ELMER S DASH

Corporal, US Army Air Force

Service # 13187780

Elmer Dash was born on 1 Sep 1925 in Ambridge, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, the eldest child of Martha Eleanor Grvonkawska (1903-1986) and Stanley Anthony Dasch (1895-1988) who came from Poland. He arrived some time prior to 1920, when he was living with his brother, John Dasch, in Allegheny County and working as a foreman at a steel mill. By 28 Jul 1922 Stanley had petitioned to become a naturalized citizen. He and Martha were issued a marriage license the following year, on 26 Jul 1923. They were living in Ambridge, PA when they began their family with Elmer. In 1928, a daughter Irene was born, followed by Alice in 1932 and Stanley Anthony Dash, Jr in 1936.

Elmer was educated at St. Stanislaus’ School and was a graduate of Ambridge High School. After graduation he worked for Spang Chalfant Company in the finishing inspection department. In July 1943 he signed up with Army Reserve Corps. On 15 Nov 1943, age 18, Elmer was called to duty in the US Army Air Corps in Pittsburgh. He was single, without dependents. The paper the next day said he was one of 77 who signed on as Air Cadets and were en route to Miami Beach, Florida for their pre-flight training. In Elmer’s case, his training was at Fort Myers, FL to become an armored gunner. It was followed by training at Barkesdale Field, Shreveport, LA. By 1944 he was assigned to the 586th Bombardment Squadron, 394th Bomb Group with the 9th Air Force, which was based in Boreham, England, where the unit flew Martin B-26 Marauder (medium) bombers.

On 18 Dec 1944 Cpl Elmer S Dash was the tail gunner aboard A/C #42-96207* on a training run over France when it collided mid-air with another plane from the same squadron, A/C #43-34212. It appears that 11 crew members on the two planes were killed in the crash over Epinoy, France, in the line of duty, non-battle. His sacrifice earned him a Purple Heart. Cpl Dash was buried in the cemetery in Fosse, Namur, Belgium until the end of the war. His remains were repatriated and on 14 Apr 1949 he was re-interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 34, site 4414. His parents, two sisters and brother were in attendance.

*The records of the American Air Museum give the crew of 42-96207 as: Pilot, 2nd Lt. George Wilbur Clearwater, Jr; Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt. John E Ford; Gunner, Cpl Horace Otis Bunting; Radio/gunner, Cpl Jacob Arzouian; Tail gunner, Cpl Elmer S Dash. The crew of #43-34212 was given as: Pilot, 1st Lt. William Edward Cook; Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt. Albin J Gaj; Engineer/gunner, Cps Vincent A Cherescavich; Gunner, Cpl Lawrence Clark Brashear; Tail gunner, Cpl Samuel A Devereux. Radio/waist gunner, T/Sgt Charles Elmo Lipscomb missed the plane and so survived. Two additional fatalities were replacements on the aircraft and it is unclear on which plane they perished: Pilot/bombardier, 1st Lt. Edward Thompson and Bombardier, Milton I Waters.

“This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project – see www.storiesbehindthestars.org – a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Together we Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of the WWII fallen.”

SOURCES

1920 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com

1940 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com

https://americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/elmer-s-dash

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/elmer-s-dash

Pennsylvania, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1795-1931 – Ancestry.com

Pennsylvania, U.S., Marriages, 1852-1968 – Ancestry.com

Pennsylvania, U.S., Veteran Compensation Application Files, WWII, 1950-1966 – Ancestry.com

The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, PA) - Thu, Jul 26, 1923 - Page 34 – Newspapers.com

The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, PA) - Tue, Nov 16, 1943 - Page 25 – Newspapers.com

The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, PA) - Tue, Apr 12, 1949 - Page 40 – Newspapers.com

U.S., National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962 – Ancestry.com

U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 – Fold3.com

U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954 – Fold3.com

SBTS/Pennsylvania/Beaver