Menu
  • Abous us
  • Search database
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Faq

Post Dean N. Jr.

Name:
Dean N. Jr. Post
Rank:
First Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-807603
Unit:
364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group
Date of Death:
1944-05-29
State:
Florida
Cemetery:
Epinal American Cemetery, Dinouze, France
Plot:
B
Row:
28
Grave:
30
Decoration:
Purple Heart, Air Medal
Comments:

Born in 1921 in Tampa, Florida. LT Post took off from station 373 in Leiston, Suffolk, UK on 27 May 1944 in his P-51 Mustang Type B-10 NA on a bomber escort mission to Ludwigshafen. His aircraft went down over Martimpré, France, possibly due to a collision with the aircraft of LT Harris at 1215. Post survived the crash and was hidden by villagers of Gerardmer. He was executed with a bullet to his back by MAJ HIss, German Feldgendarme, at 1400 on 29 May 44.

From Find a grave: Took off from Leiston, on a bomber escort mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. After being engaged in dogfights with ME09s, Lt's Post and Harris collided in mid-air about 1300hrs. This P-51 crashed near Expose on the D23 road two miles north of Le Valtin eight miles north-east of Gerardmer (Vosges) in Eastern France at 1213hrs. Both pilots bailed out, Lt Post landed near Le Rudin also on the D23 road, two miles NNE of Le Valtin. His hands and face were burned and medical aid was administrated by Melle Bailly at Le Rudin. Too many civilians were eyewitnesses to his landing so it was impossible to offer him the chance to escape. The German Feldgendarmerie was warned and an ambulance arrived in the late afternoon and took him to a German dispensary in the Hotel de la Poste. When it was getting dark a German Feldwebel of the Military Police walked with him to the nearby Kleber Barracks in the Grand Rue and suddenly killed Lt Post by pistol shots in the neck. The German ordered the guard of the Barracks to remove the body that was transferred to the local civilian hospital. The Germans used the terminology 'killed while attempting escape.' In fact Lt Post had his arms raised over his head when he was shot as witnessed by Mr George Leonard of the Hotel de Bains, Gerardmer. He was interred on 29th May 1944 in the local civilian cemetery and the funeral was attended by a mass of local inhabits and the grave was covered with flowers. There is no evidence that the killer of Lt Post was brought to justice after the war.