aircraft type: SB-29, and others]
4 December 1952: Commander, 52nd Air Rescue Squadron, 6th Air Rescue Group, Ernest Harmon AFB, Stephenville, Newfoundland, (MATS) [aircraft type: SB-29, and others]
20 November 1945: Chief of Programs and Requirements, HQ Central Air Defense Force (CADF), Grandview, AFB, Missouri, Air Defense Command (ADC)
1 May 1957: Chief of Programs and Requirements, HQ Central Air Defense Force (CADF), Richards-Gebaur, AFB. Note: no change other than an AFB name change, (ADC)
15 August 1957: Assistant to the Director of Operations, 20th Air Division, Richards-Gebaur, AFB, MO, (ADC)
18 October 1957: Air Commander, 14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Sioux City, AFB, Iowa, (ADC) [aircraft type: F-86D transitioning to F-86L]
11 February 1958: Air Commander, 14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Sioux City, AFB, Iowa, (ADC) [aircraft type: F-86D transitioning to F-86L] Note: no change other than job description; AFSC 0066A to 1125A.
20 April 1959: Plans & Policies Officer, J-3 (Operations), United Nations Command/US Forces, Korea (actual unit of assignment for this joint assignment was the 3rd Detachment, Fifth Air Force), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
9 June 1960: Project Officer, Plans and Programs Division, HQ Sacramento Air Materiel Area, McClellan, AFB, CA, Air Material Command (AMC).
31 March 1961: Retired from active USAF service; Reserved Officer Promotion (ROPA) to Colonel.

It is most interesting and perhaps fitting that Colonel Clyde Stanley Shields started his Manhattan Project mission with the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC), Wright Field and ended his career with Air Material Command, the post war thru Cold War era re-designation for ATSC.

After Stan retired from the USAF in 1961 he continued in the aeronautical industry with his last assignment as an executive with Braniff Airlines as their Flight Operations Manager. When Stan folded his wings for the last time in 1977 he was only age 58. He remains a bigger than life hero to his son and daughter, and grandchildren.

Many thanks to Keith Stanley Shields, son of Major Clyde Stanley Shields who has archived and kept safe his fathers records in detail for so many years; aiding other progeny of veterans who served in the Manhattan Project in the 216th Army Air Forces, Base Unit (Special), Wendover Field, Utah.

Bio by Scott Muselin - Vindicator I