Dean received the Purple Heart, Air Medal and some additional Army awards. He was a true hero!
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. Courtesy Sgt Andy.
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. Courtesy Sgt Andy.
Dean received the Purple Heart, Air Medal and some additional Army awards. He was a true hero!
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. Courtesy Sgt Andy.
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. Courtesy Sgt Andy.
Inscription
German authorities didn't authorize French people to follow the funeral. Also every night French people put flowers on the grave site, and every morning German troops took away the flowers.
Gravesite Details
Entered the Service from Florida.
