World War II Honoree

Wyeth C. Everhart

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fort Riley, Kansas

Honored By

Jim Hammond

PLACE OF ENTRY, FORT RILEY, KANSAS MAY 26, 1941. HE WAS A B-24 LIBERATOR LEAD PILOT IN THE 392ND BOMB GROUP, 579TH SQUADRON, WENDLING, ENGLAND, FROM OCTOBER, 1943, TO APRIL 22, 1944, WHEN SHOT DOWN AND BECAME A PRISONER OF WAR AT STALAG LUFT 3, SAGAN, GERMANY. HE HAD FLOWN 25 MISSIONS INCLUDING HAMM, BERLIN, FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, KIEL, BREMEN, NORWAY, BRUNSWICK AND MUNSTER. MANY OF HIS MISSIONS WERE IN 1943 WHEN 8TH AIR FORCE LOSSES TO GERMAN FIGHTERS AND FLAK REACHED 25%. ON JANUARY 27, 1945, HE AND 10,000 ALLIED FLYING OFFICER PRISONERS FROM STALAG LUFT III AT SAGAN, SILESIA, WERE MARCHED TO THE SPREMBERG RAIL HEAD DURING THE WORST GERMAN WINTER IN FIFTY YEARS, EMBARKING 2 FEBRUARY 2, 1945 AND ARRIVING 4 FEBRUARY 4, 1945 AT STALAG 13D NUREMBERG STATION GUARDED BY SEVERAL HUNDRED SS TROOPS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOVE WAS TO PREVENT THE PRISONERS OF WAR FROM BEING RETAKEN BY ADVANCING SOVIET ARMIES. THEN APRIL 4, 1945, MARCHED 100 MILES TO STALAG 7A, MOOSBURG, ARRIVING ABOUT APRIL 20, 1945. LIBERATED BY THE 14TH ARMORED DIVISION APRIL 29, 1945. HE RECEIVED HIS FIRST OF TWO DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSSES FOR THE DECEMBER 20, 1943, BREMEN MISSION, FLYING A B-24 LIBERATOR A/C #41-29135, 579TH/392ND, RETURNING FROM BREMEN, GERMANY, CRASH LANDED 1 MILE FROM WENDLING. HE ALSO RECEIVED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL WITH 4 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL. EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL. AIR FORCE LONGEVITY SERVICE MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL.