FATHER> Parley Anderson >>Andrew >>Ola (Sweden/Old Ephraim) >>Anders Olsson
MOTHER> Hattie Rozella Charlotta Jane Tuttle >>Josiah (NC/Glenwood) >>Alex

Newell Anderson, Annabella's unsung hero
….as documented by Kevin Marsh.
Every year, as a remembrance of the D-Day invasion on June 6th, 1944, memorials are held throughout England and France…

It was at that dedication for the 55th FG that my pilgrimage for my own father took on an added dimension. I became acquainted with the story of Newell Anderson, a real Utah hero who served with my father. Until now, no one has fully commemorated the sacrifice he made.

Born 1921 in Glenwood Utah, he flew P-38's with the 338th Fighter Squadron. As part of that dedication service, a booklet was provided with a brief summary of those pilots in the 55th Fighter Group who had given the ultimate sacrifice by losing their lives. While reading the touching descriptions, there was Newell. The brief introduction from the booklet reads:
"Lt. Newell Anderson (338th FS.) died 9th April 1944
Lt. Newell "Dandy" Anderson was born in Utah on 16 March 1921 and died just 24 days after his 23rd Birthday. He was taking off on a combat mission when one engine failed and he crashed with belly fuel tanks on near Gypsy Corner Farm, just North East of airfield. He was buried with honors at Cambridge American Military Cemetery and Memorial, Colton, Cambridge, England. After the war he was buried in Annabella Cemetery, Annabella, Utah."

As a Utah native, and already entrenched in researching my father's history, I just had to learn more about Newell. My first search was on the LDS church's genealogy web site. I was excited to find Newell's records, but saddened by what I learned. You see, when Newell was born, his father was 45, and his mother 39. When he enlisted in 1941, his parents were 65 and 59 respectively. In researching his family I discovered that his mother Hattie, at the age of 61, passed away April 4th, 1944, just 5 days before Newell was killed. I suspect that Newell had not been notified of his mother's death, prior to his crash. To add an additional irony, his father Parley, at the age of 67, died April 25, 1944, just two short weeks after his son.

I contacted members of the 55th BG Memorial Association, to try to find additional information on Newell's service. Unfortunately information was sparse at best. In 2007, while attending an annual reunion of the 398th in Phoenix Arizona, I was fortunate to meet Frank Birtciel, a Pilot who flew with the 55th Fighter Group. At the welcome dinner for the reunion, I introduced myself to Frank, and asked him if he had known Newell. The expression on Frank's face noticeably changed, as if 60+ years had suddenly disappeared. He asked how I knew of Newell. As I related my experience in England, and my subsequent search for information about the day Newell was killed. Frank put his hand on my arm, and said "let me tell you about Newell Anderson". He began to relate the story of that day in April, 63 years earlier I asked Frank to send his story to me via e-mail, which I quote:

Hi Kevin,
As for Newell Anderson's crash it was one of those things that really made an impression on both Don Porter and myself and we talked of it several times when we visited him in Las Vegas. Unfortunately he is now deceased or you could also get his version.
April 9, 1944 was a bomber escort mission. The weather that day was bad with a low overcast sky with the cloud base at around 300 to 400 feet above the terrain at Nuthampstead, England.
The 343rd Squadron was the last squadron for takeoff and Don Porter led the element in Sorace's flight and I was flying his wing as the last man. We had moved along the perimeter track and parked on the inactive East West runway and made our engine checks before moving on to the North East South West runway for takeoff. Newell had reported an engine out earlier and all of a sudden his P-38 popped out of the low overcast and was headed right straight into Porter and myself. His 150-gallon drop tanks were still attached to the ship and he managed to pull up over us and crashed just moment later with a large explosion and black smoke. The entire event taking just a matter of seconds.
We completed the mission and talked of the accident. Porter and I both thought we were going to be killed that day.

In addition to Franks recollections of that day, I was able to speak with Malcolm (Ozzie) Osborn, who was visiting the Phoenix reunion from his home near Nuthampstead. Ozzie is a tremendous source of history for the 398thBG as well as the 55th FG. When I related to him my story, as well as adding in Frank's recollections, Ozzie told me what he had discovered about Newell as well. It was interesting to learn that Newell went by "Andy" but many called him "Dandy" because, as Ozzie puts it, "he was a bit of a ladies man Ozzie went on to describe that the aircraft had two-drop tanks filled with fuel, and the standard procedure in this type of emergency would be to drop the tanks. It is unclear why Newell chose not to do that, perhaps because of the dense cloud cover, he could not see the ground and did not want to drop them on anyone who might be below him. When he came around the airbase to make an emergency landing, finally breaking through the cloud cover, he saw Porter and Birtciel on the runway. He used what power he had remaining with one engine to pull up to miss them and the plane went off the runway crashing into a field. A young resident of Nuthampstead was working in the field near the crash and ran to give assistance to Newell. When Newell saw him approaching, he waved the boy away, just as the plane exploded.

And so it is that Newell Anderson was a hero. Had he dropped the tanks his life may have been saved, but he chose to protect others instead. His skill as a pilot prevented a collision with two other aircraft on the runway. Fully aware of his circumstance he waved off a young man coming to his rescue. John Chapter 15, verse 13 records: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
I was overwhelmed by the story; Newell was now far more than a name in a memorial booklet. To me Newell was an unknown hero, a man who not only left home and family to serve his country, but a man that gave the greatest gift of all.

As I pondered this sobering account I felt haunted by the unanswered question of what happened to Newell's family? Did they know of his courage that day? And what of his history? Where did Newell grow up, go to school, what did he do as a young man in those years before the world was at war. Are there photographs, or treasured remembrances of a young man so full of life? I was compelled to learn more of his life and try to find the answers.
An invitation to visit Circleville, Utah gave me my first opportunity to search the cemetery in Annabella., just a few miles from Richfield. Using the map at the cemetery entrance I quickly found Newell's gravesite. The white marker reflects the standard military issue that was used for soldiers buried overseas, and must have been moved with his body when returned to Annabella.
Buried to Newell's right are his parents, Parley and Hattie. Nearby lies Parley Dale, a bother who died at three years of age. A visit to FamilySearch TM, the genealogy site for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, revealed that along with his brother Parley Dale, who was born in 1911, Newell had three older sisters Leda May born 1901, Veoma born 1904, and Sarah Lovell born 1906. Five other unnamed siblings were also listed.
A Memorial Day trip to Annabella in 2007, revealed Anderson family graves fully decorated with flowers, in loving remembrances, fostering my continued hope that perhaps there were descendants in the area, who remembered Newell.

As part of my research, I decided to enter "Parley Anderson 1944" in a Google search, just to see what might come up. The first three results, all referenced Parley, but with no specifics, but the fourth stood out, the byline read:
... Anderson History: Newell Anderson - a family hero. I quickly went to the site and there after 2-1/2 years of searching, and to my amazement was a photograph of Newell Anderson!
Not just a photograph but an entire Blog, recorded detail history of the man I had been researching for years. I would learn Brad Ogden, living in Northern California, maintained the Blog. Brad's grandmother was Leda Anderson, the 1st born child.
From Brad's Blog I learned, that Newell was born in Glenwood Utah on March 16, 1921 to Parley and Hattie Anderson. The Anderson's were experienced parents having six living children, five daughters and a son. A first-born son named Parley Dale, had died in a farming accident when he was not quite three years old. One more son and a daughter were born after Newell making a total of nine surviving children in the large Anderson family. The oldest daughter was Leda May, and was 20 years old and married when Newell was born. Leda is the maternal grandmother of Brad Ogden.

As the family grew, the Anderson's moved to several Central Utah farming communities. Early marriage life found them living in Glenwood, in the 1920's it was Annabella they called home, the 30's Burrville, where many of Hattie's family had established themselves. It was in Burrville that Newell spent most of his boyhood. About 5 miles west in the town of Koosharem, he attended elementary school, with the other children of the family.
Over 50 miles away, the nearest post-secondary schools were either in Monroe or Richfield, too far for a daily commute. Newell chose to attend South Sevier High School, in Monroe, boarding for a short time with the family of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Jones. At some point, he transferred to Richfield High. He lived with his Sister Leda and her family in Richfield. His nieces and nephews became more like brothers and sisters, he was welcomed as part of their family. Newell and Leda's second child, a son named Hal, born only a few months after Newell, would graduate together in 1939 from Richfield High School.
High School behind him now, and the United States at the brink of war, Newell joined the Utah National Guard in 1941. In 1943 he began training with the US Army Air Corps and left for overseas duty in Europe. A proficient fighter pilot, Newell was in one of the first groups in England to fly the P-38 Lightning. These twin-engine fighter planes had been developed to protect the long-range bomber groups by engaging enemy fighters. They were also effective in attacking strategic ground targets, and became very popular for their agility in the air.

Newell earned the Air Medal for meritorious achievement as well as two Oak Leaf Clusters to the Air Medal. He was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and on of his assignments was training instructor with the 8th Army Air Force in England. Only two years younger than Newell, brother Dean followed suit by enlisting in the service and fighting in the Pacific. With two sons, far from home in the military, the Anderson family went about life as best they could back home. Hattie and Parley were especially proud of their boys. Hattie's health continued to deteriorate, and on April 4th, 1944 she died at home of congestive heart failure. It is not known if Newell ever received word of her death for he died in action just five days later on April 9th. If that were not enough, Parley died, April 21st of complications from diabetes. While the family was making preparations for Parley's memorial service the fateful telegram arrived with the news of the death of 1st Lt. Newell Anderson.
On April 25, 1944, joint services for father and son were held at the Annabella Church. With Bishop Roberts conducting, the church was packed with family and friends, each mourning their loss. Newell's body had been buried with full military honors on the 11th of April 1944 at the Cambridge American Military Cemetery and Memorial, Colton, Cambridge, England.

Brad Ogden had compiled more information on Newell Anderson than I could have imagined. Words cannot describe the feelings I experienced while reading his account. I noticed that the Blog did not mention the heroics Newell displayed that April day in England. I knew I had to share with the Anderson family the information I had discovered. With earnest, I posted a reply on the Blog, stating I had additional information on Newell and asking the moderator to contact me!
An initial contact with Brad by email, gave me an opportunity to share my discoveries. The response I received, confirmed my suspicion, that Newell's heroics had gone unnoticed, and the family was not aware of the details of that day. Brad wrote: "

Kevin,
I just finished reading your article. I had tears in my eyes as I read of the details that I had not known. I just hate to get emotional (but once every few years it happens). My mother (Newell's niece, was only a young teenager when he died, but he left quite an impression on her and she held him in very high esteem throughout his life. I really don't think that the family ever really knew of the details of that last mission, which might be explained by the turmoil created by the death of the parents so soon before and after Newell's."
…Thanks again for your work and for brightening my day.
Brad

Additional correspondence has revealed that indeed there are family members still living, who grew up with Newell, and had shared memories of an Anderson family "legend". I discovered that because of the tireless efforts of Newell's younger sister Raye, Newell Anderson came home to his final place of rest in 1946. He was buried in the Annabella Utah cemetery with full military honors befitting the service he had performed for his country.
Meeting while in Pilot training Peter Dempsey and Newell Anderson became the best of friends. They both flew with the 338th Squadron. While waiting for new planes, on leave or during other down times between missions, Peter and Newell traveled all over England. Following Newell's lead they would get on trains, never buying a ticket and never knowing where they were going.
On April 9th, 1944, Peter's formation had taken off prior to Newell's. The mission completed, while climbing out of his plane, Peter was approached and notified by the group's flight surgeon, that Newell had been killed while taking off.
Peter Dempsey went on to fly many more missions with the 55th Fighter Group, on October 7th, 1944 his P-51 Mustang lost power and the engine froze. Peter lost altitude quickly, he belly-landed the plane overshooting a field and ending up in a stand of trees. Injured, Peter was captured, his wounds treated, and he became a POW at Stalag Luft III (of Great Escape fame). On January 27 1944, in the dark of night, with 6 inches of snow on the ground, and still coming down, 10,000 prisoners of Stalag Luft III were forced to march south, to escape the advancing Russian Army. After the march, Peter was eventually confined at Stalag VII at Moosberg, Germany. On April 29th, , following a 2-1/2 hour battle, Stalag VII was liberated by Combat Team A of the 14th Armored Division commanded by George Patton..
After the war, Peter remained in the Air Corp, and by special Military order was assigned to escort the body of his comrade, Newell Anderson to Annabella Utah and was present at the burial in Utah.
I'm sorry this story has been untold for so many decades, but grateful that I can now bring it to life. My life is richer for having been touched by his. I would love to find and speak with any members of Newell Anderson's family. His story needs to be told, as a true unsung Utah hero.