Meet the only B-26 Marauder crewman to receive the Medal of Honor

The US Military Air Forces fielded two main air arms for the Allied invasion of France in 1944. The extra well-known of the 2 was the Eighth Air Pressure, the strategic arm whose four-engine bombers devastated Nazi Germany’s industrial capability by day, whereas Britain’s Royal Air Pressure pounded it by evening. The opposite American contribution was the Ninth Air Pressure, the tactical arm whose twin-engine plane supported the bottom troops.

Among the many the Ninth’s many excellent pilots was the one Martin B-26 Marauder crewman to be awarded a Medal of Honor.

When the US entered World Warfare II, Iowan Darrell Robins Lindsey enlisted as an Military Air Corps cadet in Des Moines on Jan. 16, 1942. His coaching included introduction to the B-26 on the 314 Bombardment Group’s base at MacDill Discipline, Florida, adopted by bombardier coaching at Kirtland Discipline, New Mexico.

He received his second lieutenant’s fee on Aug. 27 and shortly after he received his operational task to the 585th Squadron, 384th Bombardment Group (Medium) at Kellogg Discipline, Michigan, the place he rose to first lieutenant in 1943 and to captain that December.

On March 10, 1944, the 394th Group arrived at Boreham, England, and hooked up to the Ninth Air Pressure. Capt. Lindsey was a flight chief as his squadron bombed army installations, trains, airfields and some other targets in German-occupied France. As of June 6, that included supporting the People’ advance from Normandy and to the port of Cherbourg.

Aerial opposition was comparatively scarce as a result of plane of VIII and IX Fighter Command and the RAF had largely swept it from the sky — and what remained was occupied defending Germany from long-range bombers and their fighter escorts, or the rising amount and high quality of Soviet plane approaching from the east.

One menace, nonetheless, appeared fixed: a wide range of German anti-aircraft weapons, starting from 20mm to 105mm, put in at each goal.

Opposing the Ninth Air Pressure’s bombers, which usually attacked from 10,000 to 12,000 toes altitude, AA weapons appeared to take their toll upon each sortie.

On July 24, the 394th moved to Holmsley South, so it may very well be nearer to the advancing People. By Aug. 9, Lindsey had logged 46 missions encompassing 143 fight hours and 1,497 total.

At the moment the Germans have been striving to retake the strategically necessary cities of Mortain and Avranches, the place the thirtieth Infantry Division, nicknamed “Previous Hickory,” held that hard-won floor towards the XLVII Panzer Korps.

In that context, Lindsey, flying his B-26 Marauder, led 30 planes to bomb the railroad bridge at L’Isle-Adam, a junction between the Seine and Oise rivers, 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) northwest of Paris, over which the Germans have been citing troops, provides and gear for his or her counterattack.

L’Isle Adam being one of many treasured few railroad junctions nonetheless at their disposal, the Germans’ most important defenses have been their infamous 88mm anti-aircraft weapons, equally lethal towards plane and tanks.

As Lindsey’s strike pressure neared the bridge he was greeted by heavy flak, however by skillful evasive motion he was capable of elude a lot of it earlier than getting into his bombing run — at which level his aircraft was peppered with holes. Out of the blue, his proper engine burst into flame, producing a concussion that threw his aircraft out of the lead place. Undeterred, Lindsey maneuvered his stricken machine again into place with out disrupting the formation.

At this level, Lindsey was conscious that his gasoline tanks may explode any second however was decided to finish the mission earlier than all else. With fireplace streaming from his engine and the correct wing half enveloped in flames, he led the formation to drop their 2,000-pound masses on the bridge.

As soon as that was achieved, he ordered his crew to take to their parachutes, whereas he stored the descending B-26 on a gentle glide. The final crewman out, the bombardier, supplied to decrease the touchdown gear so Lindsey might escape out the nostril, however he refused till the bombardier had bailed out. Then, simply as he tried to observe, the correct tank exploded, the aircraft went right into a steep dive and upon placing the bottom, exploded.

The bomb run on L’Isle-Adam capped a collection of bomb raids since Aug. 7 that demolished 4 bridges, destroyed an ammunition dump and contributed to the failure of the German counterattack, which led to the partial trapping of the German military and most of its armor at Falaise, main in flip to the liberation of Paris by the top of August. For that three-day success, the 394th Bomb Group acquired a Distinguished Unit Quotation.

On Could 30, 1945, Lindsey’s widow acquired a posthumous Medal of Honor from Main Gen. Robert B. Williams, commander of the Second Air Pressure, on the First Presbyterian Church at Fort Dodge.

The contents of his quotation was noteworthy for its relative informality: “All who’re alive at present from this aircraft owe their lives to the truth that Captain Lindsey remained cool and confirmed supreme braveness on this emergency.”