Clair Cline

Cline with his violin

Clair W. Cline (September 30, 1917 – September 19, 2010) was an American carpenter and cabinetmaker, who was a prisoner of war during World War II.[1][2] He had the rank of first lieutenant in the 448th Bombardment Group,[3] and was captured by German soldiers when his plane was shot down over Holland in 1944.[2] At Stalag Luft I, he built a violin out of scrap wood and other materials found in the prison camp, and played simple tunes to lift the mood of fellow prisoners.[1]

  1. ^ a b Catlin, George (May 28, 2015). "For violist, heirloom is one of a kind". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Cardwell, Rod (January 5, 1970). "Faces and Places: He Made Music In Prison Camp". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Fawcett, Kirstin (October 2021). "Trash Into Treasure". World War II. Vol. 36, no. 3. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via EBSCOHost.