LINDSEY, DARRELL R. - Medal of Honor Recipient
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. 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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