Lt. Col. John P. Dwyer Service # 0 23275 (a.k.a. 0 203 275) 92nd Bomb Group Combat Crew Replacement Center Bavington, England August 1942—1945 C-14,052,147 K-1137878 DOB: 27 Nov. 1915, Columbus, OH. Clarion Senior High School, class of 1934, Clarion, PA. Ohio State University 1934-36. USMA, class of 1940, West Point, NY, commissioned 11 June 1940: a man of physical might, superb gifts as a warrior-pilot, a glory hunter worthy of trophies. DOD: 29 December 1949, an inglorious one—emaciated by malnutrition and cancer in Butler, PA VA Hospital. Did his soul flee to its destined place among the steadfast ones? First wings at Burkdale Field, LA; primary flying at Fort Sheridan Field, The Chicago School of Aeronautics, Curtis Airport, Glenview, IL 2 September—31 December 1940; Student AC Basic Flight School at Gunter Field, AL January—5 March 1941; and Advanced Flying School Diploma from Maxwell Field, Selma, AL 29 May 1941. Married Mary Catherine Stevenson 9 September 1941 at Columbus, OH (the Clinical Record abstract of 26 August 1944 “Previous Personal History” erroneously reports the marriage “in September 1942”). Transferred from Tampa to Macdill 9 September 1941 to June 1942. 1st Lt AUS 10 October 1941, Capt. AUS AC 1 March 1942. Stationed at MacDill Field, Tampa (97th Squadron, 8th Air Corps); then to Sarasota. Major AUS AC 30 July 1942. Left from Bangor, Maine late August 1942. Assigned to 92nd Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force, Director of Training, First Combat Crew Replacement Center, Bavington-Boxted, England 22 August 1942— 20 April 1944 (20 months); 1,128 hours of command-pilot combat mission flying time. Escorted Walter Cronkite filming bombing in Europe. He demonstrated “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services as Director of Training . . . for B-17 combat crews. . . . He carried on his activities with the Royal Air Force Operational Training Units with the closest coordination, resulting in mutual benefits to both American and British training programs.” Promoted to Lt. Col., AUS AC 19 January 1943 by General Chauncey. An only son born 22 February 1943 Cincinnati, OH. 1st Lt. AC 11 June 1943; Captain AUS 1 November 1943. Admitted to 1st General Hospital 20 April 1944, then to 96th General Hospital diagnosed as dementia praecox, unqualified (praecox: premature, hasty, rash) “incurred in the line of duty [and] due to causes incident to the military service.” Evacuated from England on hospital ship Chateau Thierry 15 June 1944. Arrived US 27 June 1944 (22 months abroad). Admitted to Fletcher General Hospital in the U.S. then to Darnall General Hospital on 23 July 1944. Special Order #21 by General Marshall, General Ulio, and 2nd Lieutenant Thomas C. Stout found him on 24 January 1945 to be “ARB—incapacitated for active service on account of disability incident thereto—such disability having been determined or incurred while serving in his temporary grade and such findings having been approved by the President, the retirement from active service on 31 January 1945 under the provisions of section 1251 RS with grade and pay of the grade as indicated (Lieutenant Colonel) as provided by the act of Congress approved 29 June 1943. Officer is released from assignment and duty at the station indicated and at the proper time WP his home. PCS. TDN. 501-31 P 431-01, 02, 03, 07, 08 212/50425.” He was forced to retire 31 January 1945 (place of separation: Darnall General Hospital, Danville, KY). Placed in Cambridge, OH VA hospital in 1945 for 3 weeks. Moved to Danville, KY VA hospital in 1945 for 3 months. Moved to Chillocothe, OH VA hospital for four years. Awarded Croix de Guerre avec Palme 29 January 1945 by General Juin, and the Legion of Merit 15 March 1945 by General Ulio. Died in Butler, PA VA hospital 29 December 1949 (age 34) while home in Clarion for Christmas with his son (age 6) and wife (age 27). Benefits received from the U.S. included a $5,000 life insurance payment and small monthly subsistence checks to the surviving wife and son until mother’s marriage to Joseph F. Schierberl (also a twice-decorated combat-wounded veteran) in 1952. In 2000, I received testimonial letters from the following West Point men: George Mayo, Jr. 900 North Taylor Street, #1817, Arlington, VA 22203-1893 on July 25 ‘00. Andrew d’Elia of 10356 Windstream Dr., Columbia, MD 21044-2519 on 5 and 23 August ’00. He mailed me a 1940 Howitzer. Harry L. Wilson, Jr., 220A Ridgeside Terrace, Morganton, NC 28655 on 23 August ’00 (boxing partner / Lavell; Pacific). Charles E. Harrison, 23 Arbutus Ave. Chelmsford, MA 01824-1144 on 22 August ’00. Richard W. Mabee, One Surrey Lane, Atherton, CA 94027-3130 on 22 August ’00. Steve Morrissey sbm1914@home.com on 25 August ’00 (tennis partner at West Point). Luther D. Arnold 1 Gale Avenue, Linwood, NJ 08221-2503 Walter W. Lavell, 6106 E 58th St., Tulsa, OK 74135-8135 (West Point roommate 1937-1940). Colonel George W. England, Jr. 105 Talton Court, Clarkseville, TN 37040-4380. Mr. Samuel Patten 284 Mill Lane, Boyce, VA 22620. Major General L.G. Cagwin, 25185 Stewart Place, Carmel, CA 93923. Colonel B.F. Delamater, III, 1818 Leona Dr., College Station, TX 77840. Colonel William E. Buck, Jr. 334 Hidden Valley Tr. Sherman, TX 75092 Colonel Lester C. Hess 2605 E. Pebble Beach, Missouri City, TX 77459 Mr. C.A. Shaunesey, 445 Topping Hill Rd., Westfield, NJ 07090. And from Helen Partridge of 501 Clover Ridge Dr. Demopolis, AL 36732 on July ’00 (newly-wed friends in 1941). __________ If you have any information on this man, please write me: dwyerj1@comcast.net