B-24 Liberator 'Bull Bat' (42-7605) Crash Site Memorial
Details:
By the side of the D258.
Monument Text:
(1st Black Plaque)
AUX
AVIATEURS
AMERICAINS
TOMBES LE
31 DECEMBRE 1943
________________________
LE SOUVENIR
FRANCAIS
COMITE
DE MONTLIEU
English translation:
TO THE AMERICAN AVIATORS WHO FELL HERE ON DECEMBER 31ST, 1943
________________________
THE MONTLIEU SOUVENIR FRANCAIS COMMITTEE
(2nd Black Plaque)
EQUIPAGE
LIEUTENANT THOMAS MC KEE
S/S LIEUTENANT
THOMAS G. WALKER
S/S LIEUTENANT
ROBERT S. DINSMORE
S/S LIEUTENANT
LEE SIMONS
SERGENT
THOMAS C. MORISSON
SERGENT
WARD M. SUCKAL
SERGENT
HORACE G. MURPHY JN
SERGENT
MARIONE NUZUM
SERGENT
RICHARD E. PAINTER
English translation:
Crew 1st Lt Thomas Mc Kee/ 2nd Lt Lieutenant Thomas G. Walker/ 2nd Lt Lieutenant Robert S. Dinsmore/ 2nd Lt Lieutenant Lee Simons/ Sergeant Thomas C. Morisson/ Sergeant Ward M. Suckal/ Sergeant Horace G. Murphy JN/ Sergeant Marione Nuzum/ Sergeant Richard E. Painter.
(White Plaque)
Le 31 Decembre 1943, d'importantes formations de forteresses volantes americaines, venant bombarder des objectifs dans la region et se dirigeant vers COGNAC, traversaient a haute altitude le ciel de MONTLIEU LA GARDE.
La derniere forteresse de la formation attaquee par un chasseur allemand fut touchee et explosa dispersant les corps et les morceaux d'avions dans un rayon d'un kilometre.
Il y eut egalement, en plus de l'equipage, une victime civile innocente en la personne de Madame BOURDEJEAU de chez Cadeau.
Les Aviateurs Americains furent inhumes au cimetiere de SAINT VIVIEN et leurs tombes entrentenues et fleuries jusqu'aux repatriement de leurs corps aux Etats-Unis.
Le monument eleve ici-meme a leur memoire fut inaugure quatre ans plus tard a la date anniversaire de ce tragique evenement.
Les troupes americaines basees a BUSSAC ne manquerent jamais de commemorer cette journee,et depuis leur depart, le SOUVENIR FRANCAIS continue d'entretenir a la fois le monument et le souvenir.
Des temoins oculaires ont bien voulu raconter ceux qu'ils avaient vu et leurs recits sont conserves dans les archives du SOUVENIR FRANCAIS de MONTLIEU LA GARDE.
English translation:
On December 31st, 1943, a sizable contingent of American flying fortresses were overflying Montlieu la Garde on a high-altitude mission in the region, heading towards Cognac. The last fortress was attacked by a German fighter and exploded, showering bodies and plane debris over a square kilometer. In addition to the crew, Madame Bourdejeau of Chez Cadeau was an innocent victim. The american aviators were buried in the Saint Vivien cemetery where their graves were maintained and decorated with flowers until their repatriation. The monument raised here in their memory was inaugurated on the anniversary of that tragic day four years later. The american troops stationed in Bussac never missed the opportunity to commemorate that day, and since their departure, the Souvenir Francais maintains both the monument and the memory of those events. Eyewitnesses gladly recounted what they had seen and their stories are preserved in the archives of the Montlieu la Garde Souvenir Francais.
Commemorates:
People:
Anthony Frank “Tony” Malavasic
Units:
392nd Bomb Group, 578th Bomber Squadron
United States Air Force
Wars:
WWII
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