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{{short description|United States Army Air Forces officer}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
|name= William Edwin Dyess
|name= William Edwin Dyess
|birth_date= {{birth date|1916|8|9}}
|birth_date= {{birth date|1916|8|9}}
|death_date= {{death date and age|1943|12|22|1916|8|9}}
|death_date= {{death date and age|1943|12|22|1916|8|9}}
|birth_place= [[Albany, Texas]]
|birth_place= [[Albany, Texas]], US
|death_place= [[Burbank, California]]
|death_place= [[Burbank, California]], US
|placeofburial= Albany Cemetery, [[Albany, Texas]]
|placeofburial= Albany Cemetery<br/>[[Albany, Texas]]
|image= William Edwin Dyess.jpg
|image= William Edwin Dyess.jpg
|caption=
|caption= 1943
|nickname= Ed
|nickname= Ed
|allegiance= [[United States|United States of America]]
|allegiance= United States
|branch=[[United States Army Air Corps]]<br/>[[United States Army Air Forces]]
|branch=[[United States Army Air Corps|U.S. Army Air Corps]]<br/>[[United States Army Air Forces|U.S. Army Air Forces]]
|serviceyears= 1937 &ndash; 1943
|serviceyears= 1937–1943
|rank= [[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|25px]] [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]]
|rank= [[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|15px]] [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]]
|commands= [[21st Special Operations Squadron|21st Pursuit Squadron]]
|commands= [[21st Special Operations Squadron|21st Pursuit Squadron]]
|unit= [[24th Pursuit Group]]<br/>[[329th Fighter-Interceptor Group|329th Fighter Group]]
|unit= [[24th Pursuit Group]]<br/>[[329th Fighter-Interceptor Group|329th Fighter Group]]
|battles=[[World War II]]<br/>{{*}} [[Battle of Bataan]]
|battles=[[World War II]]<br/>{{*}} [[Battle of Bataan]]
|awards= [[File:Distinguished Service Cross ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] (2)<br/>[[File:Silver_Star_ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Silver Star]] (2)<br/>[[File:Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Legion of Merit]] <br/>[[File:Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (2)<br/>[[File:Soldier's Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Soldier's Medal]]<br/>[[File:Bronze Star ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Bronze Star Medal]]<br/>[[File:Purple Heart ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Purple Heart]]<br/>[[File:Texas_Legislative_Medal_of_Honor_Ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Texas Legislative Medal of Honor]]
|awards= {{ubl|[[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] (2)<|[[Silver Star]] (2)| [[Legion of Merit]]|[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (2)|[[Soldier's Medal]]|[[Bronze Star Medal]]| [[Purple Heart]]|[[Texas Legislative Medal of Honor]]}}
|laterwork=
|laterwork=
}}
}}
'''William Edwin "Ed" Dyess''' (August 9, 1916 – December 22, 1943) was an officer of the [[United States Army Air Corps]] during World War II. He was captured after the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] loss at the [[Battle of Bataan]] and endured the subsequent [[Bataan Death March]]. After a year in captivity, he escaped and spent three months on the run before being evacuated from the Philippines by a U.S. submarine. Once back in the U.S., he recounted the story of his capture and imprisonment, providing the first widely published eye-witness account of the brutality of the Death March. He returned to duty in the Army Air Forces but was killed in a training accident months later.
'''William Edwin Dyess''' (August 9, 1916 – December 22, 1943) was an officer of the [[United States Army Air Forces]] during [[World War II]].<ref name=trletn>{{cite web |url=https://www.tarleton.edu/rotc/LtC%20%20W%20E%20%20Dyess%20narrative%20-%202015%20Texas%20Legislative%20Medal%20of%20Honor.pdf |publisher=Tarleton State University |title=A Hero of Bataan |accessdate=June 19, 2018}}</ref> He was captured after the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] loss at the [[Battle of Bataan]] and endured the subsequent [[Bataan Death March]]. After a year in captivity, Dyess escaped and spent three months on the run before being evacuated from the Philippines by a U.S. submarine. Once back in the U.S., he recounted the story of his capture and imprisonment, providing the first widely published eye-witness account of the brutality of the death march. He returned to duty in the Army Air Forces, but was killed in a training accident {{nowrap|months later.<ref name=musafoms>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196793/one-man-scourge-william-e-dyess/ |publisher=National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |title=One-man scourge: William E. Dyess |accessdate=June 19, 2018}}</ref><ref name=afmonmsc>{{cite news |url=http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/2017/December%202017/AF_Dec2017%20issue.pdf |work=Air Force |title=Dyess: One-man scourge |date=December 2017 |page=64}}</ref>}}


== Early life and career ==
== Biography ==
Born and raised in [[Albany, Texas]], son of Judge Richard T. and Hallie Graham Dyess. Dyess attended Albany High School where he played [[American football|football]] and ran track and field. He graduated from high school in 1934 and from [[Tarleton State University|John Tarleton College]] in [[Stephenville, Texas]], on May 18, 1936. He was a distant cousin of fellow World War II veteran [[Aquilla J. Dyess]].<ref name="ac20100704"/>
Born and raised in [[Albany, Texas]], Dyess was the son of Judge Richard T. and Hallie Graham Dyess. He played [[American football|football]] and ran track and field at [[Albany Junior/Senior High School|Albany High School]], and graduated in 1934. He attended [[Tarleton State University|John Tarleton Agricultural College]] in [[Stephenville, Texas]], and graduated on May 18, 1936. He was a distant cousin of fellow World War II veteran [[Aquilla J. Dyess]].<ref name="ac20100704"/>


Dyess underwent flight training at [[Kelly Air Force Base|Kelly]] and [[Randolph Air Force Base|Randolph Fields]] in [[San Antonio]], Texas, and was commissioned second lieutenant in the [[United States Army Air Corps]] in 1937.<ref name=Dyess>Dyess, W.E., 1944, The Dyess Story, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons</ref>{{rp|16}} Promoted to first lieutenant and command of the [[21st Pursuit Squadron]] at [[Hamilton Field, California|Hamilton Field]], San Francisco, Dyess led the squadron to [[Nichols Field]], [[Manila]], Philippines, in November 1941.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|23}}
Dyess underwent flight training at [[Kelly Air Force Base|Kelly]] and [[Randolph Air Force Base|Randolph Fields]] in [[San Antonio]] and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the [[United States Army Air Corps]] in 1937.<ref name=Dyess>Dyess, W.E., 1944, The Dyess Story, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons</ref>{{rp|16}} Promoted to first lieutenant and command of the [[21st Pursuit Squadron]] at [[Hamilton Field, California|Hamilton Field]], San Francisco, Dyess led the squadron to [[Nichols Field]], [[Manila]], Philippines, in November 1941.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|23}}


== Bataan ==
== Bataan ==
The 21st Pursuit Squadron was assigned to the [[24th Pursuit Group]] which together with the [[19th Air Refueling Group|19th Bomb Group]] suffered heavy casualties during the opening of the war with Japan in 1941. Flying [[P-40 Warhawk]]s against superior Japanese types, Dyess maintained his unit's morale in the face of staggering losses during the [[Battle of Bataan]]. When his squadron ran short of aircraft, Dyess transitioned to an infantry officer, serving in this capacity during the [[Battle of the Points]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|38–46}}
The 21st Pursuit Squadron was assigned to the [[24th Pursuit Group]] which together with the [[19th Air Refueling Group|19th Bomb Group]] suffered heavy casualties during the opening of the war with Japan in 1941. Flying [[P-40 Warhawk]]s against superior Japanese types, Dyess maintained his unit's morale in the face of staggering losses during the Battle of Bataan. When his squadron ran short of aircraft, Dyess transitioned to an infantry officer, serving in this capacity during the [[Battle of the Points]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|38–46}}


When the Bataan Peninsula fell to the Japanese, Dyess, as commanding officer, refused to abandon those of his squadron who could not be evacuated.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|65}} He gave his airplane ("Kibosh") to another fighter pilot, Lieutenant I.B. "Jack" Donaldson, for last bombing run on 9 April, after which Jack was ordered to fly it to Cebu, where he crash landed.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|63}} Dyess also supervised the evacuation of Philippine Army Colonel [[Carlos Romulo]],<ref name=Hunt>Hunt, Ray C., and Norling, Bernard, 1986, ''Behind Japanese Lines: An American Guerrilla in the Philippines'', The University Press of Kentucky, {{ISBN|0-8131-1604-X}}</ref>{{rp|25}} a close friend of General [[Douglas MacArthur]] who would survive the war and would later serve as President of the [[United Nations General Assembly]].
When the [[Bataan Peninsula]] fell to the Japanese, Dyess, as commanding officer, refused to abandon those of his squadron who could not be evacuated.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|65}} He gave his airplane ("Kibosh") to another fighter pilot, Lieutenant I.B. "Jack" Donaldson, for last bombing run on April 9, after which Donaldson was ordered to fly it to Cebu, where he crash landed.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|63}} Dyess also supervised the evacuation of Philippine Army Colonel [[Carlos Romulo]],<ref name=Hunt>Hunt, Ray C., and Norling, Bernard, 1986, ''Behind Japanese Lines: An American Guerrilla in the Philippines'', The University Press of Kentucky, {{ISBN|0-8131-1604-X}}</ref>{{rp|25}} a close friend of General [[Douglas MacArthur]], who would survive the war and would later serve as President of the [[United Nations General Assembly]].


Dyess was captured by the Japanese on April 9, 1942, north of [[Mariveles, Bataan]], and the next morning, he and the others who surrendered at Bataan began the infamous [[Bataan Death March]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|67–68}} He was imprisoned at [[Camp O'Donnell]] and then, from June to 26 October 1942, at [[Cabanatuan]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|97,130}} There, he and his men were routinely denied the rights of [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|130–131}}
Dyess was captured by the Japanese on April 9, 1942, north of [[Mariveles, Bataan]], and the next morning, he and the others who surrendered at Bataan began the infamous Bataan Death March.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|67–68}} He was imprisoned at [[Camp O'Donnell]] and then, from June to 26 October 1942, at [[Cabanatuan]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|97,130}} There, his men and he were routinely denied the rights of [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|130–131}}


Dyess and others were transported by ship, the ''Erie Maru'', to the [[Davao Penal Colony]] on [[Mindanao]],<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|154}} arriving November 7. After two months of planning and preparation, Dyess, along with nine other American POWs, including Major [[Jack Hawkins (U.S. Marine Corps officer)|Jack Hawkins]], [[Austin Shofner]], and [[Samuel Grashio]],<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|166}} and two Filipino convicts escaped from Davao on April 4, 1943.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|170}} It would be the only large-scale escape of Allied POWs from the Japanese in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Dyess and his group spent several weeks evading pursuit, then joined a group of [[guerrilla]]s for several months.<ref name=Wolfert>Wolfert, I., 1945, American Guerrilla in the Philippines, New York: Simon and Schuster</ref>{{rp|127}} The group decided to split up, with seven joining organized guerrilla forces in northern Mindanao. Dyess and two others were evacuated by the U.S. Navy submarine [[USS Trout (SS-202)|''Trout'']] to Australia in July 1943.
Dyess and others were transported by ship, the ''Erie Maru'', to the [[Davao Penal Colony]] on [[Mindanao]],<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|154}} arriving November 7. After two months of planning and preparation, Dyess, along with 9 other American POWs, including Major [[Jack Hawkins (U.S. Marine Corps officer)|Jack Hawkins]], [[Austin Shofner]], and [[Samuel Grashio]],<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|166}} and two Filipino convicts escaped from Davao on April 4, 1943.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|170}} It was the only large-scale escape of Allied POWs from the Japanese in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Dyess and his group spent several weeks evading pursuit, then joined a group of [[guerrilla]]s for several months.<ref name=Wolfert>Wolfert, I., 1945, American Guerrilla in the Philippines, New York: Simon and Schuster</ref>{{rp|127}} The group decided to split up, with seven joining organized guerrilla forces in northern Mindanao. Dyess and two others were evacuated by the U.S. Navy submarine [[USS Trout (SS-202)|''Trout'']] to Australia in July 1943.


Upon reaching the United States in August, he was thoroughly debriefed on his experiences as a POW by high-ranking military brass. He was ordered to recuperate, in Sept. 1943, at the Ashford General Hospital in [[White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|11}} From his hospital bed, Dyess worked with ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' writer Charles Leavelle to tell the story of the atrocities and brutality he and his fellow POWs had experienced and witnessed while in Japanese captivity.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|11}} The U.S. Government, however, refused to release Dyess' story for publication on the grounds that it would infuriate the Japanese and risk the death of remaining American prisoners.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|9}} The ''Tribune'' had to wait another four and a half months for the Secretary of War to grant release of the story.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|11–12}}
Upon reaching the United States in August, he was thoroughly debriefed on his experiences as a POW by high-ranking military brass. He was ordered to recuperate, in September 1943, at the [[The Greenbrier|Ashford General Hospital]] in [[White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia]].<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|11}} From his hospital bed, Dyess worked with ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' writer Charles Leavelle to tell the story of the atrocities and brutality his fellow POWs and he had experienced and witnessed while in Japanese captivity.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|11}} The U.S. government, however, refused to release Dyess' story for publication on the grounds that it would infuriate the Japanese and risk the death of remaining American prisoners.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|9}} The ''Tribune'' had to wait another four and a half months for the Secretary of War to grant release of the story.<ref name=Dyess/>{{rp|11–12}}


==Death and legacy==
==Death and legacy==
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Dyess was assigned to fly [[P-38 Lightning]]s in preparation for a return to combat. On December 22, 1943, his aircraft, [[P-38 Lightning|P-38G-10-LO Lightning]], ''42-13441'', of the [[337th Flight Test Squadron|337th Fighter Squadron]], [[329th Fighter-Interceptor Group|329d Fighter Group]],<ref>[http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Dec1943S.htm December 1943 USAAF Stateside Accident Report], Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, 2001.</ref> lost an engine caused by a fire on take-off from [[Grand Central Airport (United States)|Grand Central Airport]]. Dyess had a chance to abandon his troubled aircraft but was flying over a heavily populated area and didn't want to be responsible for any civilian casualties. He remained in his stricken P-38 and died while guiding it onto a vacant lot.<ref>[http://www.dyess.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=3803&page=1 US Airforce Fact Sheet: Dyess Name], Dyess Air Force Base: Fact Sheet, Retrieved Feb. 10, 2016.</ref>
Promoted to [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]], Dyess was assigned to fly [[P-38 Lightning]]s in preparation for a return to combat. On December 22, 1943, his aircraft, P-38G-10-LO Lightning, ''42-13441'', of the [[337th Flight Test Squadron|337th Fighter Squadron]], [[329th Fighter-Interceptor Group|329d Fighter Group]],<ref>[http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Dec1943S.htm December 1943 USAAF Stateside Accident Report], Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, 2001.</ref> lost an engine caused by a fire on take-off from [[Grand Central Airport (United States)|Grand Central Airport]]. Dyess had a chance to bail out of his troubled aircraft, but was flying over a heavily-populated area and did not want to be responsible for any civilian casualties. He remained in his stricken P-38, attempting to land it in a vacant lot, and died when the aircraft crashed.<ref>[http://www.dyess.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=3803&page=1 US Airforce Fact Sheet: Dyess Name]{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Dyess Air Force Base: Fact Sheet, Retrieved Feb. 10, 2016.</ref>


He is buried in Albany Cemetery in Albany, Texas.
He is buried in Albany cemetery, [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Dyess&GSfn=William&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1943&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=15355077&df=all& Texas].


Almost one month after his death, the ''Chicago Tribune'' finally received permission from government censorship offices to release the deceased aviator's story on January 28, 1944. The story ran in serial form for several weeks and was picked up by over 100 American newspapers. According to Leavelle, it was the biggest story of the war since Pearl Harbor. Published in book form in 1944, ''The Dyess Story'' (later retitled ''Bataan Death March'') became a bestseller.
Almost one month after his death, the ''Chicago Tribune'' finally received permission from government censorship offices to release the deceased aviator's story on January 28, 1944. The story ran in serial form for several weeks and was picked up by over 100 American newspapers. According to Leavelle, it was the biggest story of the war since Pearl Harbor. Published in book form in 1944, ''The Dyess Story'' (later retitled ''Bataan Death March'') became a bestseller.


Among other commendations, Dyess received the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] and [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]. In 1957, Abilene Army Airfield was renamed [[Dyess Air Force Base]] in his honor. His personal papers are archived at [[Maxwell Air Force Base]] in Alabama and the special collections archive at [[Texas Tech University]] in [[Lubbock, Texas]].
Among other commendations, Dyess received the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] twice and [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] also twice. In 1957, Abilene Army Airfield was renamed [[Dyess Air Force Base]] in his honor and in 2006, a replica of Dyess’ beloved P-40 Warhawk, named "Kibosh", was installed at the front gate of the base in his memory.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dyess' Warhawk makes final flight|url=https://www.dyess.af.mil/News/Features/Article/269894/dyess-warhawk-makes-final-flight/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Dyess Air Force Base|language=en-US}}</ref> His personal papers are archived at [[Maxwell Air Force Base]] in Alabama and the special collections archive at [[Texas Tech University]] in [[Lubbock, Texas]].


In 2024, Lt. Col Dyess was chosen as the exemplar for [[United States Air Force Academy]] Class of 2027.
==Military Decorations==

==Military decorations==
His awards and decorations include:
His awards and decorations include:
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
{|
[[File:USAAF Wings.png|150px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[USAF Aeronautical Ratings#Pilot ratings|USAAF Pilot Badge]]
|-
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] with bronze [[oak leaf cluster]]
|-
|-
|colspan="4"|[[File:USAAF_Wings.png|200px]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Silver_Star_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[Silver Star]] with bronze oak leaf cluster
|-
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[Legion of Merit]]
|-
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|other_device=|ribbon=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished_Service_Cross_ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Silver Star ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] with bronze oak leaf cluster
|-
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|other_device=|ribbon=Soldier's Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|[[Soldier's Medal]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=Soldier's_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|name=Bronze Star ribbon|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|other_device=|ribbon=Purple_Heart_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|[[Bronze Star Medal]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=|other_device=|ribbon=Prisoner of War Medal.svg|width=110}}
|-
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Purple Heart BAR|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American_Defense_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=|ribbon=American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|[[Purple Heart]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|other_device=|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Prisoner of War ribbon|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=Philippine_Defense_ribbon.png|width=110}}
|[[Prisoner of War Medal]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=Texas_Legislative_Medal_of_Honor_Ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|-
|}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|[[American Defense Service Medal]] with bronze [[service star]]
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|-
|colspan="12"|[[USAF Aeronautical Ratings#Pilot ratings|USAAF pilot badge]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[American Campaign Medal]]
|-
|-
|colspan="6"| [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br>with bronze [[oak leaf cluster]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] with one bronze [[campaign star]]
|colspan="6"| [[Silver Star]]<br>with bronze oak leaf cluster
|-
|-
|colspan="4"|[[Legion of Merit]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|colspan="4"|[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br>with bronze oak leaf cluster
|[[World War II Victory Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Soldier's Medal]]
|-
|-
|colspan="4"|[[Bronze Star Medal]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Philippine Defense ribbon.png|width=106}}
|colspan="4"|[[Purple Heart]]
|[[Philippine Defense Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Prisoner of War Medal]]
|-
|colspan="4"|[[American Defense Service Medal]]<br>with bronze [[service star]]
|colspan="4"|[[American Campaign Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]]<br>with bronze [[campaign star]]
|-
|colspan="4"|[[World War II Victory Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Philippine Defense Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Texas Legislative Medal of Honor]]
|-
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=Texas_Legislative_Medal_of_Honor_Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[Texas Legislative Medal of Honor]]
|}
|}
[[File:U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|106px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Army Presidential Unit Citation]]


{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
[[File:Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.png|106px]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation]] (Army Version)
|-
|colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=U.S._Army_and_U.S._Air_Force_Presidential_Unit_Citation_ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Philippines_Presidential_Unit_Citation.png|width=110}}
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|colspan="6"| [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Army Presidential Unit Citation]]
|colspan="6"| [[Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation]]
|-
|}

===Distinguished Service Cross citation (1st Award)===
[[File:Army distinguished service cross medal.png|50px|left]]
:Dyess., William E.
:Captain (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces
:21st Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, Far East Air Force
:Date of Action: March 2, 1942

:Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) William Edwin Dyess, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter Airplane in the 21st Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, Far East Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission against enemy Japanese surface vessels on 2 March 1942, over Subic Bay, Philippine Islands. On this date Captain Dyess hung a 500-pound bomb with a jury-rigged bomb release on a P-40 and, with three other pilots, bombed and strafed Japanese shipping in Subic Bay. Three times that day he braved heavy flak, destroying or damaging several small vessels, warehouses, and supply dumps. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Captain Dyess on this occasion have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.<ref name="valor.militarytimes.com">{{cite web|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/6076#:~:text=(Citation%20Needed)%20%2D%20SYNOPSIS%3A%20Lieutenant%20Colonel%20(Air%20Corps,force%20during%20World%20War%20II. |title=Valor awards for William Edwin Dyess|website=Valor.militarytimes.com |access-date=2022-01-19}}</ref>

===Distinguished Service Cross citation (2nd Award)===
[[File:Army distinguished service cross medal.png|50px|left]]
:Dyess., William E.
:Major (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces
:Philippine Guerilla Forces
:Date of Action: April 4, 1943 – July 20, 1943

:Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Air Corps) William Edwin Dyess, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Philippine Guerilla Forces during the period 4 April 1943 through 20 July 1943. Major Dyess was one of ten men including two Naval Officers, three Air Corps Officers, and two Marine Corps Officers who escaped after nearly a year in captivity after the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. The ten men evaded their captors for days until connecting with Filipino Guerillas under Wendell Fertig. The officers remained with the guerillas for weeks, obtaining vital information which they carried with them when they were subsequently evacuated by American submarines. Their escape was the only mass escape from a Japanese prison camp during the war. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Major Dyess during this period have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Prisoner of War, and the United States Army Air Forces.<ref name="valor.militarytimes.com"/>


==See also==
==See also==
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| date = July 4, 2010
| date = July 4, 2010
| url = http://chronicle.augusta.com/opinion/opinion-columns/2010-07-04/independence-day-ideal-time-remember-outstanding-hero
| url = http://chronicle.augusta.com/opinion/opinion-columns/2010-07-04/independence-day-ideal-time-remember-outstanding-hero
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110607181637/http://chronicle.augusta.com/opinion/opinion-columns/2010-07-04/independence-day-ideal-time-remember-outstanding-hero
| archiveurl = https://www.webcitation.org/5r4rNrW6c
| url-status = dead
| archivedate= July 8, 2010 }}</ref>
| archivedate= June 7, 2011 }}</ref>
www.findagrave.com #15355077

}}
}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fdy05 Martine Anderson, "DYESS, WILLIAM EDWIN," Handbook of Texas Online]
* [http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fdy05 Martine Anderson, "DYESS, WILLIAM EDWIN," Handbook of Texas Online]
* [http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=11108 AFHRA Personal Papers]
* [http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=11108 AFHRA Personal Papers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612131530/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=11108 |date=2012-06-12 }}
* {{Find a Grave|15355077}}


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[[Category:1943 deaths]]
[[Category:Abilene High School (Abilene, Texas) alumni]]
[[Category:Abilene High School (Abilene, Texas) alumni]]
[[Category:People from Shackelford County, Texas]]
[[Category:People from Albany, Texas]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces officers]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces colonels]]
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[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States]]
[[Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Texas]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Soldier's Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor]]

Latest revision as of 20:57, 25 September 2024

William Edwin Dyess
1943
Nickname(s)Ed
Born(1916-08-09)August 9, 1916
Albany, Texas, US
DiedDecember 22, 1943(1943-12-22) (aged 27)
Burbank, California, US
Buried
Albany Cemetery
Albany, Texas
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchU.S. Army Air Corps
U.S. Army Air Forces
Years of service1937–1943
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit24th Pursuit Group
329th Fighter Group
Commands21st Pursuit Squadron
Battles / warsWorld War II
 • Battle of Bataan
Awards

William Edwin Dyess (August 9, 1916 – December 22, 1943) was an officer of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.[1] He was captured after the Allied loss at the Battle of Bataan and endured the subsequent Bataan Death March. After a year in captivity, Dyess escaped and spent three months on the run before being evacuated from the Philippines by a U.S. submarine. Once back in the U.S., he recounted the story of his capture and imprisonment, providing the first widely published eye-witness account of the brutality of the death march. He returned to duty in the Army Air Forces, but was killed in a training accident months later.[2][3]

Biography

[edit]

Born and raised in Albany, Texas, Dyess was the son of Judge Richard T. and Hallie Graham Dyess. He played football and ran track and field at Albany High School, and graduated in 1934. He attended John Tarleton Agricultural College in Stephenville, Texas, and graduated on May 18, 1936. He was a distant cousin of fellow World War II veteran Aquilla J. Dyess.[4]

Dyess underwent flight training at Kelly and Randolph Fields in San Antonio and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps in 1937.[5]: 16  Promoted to first lieutenant and command of the 21st Pursuit Squadron at Hamilton Field, San Francisco, Dyess led the squadron to Nichols Field, Manila, Philippines, in November 1941.[5]: 23 

Bataan

[edit]

The 21st Pursuit Squadron was assigned to the 24th Pursuit Group which together with the 19th Bomb Group suffered heavy casualties during the opening of the war with Japan in 1941. Flying P-40 Warhawks against superior Japanese types, Dyess maintained his unit's morale in the face of staggering losses during the Battle of Bataan. When his squadron ran short of aircraft, Dyess transitioned to an infantry officer, serving in this capacity during the Battle of the Points.[5]: 38–46 

When the Bataan Peninsula fell to the Japanese, Dyess, as commanding officer, refused to abandon those of his squadron who could not be evacuated.[5]: 65  He gave his airplane ("Kibosh") to another fighter pilot, Lieutenant I.B. "Jack" Donaldson, for last bombing run on April 9, after which Donaldson was ordered to fly it to Cebu, where he crash landed.[5]: 63  Dyess also supervised the evacuation of Philippine Army Colonel Carlos Romulo,[6]: 25  a close friend of General Douglas MacArthur, who would survive the war and would later serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly.

Dyess was captured by the Japanese on April 9, 1942, north of Mariveles, Bataan, and the next morning, he and the others who surrendered at Bataan began the infamous Bataan Death March.[5]: 67–68  He was imprisoned at Camp O'Donnell and then, from June to 26 October 1942, at Cabanatuan.[5]: 97, 130  There, his men and he were routinely denied the rights of prisoners of war.[5]: 130–131 

Dyess and others were transported by ship, the Erie Maru, to the Davao Penal Colony on Mindanao,[5]: 154  arriving November 7. After two months of planning and preparation, Dyess, along with 9 other American POWs, including Major Jack Hawkins, Austin Shofner, and Samuel Grashio,[5]: 166  and two Filipino convicts escaped from Davao on April 4, 1943.[5]: 170  It was the only large-scale escape of Allied POWs from the Japanese in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Dyess and his group spent several weeks evading pursuit, then joined a group of guerrillas for several months.[7]: 127  The group decided to split up, with seven joining organized guerrilla forces in northern Mindanao. Dyess and two others were evacuated by the U.S. Navy submarine Trout to Australia in July 1943.

Upon reaching the United States in August, he was thoroughly debriefed on his experiences as a POW by high-ranking military brass. He was ordered to recuperate, in September 1943, at the Ashford General Hospital in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.[5]: 11  From his hospital bed, Dyess worked with Chicago Tribune writer Charles Leavelle to tell the story of the atrocities and brutality his fellow POWs and he had experienced and witnessed while in Japanese captivity.[5]: 11  The U.S. government, however, refused to release Dyess' story for publication on the grounds that it would infuriate the Japanese and risk the death of remaining American prisoners.[5]: 9  The Tribune had to wait another four and a half months for the Secretary of War to grant release of the story.[5]: 11–12 

Death and legacy

[edit]

Promoted to lieutenant colonel, Dyess was assigned to fly P-38 Lightnings in preparation for a return to combat. On December 22, 1943, his aircraft, P-38G-10-LO Lightning, 42-13441, of the 337th Fighter Squadron, 329d Fighter Group,[8] lost an engine caused by a fire on take-off from Grand Central Airport. Dyess had a chance to bail out of his troubled aircraft, but was flying over a heavily-populated area and did not want to be responsible for any civilian casualties. He remained in his stricken P-38, attempting to land it in a vacant lot, and died when the aircraft crashed.[9]

He is buried in Albany Cemetery in Albany, Texas.

Almost one month after his death, the Chicago Tribune finally received permission from government censorship offices to release the deceased aviator's story on January 28, 1944. The story ran in serial form for several weeks and was picked up by over 100 American newspapers. According to Leavelle, it was the biggest story of the war since Pearl Harbor. Published in book form in 1944, The Dyess Story (later retitled Bataan Death March) became a bestseller.

Among other commendations, Dyess received the Distinguished Flying Cross twice and Distinguished Service Cross also twice. In 1957, Abilene Army Airfield was renamed Dyess Air Force Base in his honor and in 2006, a replica of Dyess’ beloved P-40 Warhawk, named "Kibosh", was installed at the front gate of the base in his memory.[10] His personal papers are archived at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama and the special collections archive at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

In 2024, Lt. Col Dyess was chosen as the exemplar for United States Air Force Academy Class of 2027.

Military decorations

[edit]

His awards and decorations include:

Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
Bronze star
USAAF pilot badge
Distinguished Service Cross
with bronze oak leaf cluster 		Silver Star
with bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross
with bronze oak leaf cluster 		Soldier's Medal
Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Prisoner of War Medal
American Defense Service Medal
with bronze service star 		American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
with bronze campaign star
World War II Victory Medal Philippine Defense Medal Texas Legislative Medal of Honor
Army Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation

Distinguished Service Cross citation (1st Award)

[edit]
Dyess., William E.
Captain (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces
21st Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, Far East Air Force
Date of Action: March 2, 1942
Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) William Edwin Dyess, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter Airplane in the 21st Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, Far East Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission against enemy Japanese surface vessels on 2 March 1942, over Subic Bay, Philippine Islands. On this date Captain Dyess hung a 500-pound bomb with a jury-rigged bomb release on a P-40 and, with three other pilots, bombed and strafed Japanese shipping in Subic Bay. Three times that day he braved heavy flak, destroying or damaging several small vessels, warehouses, and supply dumps. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Captain Dyess on this occasion have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.[11]

Distinguished Service Cross citation (2nd Award)

[edit]
Dyess., William E.
Major (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces
Philippine Guerilla Forces
Date of Action: April 4, 1943 – July 20, 1943
Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Air Corps) William Edwin Dyess, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Philippine Guerilla Forces during the period 4 April 1943 through 20 July 1943. Major Dyess was one of ten men including two Naval Officers, three Air Corps Officers, and two Marine Corps Officers who escaped after nearly a year in captivity after the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. The ten men evaded their captors for days until connecting with Filipino Guerillas under Wendell Fertig. The officers remained with the guerillas for weeks, obtaining vital information which they carried with them when they were subsequently evacuated by American submarines. Their escape was the only mass escape from a Japanese prison camp during the war. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Major Dyess during this period have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Prisoner of War, and the United States Army Air Forces.[11]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "A Hero of Bataan" (PDF). Tarleton State University. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  2. ^ "One-man scourge: William E. Dyess". National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "Dyess: One-man scourge" (PDF). Air Force. December 2017. p. 64.
  4. ^ Smith, Perry (July 4, 2010). "Independence Day is an ideal time to remember an outstanding hero". The Augusta Chronicle. Augusta, Georgia. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dyess, W.E., 1944, The Dyess Story, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons
  6. ^ Hunt, Ray C., and Norling, Bernard, 1986, Behind Japanese Lines: An American Guerrilla in the Philippines, The University Press of Kentucky, ISBN 0-8131-1604-X
  7. ^ Wolfert, I., 1945, American Guerrilla in the Philippines, New York: Simon and Schuster
  8. ^ December 1943 USAAF Stateside Accident Report, Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, 2001.
  9. ^ US Airforce Fact Sheet: Dyess Name[permanent dead link‍], Dyess Air Force Base: Fact Sheet, Retrieved Feb. 10, 2016.
  10. ^ "Dyess' Warhawk makes final flight". Dyess Air Force Base. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  11. ^ a b "Valor awards for William Edwin Dyess". Valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
[edit]
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