Rudolph Clarence Dear

RUDOLPH CLARENCE DEAR, son of LAURA MAY BELL PETTIJOHN and HOWARD HAMILTON DEAR, was born September 2, 1918 in Texas,²⁵⁰ and died May 6, 1942 in Kern County, California.²⁵⁰ He is buried in South Park Cemetery, Pearland, Brazoria, Texas.⁴⁵⁶

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Obituaries

Bakersfield Californian, May 8, 1942¹⁰⁹⁸⁸

Cadet Killed When 'Chute Won't Open

Inability to open his parachute in time was blamed in the death of Rudolph C. Dear, 23, of Houston, Texas, who was killed when he leaped from a P-38 interceptor at Muroc Field Wednesday, Coroner Norman House said today.

The plane, which Mr. House said was strange to Mr. Dear, went out of control at a height of 3000 feet, field officials estimated. By the time he was able to free himself, the ship was so close to the ground that his parachute did not open until he landed.

Because of the dual fuselage construction, it is almost impossible to "bail out" unless the ship is flying upside down, Mr. House quoted officials as saying. In an ordinary dive, the jumper is liable to be struck by the tail of the plane as he leaves the cockpit.

Students at the field have only recently been given instruction in handling the high-powered interceptors.

The body of Mr. Dear has been taken to Riverside, whence it will be shipped to his home in Houston.

Census Records

Date	Location	Enumerated Names
January 5, 1920527	Harris County, Texas	Howard Hamilton Dear Laura May Bell Pettijohn Edna Marie Dear Howard Everett Dear Rudolph Clarence Dear
April 3, 1930526	Harris County, Texas	Howard Hamilton Dear Laura May Bell Pettijohn Edna Marie Dear Howard Everett Dear Rudolph Clarence Dear Claude Ray Dear Theda Patricia Dear
April 24, 19402715	Harris County, Texas	Howard Hamilton Dear Laura May Bell Pettijohn Rudolph Clarence Dear Claude Ray Dear Theda Patricia Dear Son