1st Lt Robert C. Dwelly, Jr. and passenger - DNB 10 May 1945

[Leendert]

According link http://www.artilleryocsalumni.com/ww2/dwellyrc.pdf
Lt Robert C. Dwelly, Jr. was killed on 10 May 1945 when the light plane he piloted crashed near Leipzig.
This was in L-4 44-80215 of the 104th Inf Div.

Findagrave has no record of Lt Dwelly, Jr., but he's on wwiimemorial with same story as on the artillery website.

Passenger was also killed. In above link he's described as a "superior officer", in another source as "observer".
Either way, no name is given of this man nor if he was of the 104th Inf Div. too.

Therefore, who was he?

Any info to identify this officer welcome, thanks.

Regards,

Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hello Leendert,
Is 8t known if the passenger was British or American, I would assume American so is it known what high ranking officer was killed/died on that date in the ETO ?
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

I assume a US Army officer. Superior officer related to 1st Lt may already be a captain.
Checked the ABMC cemeteries in Belgium and Holland, but no immediate success.
If buried in the US, the search will be very complicated...

Regards,

Leendert

[RSwank]

There is a headstone application on fold3.com for Robert C Dwelly, Jr. He was buried in South Cemetery, Oakham, MA. He was in the 385th Field Artillery Bn. The application date was May 10, 1955.

[Leendert]

Thanks, Rolland, for pointing me to Lt Dwelly's burial place.

My initial info is from Ken Wakefield's "The Other Ninth Air Force"

On May 14 (1945) it says that a report was received that a 104th Inf Div had crashed, and continues: "..the pilot, with his observer, crashed into a high power line while flying down the autobahn and zoomed to clear a bridge. Both occupants were killed..."

Unfortunately no confirmation of date 10 May 1945 here (no such report on that date), but circumstances match the fate of Lt Dwelly and passenger.
Rolland, is there a DoD on the headstone request?

Regards,

Leendert

[RSwank]

Yes, Date of Death is given as May 10, 1945. He was born May 26, 1919.

Penciled in on the application: Hq Btry 385 FA Bn, 104 Inf Div.
In pen was written Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, then in in pencil it says Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.

The application was made by Anne M (Dwelly) Foss.

[Leendert]

Received a letter from the youngest brother of Lt Robert Carlton Dwelly, Jr.
with additional info and articles.
Lt Robert Dwelly was indeed the sole occupant of the Cub.

On 4 April 1945 Lt Dwelly caused a Me-109 to dive into the ground after being chased by six of these German fighters.
Dwelly's airstrip was at Wrexen at that time, roughly between Paderborn and Kassel.
Will take this to the LW forum soon to find if a Me-109 loss in that vicinity is recorded.

Regards,
Leendert