User:Buckboard/Draft: Darrell Lindsey

Darrell Robins Lindsey (December 30, 1919—August 9, 1944) was a bomber pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Lindsey was born in Jefferson, Iowa, to Jesse Lyle and Grave Alice Lindsey. After attending Buena Vista University from 1939 to 1940, he enlisted as an aviation cadet at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, January 16, 1942. He trained at Visalia, Lemoore, and Victorville Fields, California, receiving his pilot's wings and commission as a second lieutenant in August 1942.

Lindsey undertook bombardier training at Kirtland Field, New Mexico, and in 1943 was assigned to the 314th Bomb Squadron at MacDill Field, Florida, with rank of first lieutenant. He was transferred to Kellogg Field, Michigan, in September 1943, and assigned to the 585th Bomb Squadron, 394th Bomb Group (Medium), a B-26 Marauder outfit. Promoted to captain in December, he was assigned as a flight commander.

As part of the Ninth Air Force the 394th Bomb Group deployed to RAF Boreham, England on March 11, 1944, and immediately participated in the bombing of bridges, airfields, and the rail system in France in preparation for the cross-channel invasion. On D-Day the group attacked gun positions in Cherbourg, then continued to support Allied ground units in Normandy byb attacking German lines of communication. In late July, the group changed bases to RAF Holmsley in preparation for a move to the continent, and on August 7, 1944, began a three-day campaign against rail and bridge targets in northern France for which the group as a whole would receive a Distinguished Unit Citation.

On August 9 Captain Lindsey, a veteran of 45 combat missions, flew as group leader to destroy the railroad bridge over the Seine River at L'Isle Adam, France. The bridge, one of the last over the Seine still standing

--Jefferson, Iowa Jesse Lyle Lindsey Grace Alice Lindsey (plaque placed on their headstone)

Darrell Lindsey In February 1944, he went to Europe with the unit and next month began flying combat missions in B-26 medium bombers. Captain Lindsey racked up 143 hours of combat time and was on his 46th mission, flying as group leader, when he was killed in action. On Aug. 9, he led a formation of 30 B-26s in a hazardous mission to destroy the strategic enemy-held L'lsle Adam railroad bridge over the Seine in occupied France. With most of the bridges over the Seine destroyed, this one was of inestimable value to the enemy in moving troops, supplies and equipment. Captain Lindsey and the others were fully aware of the fierce resistance that would be encountered.

For completing the bomb run and making it possible for his crew to jump to safety from the crippled plane, Captain Lindsey earned the Medal of Honor. The citation, in part reads: "...Despite the fact that his plane was hurled out of formation by violent ground fire, he brilliantly maneuvered back into the lead position without disrupting the flight. Fully aware that the gasoline tanks might explode at any moment, he gallantly elected to continue the perilous bombing run. With fire streaming from his right engine and his right wing half enveloped in flames, he led his formation over the target upon which the bombs were dropped with telling effect. Captain Lindsey then gave the order for the crew to parachute from the doomed Aircraft. With magnificent coolness and superb pilotage, and without regard for his own life, he held the swiftly descending airplane in a steady glide until the members of the crew could jump to safety. The last man to leave the stricken plane was the bombardier, who offered to lower the wheels so that Captain Lindsey might escape from the nose. Realizing that this might throw the plane into an uncontrollable spin and jeopardize the bombardier's chances to escape, he refused the offer. Immediately after the bombardier had bailed out, and before Captain Lindsey was able to follow, the right gasoline tank exploded. The aircraft, sheathed in fire, went into a steep dive and was seen to explode as it crashed. All who are living today from this plane owe their lives to the fact that Captain Lindsey remained cool and showed supreme courage in this. emergency."

body never receovered, Lindseys widow Evelyn accepted his posthumously-awarded Medal of Honor in 1945.

Lindsey Memorial, Located at Greene County courthouse, 106 East Lincolnway, Jefferson. red granite obelisk with a flag pole beside it flying MOH flag designed by Kendall, dedicated 6-12-93 moved from Weisbaden, germany The Lindsey Memorial once stood at the Lindsey Air Station in Wiesbaden, Germany. When this Air Force base was closed, the monument was returned in 1993 to Greene County, (day before dedication of the BV monument donated by Judge Charles Pendleton and Dr. Bruce Rhinehart)

attended Buena Vista College 1939 to 1940, and if you take a walk across the BVU campus between the Lage Communication Center and the Estelle Siebens Science Center, youll find a memorial to Capt. Darrell R. Lindsey. Sometime in 1992, however, giving became a personal issue for Pendleton. It was at that time he donated a small memorial to BV in honor of Evelyn Rhinehart, wife of fellow BV veteran Dr. Bruce Rhinehart SL’46. Evelyn had been killed in an auto accident. In the middle of specifics regarding this gift, Pendleton and Rhinehart learned of the imminent return to the U.S. of a monument from Germany which had honored Darrell Lindsey, Congressional Medal of Honor winner and a BV alumnus. Lindsey was Evelyn Rhinehart’s first husband who had been killed in Europe during World War II. Although the monument would eventually be taken to Lindsey’s birthplace in Jefferson, Iowa, Pendleton and Rhinehart arranged for a memorial monument that was placed on the Buena Vista campus on June 13, 1993.

The monument was not enough for Pendelton and Rhinehart, however, as they wanted to find a way to honor other World War II veterans and at the same time directly help BVU students.

"Dr. Rhinehart and I decided to initiate a scholarship in memory of Darrell Lindsey and Ralph Neppel, another BV student and winner of a Congressional Medal of Honor. It was my thought," says Pendelton, "to make annual gifts to the fund honoring other veterans or loved ones. The Lindsey-Neppel Scholarship

Buena Vista University Storm Lake, Iowa 50588

referencing workshop
http://www3.uakron.edu/ul/archives/b26/bg-394th.html 394th BG History

Buena Vista Today article on memorial and scholarship

http://www.jeffersoniowa.com/content_display.php?contentId=16&sectionId=59 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce on Memorial

https://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/PopTopics/MOH-bios/Lindsey.html Official USAF biography

http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/states/pages_go/lindsey_darrell_ia.html Home of Heroes page with biographical data

http://www.medalofhonor.com/RalphNeppel.htm

http://www.medalofhonor.com/DarrellLindsey.htm