In 1920, the year before Lyndell Glisson was born, her father, Onnie Glisson, was a 22-year-old single man living with his parents and working as a farm laborer. But by 1921, he had married Beulah Myers Glisson. Lyndel was born on November 6, 1921 in Laurel, MS.

Lyndell was just eight when she lost her mother. The “Morning Call,” a newspaper, reported that Mrs. O. E. Glisson, age 28, died from spinal meningitis after being ill sometime. The obituary stated she was the mother of three young children – meaning Lyndell, her younger brother, John Paul, and her younger sister, Willie B.[i

In 1930, Onnie and the family are living in a home that he owns. It appears to be near both is father, his brother and their families.[ii

Sometime between then and 1934, Onnie remarried to Helon Myers Glisson and the family grew.[iii] Soon Lyndell had two half-siblings.

HER LIFE BEFORE MILITARY

As the war years arrive, the Glisson farm family is busy with three teens and two little ones. Lyndell is 18, John Paul, 16 and Willie, 14. There are two little ones, Alvie Carol, 6, and Sidney, 4.

Lyndell graduated from Raleigh High School and then went on to nursing training. She studied at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, TN.[iv]

HER MILITARY STORY

In May of 1943, Lyndell Glisson volunteered for the army to serve as a nurse. During 1943, she also lost her father.[v] In September of 1944, she headed overseas.[vi] Her brother, John Paul, served in the Navy and was stationed in France.[vii]

She was assigned to the 172nd General Hospital.[viii]

The Ledo area of India, where Lyndell eventually died, was known to be one of the worst areas of malaria in the world. In addition, there was ward after ward of typhus patients. Lice, tape worms, maggots and other parasites were common. Horribly wounded men would arrive from all over and many amputations were done due to gangrene developing over their days-long journey to get care.[ix]

In an oral history record, “Voices of the Past,” Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays recalled “… our nurses were well prepared. We had a fair amount of equipment and supplies… And has history has proven, the whole theater was sadly neglected. But, as I said, we did the very best we could.”[x]

At the time of the war, Hays was a nurse in the operating room in India. In 1970, she was the first woman in the United States Armed Forces to wear the stars of a general officer when promoted to Brigadier General.[xi]

“Of course, the heavy rains would pour in seven to eight inches of water in 24 hours in the monsoon season. You can imagine the mud problems. Each building was made of bamboo and our roofs were palm fronds so when it rained, water came through the roofs,” she said in her oral history. Without secure doors, snakes, sacred cows or wild jackals would run or slither through the wards or nurses’ quarters. They also cared for ill and wounded Chinese soldiers, American allies, which brought language and cultural differences for the nurses in trying to provide the best care.[xii]

HER LAST DAY- March 4, 1945

On her last flight, Lyndell was in route from a hospital along the Ledo road to a new assignment[xiii] in the India-Burma Theater to care for wounded in Imphal.[xiv] Her Douglas C-47 Skytrain (#41-18554), assigned to Air transport Command, 11th Combat Cargo Squadron,[xv] took off from Dinjan Army Airfield in Assam, India on a mission to ferry passengers. The plane came in too low during the last turn in the process of landing and crashed. Twenty-five passengers, including Lyndell, plus the crew of two were killed. Most of the passengers were Army nurses and medical personnel.[xvi]

With both her parents gone, her uncle, A. C. Myers or Raleigh was notified of her death.

COMMENDATIONS

Nurse Corps Badge

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal[xvii]

HER FUNERAL AND GRAVE

The announcement of the return of her body from overseas came in February of 1949.[xviii] 2nd. Lt. Lyndell Glisson was buried in Bezer Cemetery in Bezer, Mississippi.[xix

LIST OF THOSE KILLED IN THE MARCH 4, 1945 LEDO, INDIA AIR CRASH

Capt. John J. Lukaszczyk, Co-Pilot
Capt. Nicholas J. Mandoukos, Pilot
1st Lt. Walter S. Amsler, Jr.
2nd Lt. Francis W. Blalock
2nd Lt. Julia S. Barnes
2nd Lt. Jane M. Blevins
2nd Lt. Evelyn M. Bruton
2nd Lt. Thomas E. Dellinger
2nd Lt. Rita F. Erard
2nd Lt. Evelyn M. Gerdrum
2nd Lt. Lyndell A. Glisson
1st Lt. Henry D. Hammack, Jr.
2nd Lt. Eathel L. Harris
2nd Lt. Helen J. Henley
1st Lt. Catherine M. Larkin
2nd Lt. Joseph R. Launier
1st Lt. Kathryn L.Lloyd
Capt. Charles W. Loucks
1st Lt. Grady A. Masters
2nd Lt. Kathryn L. McCarthy
2nd Lt. Ann L. Merrill
2nd Lt. Genevieve R. Monahan
Capt. Edward R. Moore
2nd Lt. Mayo C. Onken
Lt. Col. Jack P. Scott
Leona A. Thomey, Civilian, Red Cross
1st Lt. Robert W. Tibbetts

ABOUT THIS STORY

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

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