As commander of the 21st Pursuit Squadron, Dyess flew aggressively against the Japanese whenever one of the few remaining P-40s on Bataan was serviceable. In defense of Bataan, he served as an Infantry Officer, leading his unit against Japanese amphibious landings. Before the surrender order was given, Dyess was presented with the option to evacuate, but instead chose to stay with his men.
After surviving the horrors of the Death March and imprisonment for nearly a year, he and eleven others escaped from the Davao Penal Colony on the Philippine Island of Mindanao. They fought alongside Filipino guerillas for four months before being picked up by a US submarine.
Dyess returned stateside to recover but was eager to return to combat. On December 22, 1943, his P-38 caught fire on a training flight over Glendale, California. Rather than abandoning the aircraft, which might cause damage to the residential area below, he attempted to land in a vacant lot and died in the ensuing crash.
During his military career, Dyess was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, twice the Distinguished Service Cross, twice the Silver Star, and the Legion of Merit. Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, is named in his honor.
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