Behind and adjacent to the bus stop.

A field stone with an inscribed plaque attached to the front.

The memorial remembers the B-24 (42-40658), also known as 'Old Sarge', piloted by 1LT Thomas Haigh, of the 512th Bomber Squadron, 376th Bomber Group, 15th US Air Force, which was shot down and crashed at this location on December 28th, 1943. 

On December 28th, 1943, the 376th Bomber Group of the 15th Air Force attacked the marshaling yards in Vicenza with 17 B-24 aircraft from the 512th, 514th, and 515th Bomber Squadrons.  More than 70 Axis fighters engaged in response and shot down 10 bombers over the skies of Northern Italy.

The 376th Bomber Group, based in San Pancrazio, 'San Pan', in the heel of Italy, was tasked with destroying the railroad marshaling yards in Vicenza. 17 B-24 aircraft were on the mission; all six aircraft from 512th Squadron, and two aircraft each from the 514th and 515th Squadrons were lost. Missing Aircraft Report (MACR): 2454.

The crew of B-24 (42-40658) included:

Survived as POWs:

Co-pilot: Lt Albert Matthai

Navigator: Lt Norman Troxell

Bombardier: Lt Ward Walker

Armorer /Gunner: S/Sgt Romeo Giagnoni

Engineer: T/Sgt Peter Stiles

Radio Operator: William Butler

Killed in Action:

Pilot: 1LT Thomas Haigh

Tail Gunner: S/Sgt Joseph A Kerschner

Asst. Radio Operator: S/Sgt Leonard P Hagar

Asst. Engineer: Pvt Winston Ivey

Another marker remembers another B-24 of the 512th Squadron that was shot down during this mission; B-24 ''Ready, Willing, Able'' (42-72768) that crashed near Vicenza.  See Site Arcugnano -Lake Fimon for more on that aircraft and crew.

Source: https://www.setaf-africa.army.mil/article/31146/strangers-in-a-strange-land-80th-anniversary-of-aerial-battle-in-northern-italy

The text on the plaque is written in Italin and reads: 

A MEZZOGIRNO DEL 28 DICEMBRE 1943, DURANTE UN FURIOSA BATTAGLIA

AEREA, SI SCIANTO' IN QUESTO LOCALITA' IL B-24D LIBERATOR 42-40658 DEL 376TH BOMB GROUP, 512TH BOMBER SQUADRON, US ARMY AIR FORCES

QUESTO MEMORIALE E DEDICATA AI GIOVANI AVIATORI CADUTI

Pilot 1LT Thomas Haigh

Tail Gunner S/Sgt Joseph A Kerschner

Asst radio operator S/Sgt Leonard P Hagar)

Asst. engineer Pvt Winston Ivey

LEST WE FORGET PER NON DIMENTICARE

DEDICATED 28 DECEMBER 2023

English translation:

At noon on December 28, 1943, during a furious air battle,

a B-24D Liberator 42-40658, crashed in this locality.

The bomber was from the 376th Bomber Group, 512th Bomber Squadron, US ARMY AIR FORCES

(List of Names)

Lest we forget