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Dyess, Wm. E. (William Edwin), 1916-1943

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1916 - 1943

Biography

Lt. Col. William Edwin Dyess was born in Albany, Texas on August 9, 1916. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces, and married Marajen Stevick before going to his assignment in the Philippines. He was captured after the Battle of Bataan and survived the Bataan Death March. After a year of captivity, he escaped with several others, and survived for three months before being evacuated by a U.S. submarine. Back in the United States, he related his experiences to Chicago Tribune writer Charles Leavelle. This story was syndicated as a series of 25 articles by the Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate (published in January and February, 1944), and subsequently as a book, The Dyess Story (Putnam, 1944; published in Britain by Angus and Robertson in 1945 under the title Death March from Bataan). The plane accident in California which killed Dyess (December 22, 1943) occurred before approval was granted by the U.S. government to publish his story.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Chicago Tribune. Dyess series of articles

 Collection
Identifier: XI-179
Abstract The Dyess Series contains correspondence, rewrites, galley proofs, teletype copy and photographs related to "The Dyess Story", a series of 25 articles syndicated by the Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate in 1944. This series described Lt Col. William Edwin Dyess' experiences during World War II (as told to Tribune writer Charles Leavelle), including his capture after the Battle of Bataan, his experiences as a prisoner of war, his escape, and...
Dates: 1943 - 1944