Entry from “Aces High: The Fighter Aces of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in World War II” by Christopher Shores & Clive Williams (Neville Spearman, London, 1966), pp. 148-149:
EDNER, Selden Raymond, from San Jose, California, joined the RAF via the RCAF as a volunteer. He was posted to 121 ‘Eagle’ Squadron as a PO, and on 8 August 1941 shared in the probable destruction of a Ju 88. On 15 April 1942 he shot down a Fw 190, and damaged another one on the 28th. On 17 May he claimed another Fw 190 and on 31 July destroyed two. On 19 August, by which time he had become a flight commander, he destroyed his fifth Fw 190 over Dieppe, and received the DFC the following month. During that month his squadron became the 335th Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group USAAF and he became a Capt. He converted to P.47s, and then P.51s, and promoted to Maj., became commanding officer of the 336th Squadron, the old RAF 133 Squadron. He was, however, shot down [8 March 1944] before he claimed any further victories, and became a prisoner of war.
Article from the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Feb. 19, 1949, Saturday, pp. 1 & 5:
U.S. Officer is Rebels Victim – Greek Guerrillas Lynched Lt. Col. Selden Edner, Investigator Charges
ATENS, Feb. 18.—(AP)—A U.S. investigating officer charged today that Greek guerrillas lynched Lt. Col. Selden R. Edner, an unarmed American observer whose plane crash landed behind guerrilla lines near Karpenisi four weeks ago.
The Communist “Free Greece” radio had declared at the time that guerrillas shot down the plane and both Edner and Greek pilot, a Lieutenant Tsoukas, died in the crash. The stripped and mutilated body of Edner, recovered Feb. 10, was identified rough dental and medical records.
Investigator Makes Charges
The charge that guerrillas slew Edner was made by Lt. Col. Daniel F. Riva of East Hartford, Conn., who investigated the crash and talked with many witnesses.
“It is safe to conclude,” Riva said, “that Edner was killed within two hours after the plane landed.”
The plane fell on an observation flight during the battle for Karpenisi, 125 miles north of Athens, which Greek government troops finally won.
Edner, 30, was a decorated veteran of service in both the American Eagle squadron of the British RAF and the U.S. Air Force in World War II. He was serving in Greece under the American aid program. His home was in San Jose, Calif. He was a native of Fergus Falls, Minn.
Riva said he believed Edner was injured, but able to step out of the partly wrecked plane unaided. Witnesses were quoted saying guerrillas killed “the passenger” and then forced a number of them to certify he was an American and that he was found dead.
A Greek RAF flight sergeant, Nicolaos Koutentakis, found the bodies of Edner and Tsoukas in a deep ravine on the outskirts of Karpenisi. Both had been stripped of all their outer clothing. Edner’s head was crushed and a noose was around his neck.
The body was sent to Germany for trans-shipment to the United States after full honors at the Athens airport.
American, British and Greek military and government officers paid the honors. U.S. Ambassador Henry F. Grady and an aide to King Paul of Greece placed wreaths on the coffin.LTC
EDNER, Selden Raymond, from San Jose, California, joined the RAF via the RCAF as a volunteer. He was posted to 121 ‘Eagle’ Squadron as a PO, and on 8 August 1941 shared in the probable destruction of a Ju 88. On 15 April 1942 he shot down a Fw 190, and damaged another one on the 28th. On 17 May he claimed another Fw 190 and on 31 July destroyed two. On 19 August, by which time he had become a flight commander, he destroyed his fifth Fw 190 over Dieppe, and received the DFC the following month. During that month his squadron became the 335th Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group USAAF and he became a Capt. He converted to P.47s, and then P.51s, and promoted to Maj., became commanding officer of the 336th Squadron, the old RAF 133 Squadron. He was, however, shot down [8 March 1944] before he claimed any further victories, and became a prisoner of war.
Article from the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Feb. 19, 1949, Saturday, pp. 1 & 5:
U.S. Officer is Rebels Victim – Greek Guerrillas Lynched Lt. Col. Selden Edner, Investigator Charges
ATENS, Feb. 18.—(AP)—A U.S. investigating officer charged today that Greek guerrillas lynched Lt. Col. Selden R. Edner, an unarmed American observer whose plane crash landed behind guerrilla lines near Karpenisi four weeks ago.
The Communist “Free Greece” radio had declared at the time that guerrillas shot down the plane and both Edner and Greek pilot, a Lieutenant Tsoukas, died in the crash. The stripped and mutilated body of Edner, recovered Feb. 10, was identified rough dental and medical records.
Investigator Makes Charges
The charge that guerrillas slew Edner was made by Lt. Col. Daniel F. Riva of East Hartford, Conn., who investigated the crash and talked with many witnesses.
“It is safe to conclude,” Riva said, “that Edner was killed within two hours after the plane landed.”
The plane fell on an observation flight during the battle for Karpenisi, 125 miles north of Athens, which Greek government troops finally won.
Edner, 30, was a decorated veteran of service in both the American Eagle squadron of the British RAF and the U.S. Air Force in World War II. He was serving in Greece under the American aid program. His home was in San Jose, Calif. He was a native of Fergus Falls, Minn.
Riva said he believed Edner was injured, but able to step out of the partly wrecked plane unaided. Witnesses were quoted saying guerrillas killed “the passenger” and then forced a number of them to certify he was an American and that he was found dead.
A Greek RAF flight sergeant, Nicolaos Koutentakis, found the bodies of Edner and Tsoukas in a deep ravine on the outskirts of Karpenisi. Both had been stripped of all their outer clothing. Edner’s head was crushed and a noose was around his neck.
The body was sent to Germany for trans-shipment to the United States after full honors at the Athens airport.
American, British and Greek military and government officers paid the honors. U.S. Ambassador Henry F. Grady and an aide to King Paul of Greece placed wreaths on the coffin.LTC
Entry from “Aces High: The Fighter Aces of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in World War II” by Christopher Shores & Clive Williams (Neville Spearman, London, 1966), pp. 148-149:
EDNER, Selden Raymond, from San Jose, California, joined the RAF via the RCAF as a volunteer. He was posted to 121 ‘Eagle’ Squadron as a PO, and on 8 August 1941 shared in the probable destruction of a Ju 88. On 15 April 1942 he shot down a Fw 190, and damaged another one on the 28th. On 17 May he claimed another Fw 190 and on 31 July destroyed two. On 19 August, by which time he had become a flight commander, he destroyed his fifth Fw 190 over Dieppe, and received the DFC the following month. During that month his squadron became the 335th Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group USAAF and he became a Capt. He converted to P.47s, and then P.51s, and promoted to Maj., became commanding officer of the 336th Squadron, the old RAF 133 Squadron. He was, however, shot down [8 March 1944] before he claimed any further victories, and became a prisoner of war.
Article from the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Feb. 19, 1949, Saturday, pp. 1 & 5:
U.S. Officer is Rebels Victim – Greek Guerrillas Lynched Lt. Col. Selden Edner, Investigator Charges
ATENS, Feb. 18.—(AP)—A U.S. investigating officer charged today that Greek guerrillas lynched Lt. Col. Selden R. Edner, an unarmed American observer whose plane crash landed behind guerrilla lines near Karpenisi four weeks ago.
The Communist “Free Greece” radio had declared at the time that guerrillas shot down the plane and both Edner and Greek pilot, a Lieutenant Tsoukas, died in the crash. The stripped and mutilated body of Edner, recovered Feb. 10, was identified rough dental and medical records.
Investigator Makes Charges
The charge that guerrillas slew Edner was made by Lt. Col. Daniel F. Riva of East Hartford, Conn., who investigated the crash and talked with many witnesses.
“It is safe to conclude,” Riva said, “that Edner was killed within two hours after the plane landed.”
The plane fell on an observation flight during the battle for Karpenisi, 125 miles north of Athens, which Greek government troops finally won.
Edner, 30, was a decorated veteran of service in both the American Eagle squadron of the British RAF and the U.S. Air Force in World War II. He was serving in Greece under the American aid program. His home was in San Jose, Calif. He was a native of Fergus Falls, Minn.
Riva said he believed Edner was injured, but able to step out of the partly wrecked plane unaided. Witnesses were quoted saying guerrillas killed “the passenger” and then forced a number of them to certify he was an American and that he was found dead.
A Greek RAF flight sergeant, Nicolaos Koutentakis, found the bodies of Edner and Tsoukas in a deep ravine on the outskirts of Karpenisi. Both had been stripped of all their outer clothing. Edner’s head was crushed and a noose was around his neck.
The body was sent to Germany for trans-shipment to the United States after full honors at the Athens airport.
American, British and Greek military and government officers paid the honors. U.S. Ambassador Henry F. Grady and an aide to King Paul of Greece placed wreaths on the coffin.LTC
EDNER, Selden Raymond, from San Jose, California, joined the RAF via the RCAF as a volunteer. He was posted to 121 ‘Eagle’ Squadron as a PO, and on 8 August 1941 shared in the probable destruction of a Ju 88. On 15 April 1942 he shot down a Fw 190, and damaged another one on the 28th. On 17 May he claimed another Fw 190 and on 31 July destroyed two. On 19 August, by which time he had become a flight commander, he destroyed his fifth Fw 190 over Dieppe, and received the DFC the following month. During that month his squadron became the 335th Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group USAAF and he became a Capt. He converted to P.47s, and then P.51s, and promoted to Maj., became commanding officer of the 336th Squadron, the old RAF 133 Squadron. He was, however, shot down [8 March 1944] before he claimed any further victories, and became a prisoner of war.
Article from the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Feb. 19, 1949, Saturday, pp. 1 & 5:
U.S. Officer is Rebels Victim – Greek Guerrillas Lynched Lt. Col. Selden Edner, Investigator Charges
ATENS, Feb. 18.—(AP)—A U.S. investigating officer charged today that Greek guerrillas lynched Lt. Col. Selden R. Edner, an unarmed American observer whose plane crash landed behind guerrilla lines near Karpenisi four weeks ago.
The Communist “Free Greece” radio had declared at the time that guerrillas shot down the plane and both Edner and Greek pilot, a Lieutenant Tsoukas, died in the crash. The stripped and mutilated body of Edner, recovered Feb. 10, was identified rough dental and medical records.
Investigator Makes Charges
The charge that guerrillas slew Edner was made by Lt. Col. Daniel F. Riva of East Hartford, Conn., who investigated the crash and talked with many witnesses.
“It is safe to conclude,” Riva said, “that Edner was killed within two hours after the plane landed.”
The plane fell on an observation flight during the battle for Karpenisi, 125 miles north of Athens, which Greek government troops finally won.
Edner, 30, was a decorated veteran of service in both the American Eagle squadron of the British RAF and the U.S. Air Force in World War II. He was serving in Greece under the American aid program. His home was in San Jose, Calif. He was a native of Fergus Falls, Minn.
Riva said he believed Edner was injured, but able to step out of the partly wrecked plane unaided. Witnesses were quoted saying guerrillas killed “the passenger” and then forced a number of them to certify he was an American and that he was found dead.
A Greek RAF flight sergeant, Nicolaos Koutentakis, found the bodies of Edner and Tsoukas in a deep ravine on the outskirts of Karpenisi. Both had been stripped of all their outer clothing. Edner’s head was crushed and a noose was around his neck.
The body was sent to Germany for trans-shipment to the United States after full honors at the Athens airport.
American, British and Greek military and government officers paid the honors. U.S. Ambassador Henry F. Grady and an aide to King Paul of Greece placed wreaths on the coffin.LTC
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