SGT Dewey ESSARY |
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UNIT: 351st BOMB Sqdn | POSITION: BTG | ||
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Pre-war photo of Dewey Essary | |||
SERIAL #: 06238036 | STATUS: KIA | ||
MACR: 03026 | CR: 03026 | ||
Comments1: 6 MAR 44 BERLIN (AIRCRAFT THOUGHT TO HAVE EXPLODED) |
COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:CREW 2nd Lt Merril T.Rish P KIA 6/3/44 BERLIN 2nd Lt Frank A.Smith CP KIA 6/3/44 BERLIN 2nd Lt Royal W..Lingenfelter NAV POW 6/3/44 BERLIN TAPS: 1975 2nd Lt Donald K.Kehm BOM POW 6/3/44 BERLIN TAPS: 1977 A/C #42 38044 S/Sgt George F.Danehower ROG POW 6/3/44 BERLIN MACR #3026,Micro fiche #1023 S/Sgt Howard T.Skaggs,Jr. TTE POW 6/3/44 BERLIN TAPS: 1980 S/Sgt Estil V. McGuffee LWG POW 6/3/44 BERLIN Sgt Angus Alsup TG KIA 6/3/44 BERLIN Sgt Armand C.Burt RWG POW 6/3/44 BERLIN Sgt Chester L.Powell BTG KIA 28/5/44 GERA, CITY & MAGDEBURG, OIL REF (With crew of L.G.Lacy) 351st Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 28/11/43. On 6/3/44, Sgt.Powell was replaced by Sgt.DEWY ESSARY who was KIA. This was about the 17th mission for this crew but only the 4th for ESSARY.See: p44 S.O.C. A statement given by Don Kehm (then a Master Sgt) a short time after the war is as follows: ".....Greman fighters attacked in a group out of the sun at 12 O'clock high. We recieved numerous hits, fire was visible around #3 engine. The plane immediately went into a tight spin. Centrifugal force prevented me from releasing the escape hatch. Ships inter phone was not operating. At about 3, 000 feet the tail broke off of the aircraft and the ship then began to climb & I could see all the objects coming toward me. The plane must have exploded as next I awoke on the ground with two German soldiers approaching me. I was taken to Quackenbush (Quackenbruck) jail." According to statements by Estil V. McGuffee, he, Howard T. Skaggs, and Royal W. Lingenfelter were blown out but George F. Danehower, Armand C. Burt and Donald K. Kehm may have baled out. Sgt Esssry's dog tags were found in the wreckage and it is thought his remains were have been consumed by the fire. THIS CREW IS PICTURED IN KEITH FERRIS'S FAMOUS PAINTING OF THE THREE 100TH AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY OF HASELEUNNE ON THE BERLIN MISISON OF 06 MAR 44. THE PAINTING CAN BE SEEN ON THE COVER OF THE BOOK "TARGET BERLIN; MISSION 250" BY JEFFREY L ETHELL AND ALFRED PRICE. RISH'S AIRCRAFT IS TOP PLANE IN THE THREE PLANE PAINTING, IT IS FURTHER IDENTIFIED BY THE SQUADRON MARKINGS OF EP - R.MEMO 2:
KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION:
TARGET: Berlin | DATE: 1944-03-06 | |
AIRCRAFT: "Spirit o' 44" (42-39044) | CAUSE: EAC & Explosion |
BURIAL INFORMATION
PLOT: | ROW: | |
GRAVE: Wall/Misng | CEMETERY: Netherlands Cemetery/Margraten |
PHOTOS:

Dewey Essary 351st BTG Oklahoma KIA 6 Mar 44 Berlin Merril T. Rish Crew (100th Photo Archives)

Dewey Essary draft card