[aaatripp]

15 Feb 45: 'Lest We Forget......Capt. Wallace N. Emmer, USAAF.

My cousin, Bud Emmer, died peacefully on this date. He was being repatriated in a prisoner swap and died of a heart attack as he was preparing to leave the camp. The mlty. certificate of death indicates cause as acute myocarditis---Bud was greatly weakened by burns suffered when he bailed out of his P51-D on 9 Aug 44.

The letter describing his passing was sent by SRO Allied POW Col. Charles W. Stark to my aunt and uncle from Dulag Luft (probably Wetzlar). Bud was borne to his final resting place by his comrades and buried on a hill near Bublinghausen. In 1948 his father purchased headstones for Bud and his younger brother Ray (found slumped over his B.A.R. in Belgium on 18 Nov which was Bud's birthday) so it begs the question....were their remains returned to St. Louis? I'm still researching this question (the cemetery records are inconclusive). Col. Stark's letter relates that Bud was standing next to an air raid siren just when it sounded a raid warning; Bud collapsed into the arms of fellow POW F/O Leonard Walker, RAAF.

On Sunday, 8 Apr 45, a memorial service was held in St. Louis where Bud's medals were presented to his parents. Present from the 354FG were Col. James Howard (MoH, CO 356FS/CO 354FG), Capt. David O'Hara and Capt. Robert Goodnight.

Tripp