Engineman First Class

UNITED STATES NAVY

Billy Max Klier was born on January 26, 1935, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Klier of Elkhart, Kans.  In January 1943, the family moved to Roslyn, where Billy attended local schools and was a member of the Roslyn Royal Neighbors club.  He was enrolled in Cle Elum High School for his freshman year; but when his father became seriously ill, the family returned to Elkhart, in late 1949.  Billy was graduated from Elkhart High School and worked in the oil fields of Elkhart for several years prior to enlisting in the Navy.

Billy entered the naval service on September 30, 1954, from Kansas City, Mo., and received his basic training at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill.

Volunteering for submarine duty, he was accepted and enrolled as a student in the Submarine School at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base, New London, Conn. Upon completing the course of instruction on March 4, 1955, he was assigned to the submarine U.S.S. Tunny (SS 282), in which he became qualified as a submariner and was awarded the silver dolphins on September 19, 1955.

He also served in the U.S.S. Sea Devil (SS 400), and was selected for advance training in nuclear power.  Successfully completing the course of instruction at the submarine base, Billy was assigned to the fleet ballistic-missile submarine U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln (SSBN 602), and in November 1962, he was reassigned to the U.S.S. Thresher (SSN 593).

Billy is survived by his widow, Mrs.. Mary C. Klier, and a son, Billy Charles of Niantic, Conn.  He also leaves his widowed mother, Mrs.. Sadie Klier of Santa Ana, Calif., and a sister, Marjorie of Denver, Colo.