| Lindsey, Darrell R. |
Rank and organization:
Captain, U.S. Army Air Corps. Place and date: L'Isle Adam
railroad bridge over the Seine in occupied France, 9 August
1944. Entered service at: Storm Lake, lowa. Birth: Jefferson,
lowa. G.O. No.: 43, 30 May 1945. Citation... On 9 August
1944, Capt. Lindsey led a formation of 30 B-26 medium bombers 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, the heavily
fortified L'Isle Adam bridge was of inestimable value to the
enemy in moving troops, supplies, and equipment to Paris. Capt. Lindsey
was fully aware of the fierce resistance that would be encountered.
Shortly after reaching enemy territory the formation was buffeted with
heavy and accurate antiaircraft fire. |
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By skillful evasive action, Capt. Lindsey was able to
elude much of the enemy flak, but just before entering the
bombing run his B-26 was peppered with holes. During the bombing
run the enemy fire was even more intense, and Capt. Lindsey's
right engine received a direct hit and burst into flames.
Despite the fact that his ship was hurled out of formation by
the violence of the concussion, Capt. Lindsey brilliantly
maneuvered back into the lead position without disrupting the
flight. Fully aware that the gasoline tanks might explode at any
moment, Capt. Lindsey 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. Immediately after the objective was attacked, Capt.
Lindsey 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. With the right wing completely enveloped in
flames and an explosion of the gasoline tank imminent, Capt.
Lindsey still remained unperturbed. The last man to leave the
stricken plane was the bombardier, who offered to lower the
wheels so that Capt. Lindsey might escape from the nose.
Realizing that this might throw the aircraft into an
uncontrollable spin and jeopardize the bombardier's chances to
escape, Capt. Lindsey refused the offer. Immediately after the
bombardier had bailed out, and before Capt. 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 Capt. Lindsey remained cool and showed
supreme courage in this emergency. | |
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