In Memory of
Elliott Estill Dent, Jr., age 72, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, died Saturday, August 28, 1993.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cahaba Heights, Birmingham Country Club, The Club, Rotary Club, Sons of the Revolution and American Fighter Aces and decorated with the distinguished service cross.
Survivors: wife, Mrs. Mary Sorrell Dent; son, Elliott Dent Colebeck, Birmingham; daughters, Mrs. Sally Dent Summerall, Mentone, Mrs. Susan Dent Webster, Birmingham.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Elmwood Cemetery, Valley Chapel directing.
The Birmingham News
Sunday, August 29, 1993
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Name: Elliott Estill Dent Jr
[Elliott E Dent Jr]
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birth Date: 12 Aug 1921
Birth Place: Oakley St MA, Maryland
Death Date: 28 Aug 1993
Father: Elliott E Dent
Mother: Eleanor S Freeman
Type of Claim: Original SSN.
Notes: Jul 1940: Name listed as ELLIOTT ESTILL DENT JR; 11 Sep 1993: Name listed as ELLIOTT E DENT
updated April 3, 2017
prefix MAJ added
per edit from member
Charles A. Lewis
July 24, 2019
added to bio
per email from member
BarryC
Suggested edit: For Bio:
DSC 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) Elliott Estill Dent, Jr. (ASN: 0-794924), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 1 November 1944, over Leyte, Philippine Islands.
While on patrol, Captain Dent led his flight of four P-38 aircraft in an attack upon fifteen to twenty enemy fighters protecting a large Japanese convoy. As he was closing in on one of the enemy fighters, four others came out of the clouds and, though he had become separated from the rest of his flight and was alone, he immediately made a head-on pass at them.
For fifteen to twenty minutes he battled them fiercely, firing short bursts at each fighter in turn. By skillful maneuvering he escaped their determined attacks and sent two of them crashing into the sea and a third into a mangrove swamp.
He was pursuing the fourth enemy fighter when anti-aircraft fire from a Japanese destroyer shot out the right engine of his airplane and, with smoke billowing into the cockpit, he was forced to parachute into the water.
Though he was in sight of Japanese ships, he managed to escape detection and was rescued that night. Captain Dent displayed outstanding gallantry, skill, and devotion to duty in pressing a lone attack against an enemy force so numerically superior.
His unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
Elliott Estill Dent, Jr., age 72, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, died Saturday, August 28, 1993.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cahaba Heights, Birmingham Country Club, The Club, Rotary Club, Sons of the Revolution and American Fighter Aces and decorated with the distinguished service cross.
Survivors: wife, Mrs. Mary Sorrell Dent; son, Elliott Dent Colebeck, Birmingham; daughters, Mrs. Sally Dent Summerall, Mentone, Mrs. Susan Dent Webster, Birmingham.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Elmwood Cemetery, Valley Chapel directing.
The Birmingham News
Sunday, August 29, 1993
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Name: Elliott Estill Dent Jr
[Elliott E Dent Jr]
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birth Date: 12 Aug 1921
Birth Place: Oakley St MA, Maryland
Death Date: 28 Aug 1993
Father: Elliott E Dent
Mother: Eleanor S Freeman
Type of Claim: Original SSN.
Notes: Jul 1940: Name listed as ELLIOTT ESTILL DENT JR; 11 Sep 1993: Name listed as ELLIOTT E DENT
updated April 3, 2017
prefix MAJ added
per edit from member
Charles A. Lewis
July 24, 2019
added to bio
per email from member
BarryC
Suggested edit: For Bio:
DSC 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) Elliott Estill Dent, Jr. (ASN: 0-794924), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 1 November 1944, over Leyte, Philippine Islands.
While on patrol, Captain Dent led his flight of four P-38 aircraft in an attack upon fifteen to twenty enemy fighters protecting a large Japanese convoy. As he was closing in on one of the enemy fighters, four others came out of the clouds and, though he had become separated from the rest of his flight and was alone, he immediately made a head-on pass at them.
For fifteen to twenty minutes he battled them fiercely, firing short bursts at each fighter in turn. By skillful maneuvering he escaped their determined attacks and sent two of them crashing into the sea and a third into a mangrove swamp.
He was pursuing the fourth enemy fighter when anti-aircraft fire from a Japanese destroyer shot out the right engine of his airplane and, with smoke billowing into the cockpit, he was forced to parachute into the water.
Though he was in sight of Japanese ships, he managed to escape detection and was rescued that night. Captain Dent displayed outstanding gallantry, skill, and devotion to duty in pressing a lone attack against an enemy force so numerically superior.
His unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
In Memory of
Elliott Estill Dent, Jr., age 72, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, died Saturday, August 28, 1993.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cahaba Heights, Birmingham Country Club, The Club, Rotary Club, Sons of the Revolution and American Fighter Aces and decorated with the distinguished service cross.
Survivors: wife, Mrs. Mary Sorrell Dent; son, Elliott Dent Colebeck, Birmingham; daughters, Mrs. Sally Dent Summerall, Mentone, Mrs. Susan Dent Webster, Birmingham.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Elmwood Cemetery, Valley Chapel directing.
The Birmingham News
Sunday, August 29, 1993
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Name: Elliott Estill Dent Jr
[Elliott E Dent Jr]
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birth Date: 12 Aug 1921
Birth Place: Oakley St MA, Maryland
Death Date: 28 Aug 1993
Father: Elliott E Dent
Mother: Eleanor S Freeman
Type of Claim: Original SSN.
Notes: Jul 1940: Name listed as ELLIOTT ESTILL DENT JR; 11 Sep 1993: Name listed as ELLIOTT E DENT
updated April 3, 2017
prefix MAJ added
per edit from member
Charles A. Lewis
July 24, 2019
added to bio
per email from member
BarryC
Suggested edit: For Bio:
DSC 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) Elliott Estill Dent, Jr. (ASN: 0-794924), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 1 November 1944, over Leyte, Philippine Islands.
While on patrol, Captain Dent led his flight of four P-38 aircraft in an attack upon fifteen to twenty enemy fighters protecting a large Japanese convoy. As he was closing in on one of the enemy fighters, four others came out of the clouds and, though he had become separated from the rest of his flight and was alone, he immediately made a head-on pass at them.
For fifteen to twenty minutes he battled them fiercely, firing short bursts at each fighter in turn. By skillful maneuvering he escaped their determined attacks and sent two of them crashing into the sea and a third into a mangrove swamp.
He was pursuing the fourth enemy fighter when anti-aircraft fire from a Japanese destroyer shot out the right engine of his airplane and, with smoke billowing into the cockpit, he was forced to parachute into the water.
Though he was in sight of Japanese ships, he managed to escape detection and was rescued that night. Captain Dent displayed outstanding gallantry, skill, and devotion to duty in pressing a lone attack against an enemy force so numerically superior.
His unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
Elliott Estill Dent, Jr., age 72, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, died Saturday, August 28, 1993.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cahaba Heights, Birmingham Country Club, The Club, Rotary Club, Sons of the Revolution and American Fighter Aces and decorated with the distinguished service cross.
Survivors: wife, Mrs. Mary Sorrell Dent; son, Elliott Dent Colebeck, Birmingham; daughters, Mrs. Sally Dent Summerall, Mentone, Mrs. Susan Dent Webster, Birmingham.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Elmwood Cemetery, Valley Chapel directing.
The Birmingham News
Sunday, August 29, 1993
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Name: Elliott Estill Dent Jr
[Elliott E Dent Jr]
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birth Date: 12 Aug 1921
Birth Place: Oakley St MA, Maryland
Death Date: 28 Aug 1993
Father: Elliott E Dent
Mother: Eleanor S Freeman
Type of Claim: Original SSN.
Notes: Jul 1940: Name listed as ELLIOTT ESTILL DENT JR; 11 Sep 1993: Name listed as ELLIOTT E DENT
updated April 3, 2017
prefix MAJ added
per edit from member
Charles A. Lewis
July 24, 2019
added to bio
per email from member
BarryC
Suggested edit: For Bio:
DSC 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) Elliott Estill Dent, Jr. (ASN: 0-794924), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 1 November 1944, over Leyte, Philippine Islands.
While on patrol, Captain Dent led his flight of four P-38 aircraft in an attack upon fifteen to twenty enemy fighters protecting a large Japanese convoy. As he was closing in on one of the enemy fighters, four others came out of the clouds and, though he had become separated from the rest of his flight and was alone, he immediately made a head-on pass at them.
For fifteen to twenty minutes he battled them fiercely, firing short bursts at each fighter in turn. By skillful maneuvering he escaped their determined attacks and sent two of them crashing into the sea and a third into a mangrove swamp.
He was pursuing the fourth enemy fighter when anti-aircraft fire from a Japanese destroyer shot out the right engine of his airplane and, with smoke billowing into the cockpit, he was forced to parachute into the water.
Though he was in sight of Japanese ships, he managed to escape detection and was rescued that night. Captain Dent displayed outstanding gallantry, skill, and devotion to duty in pressing a lone attack against an enemy force so numerically superior.
His unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
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