Jim Grewell was born in Marshalltown on March 4, 1939. He attended schools in Storm Lake, Buena Vista College, and University of Iowa. In the mid 1960’s, Jim trained as Super Sabre pilot and served with the Iowa National Air Guard for ten years. After his service he flew with commercial airlines.
He was married to Kaleen Hoover of Wisconsin and had a son, Gregory, and a daughter, Jodi, both born in Iowa. They owned Grewell Electric, an electrical construction business at Okoboji and Spirit Lake Iowa. In 1980, Jim moved his family to Colorado to continued flying commuter airlines; he was then a Pilot Flight Engineer for 15 years with a major airline.
After retirement, he enjoyed membership in retired pilot’s associations and retired military pilot’s reunions.
Clive “Jim” Grewell “Headed West” on June 20, 2017.
Clive James Grewell, “Jim,” 78, died June 20, 2017, at his home in Grand Junction, CO. Born in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Marion and Dorothy Grewell on March 4, 1939. He attended schools in Storm Lake, Buena Vista College, and University of Iowa.
In the mid 1960’s, Jim trained as pilot of the Super Sabre Airplane and served with the Iowa National Air Guard for ten years. He was married to Kaleen Hoover of Wisconsin and had a son, Gregory, and a daughter, Jodi, both born in Iowa. Grewell Electric was their electrical construction business at Okoboji and Spirit Lake Iowa.
After moving his family to Colorado in 1980, Jim continued flying commuter airlines; he was then a Pilot Flight Engineer for 15 years with a major airline. After retirement, he enjoyed membership in retired pilot’s associations and retired military pilot’s reunions. Fishing and boating were his favorite activities.
He was predeceased by his wife, Kaleen; and his son, Greg. Survivors include his daughter, Jodi Sisson (Scott) of Seattle and three grandchildren; and sister, Alice Stewart (Jim) of Grand Junction. He was a beloved brother in law to Shirley and Bill Olinger, Kris and Al Beshire, and Loretta Hoover. Many nieces and nephews called him “Uncle Zeb,” a family nickname.
Jim Grewell Caterpillar Story
My unassing was late afternoon on March 14, 69 when Reeseman and I were doing a road cut on the HCM Trail on the Cambodian border west of Phu Cat.
I was just ready to release in a 30-degree dive at 470kt when 54-1740 wound up at about 360 degrees per second and the last thing I recall is grabbing the ejection handles. The chute did not have time to fully open. I went through a tree and that is what saved me. I came to a few minutes later and my helmet was laying on the ground in two halves like an eggshell, held together by the O2 mask, and hanging from my harness by the hose. The FAC, Troy Usher was on the radio coordinating the rescue and Reeseman was at altitude on a tanker when an Army Huey called asking if they could help.
They were only five minutes away hauling supplies to a firebase camp and the FAC directed them to my location. The Jolly Green was still thirty minutes out and there were empty enemy bunkers in the area, so I took the Huey’s offer to give me a ride out of there. They dropped a one-hundred-foot rope with a noose on the end and slung me out and over to a clearing, dropped down and pulled me on board. As they exited they emptied their automatic weapons on the bunkers and the floor I was lying on was covered with hot brass.
They took me over to an army base hospital west of Phu Cat and the Jolly Green crew was not happy that I took the first ride offer out of Cambodia acing them out of a rescue. My left elbow was broken but other than that I was just severely bruised from head to toe. CWO Bonebrake the Huey AC and his crew brought my bricks and six-shooter to me a few days later in the hospital, so I was able to more properly thank them for the ride. 
A week later, I was sent to a hospital in Japan and then to the hospital at Scott AFB, IL, until I was released from active duty in July 1969.
