Eugene F. Dinsmore

Eugene F. Dinsmore. August 7, 1923 - January 21, 1945. , Second Lieutenant (2d Lt) Eugene F. Dinsmore was born to a Grand Island pioneer farm family, graduated from Tonawanda High School and was employed at Carborundum Co. in Niagara Falls when he was drafted late in 1942., 2d Lt Dinsmore completed Pilot School and Flight Training in 1943. Early in 1944, he arrived in England and was assigned a new Republic P-47D fighter aircraft. He flew it to a AAF Fighter Group of the 9th Air Force in November, 1944., In mid-December, the Squadron was assigned to an "Armed Recce" mission in the vicinity of Koblenz Germany, a reconnaissance mission with permission to attack any "targets of opportunity" discovered along the way. The mission report indicates that they attacked and destroyed a large ammunition storage site, but sadly 2d Lt Dinsmore's plane was hit by enemy fire. Other American pilots reported seeing 2d Lt Dinsmore parachuting to the ground where he was captured and taken to a German hospital where he died due to his wounds., In 1947, 2d Lt Dinsmore's remains were brought back to Grand Island and buried in Maple Grove Cemetery.