The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
*LINDSEY, DARRELL R.
(Air Mission)
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. |
