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B-24 (44-4116) American Aviators Memorial Headstone

<< Back to Rábakecöl Cemetery

Details:

In the town cemtery, at the former gravesite of the aviators. Monument


A white inscribed marble headstone.


On August 22nd, 1944 a B-24 (44-41116) of the 824h Bomber Squadron, 484th BG flying out of Torretta Airbase, Italy on a mission to Vienna's shot down and crashed in the vicinity of the village of Rábakecöl, Hungary. (44-41116 (MACR #8395.)  Five of the crew were killed and their remains were buried here in the local cemetery. The other crew members became POWs.


After the War the next of kin decided to repatriate the bodies to the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky for private burial with the exception of LT Ruthenberg who is buried in the Lorraine American Military Cemetery in France. 


The locals Hungarian townspeople erected a small headstone-like memorial, made of white marble and engraved with the five names, and continue to take care of the empty gravesite.

The KIA included:

2nd Lt. John J Ruthenberg, O-689360, Pilot

S/Sgt. Robert J Gunthorpe, 34602994, Flight Engineer

S/Sgt. Philip W Wright, 37653078, Radio Operator

Sgt. Irving C Woods, 17136468, Tail Gunner

Pvt. Richard A Notarantonio, 31293371, Armorer-Gunner 

Monument Text:

Rabakecol lezuhant hos amerikai pilotak emlekere

Approximate translation:  Rabakecol remembers its downed American pilots




John J Ruthenberg

Robert J Gunthorpe

Philip W Wright

Irving C Woods

Richard A Notarantonio

Commemorates:

People:

Robert J. Gunthorpe

Richard A.  Notarantonio

John J. Ruthenberg

Irwing C. Woods

Philip W. Wright

Units:

15th Air Force

484th Bomber Group

824th Bomber Squadron, 484th Bomber Group

United States Air Force

Wars:

WWII