Monument Details

B-17 (42-29960) 'Nymokymi' Crash Memorial

Details:

Next to a stream off of the C5.

Monument
A vertical stone monument set on bricks and bearing two plaques, one white and one black with gold lettering, both commemorating US aviators that crashed in the area during WWII on July 4th 1943.

The memorial remembers the crew of B-17 42-29960 "Nymokymi",of the 544th Bomber Squadron, 384th Bomb Group, that took off from station 106 in Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over Gnome and Rhone-Le Mans factory complexes at 1100. The plane was hit by flak and fighter fire, losing its no.4 engine. Some of the crew survived and taken POW (two), while others escaped (six) with the assistance of the French Resistance via the Pyrenees/Spain/Gibraltar route. Some crew were KIA (two). The name of the plane is thought to refer to the home states of crewmembers.

Monument Text:

(Plaque 1)

Le 4 Juillet 1943

un bombardier americain s'est escrase pres de cet endroit.

Deux membres de l'equipage sont morts.

Donald W. Irvine -bombardier

Francis M. Hackley -navigateur

Deux ont ete faits prisonniers de guerre

Six autres se sont evades grace a la complicite des resistants

du secteur et ont pu reprendre le combat

mais

Dix huit resistants ont ete deportes en Allemagne,

sept n'en sont pas revenus

Decedes en 1944

Edouard PAYSANT (pere)

Louise PAYSANT

Decedes en 1945

Francis COLLET

Jean DANIEL

Berthy BOUYER

Roger GAULARD

Porte disparu

Edouard Paysant (fils)

Morts pour la liberte

(Plaque 2)

EVADES

G. ERIKSON

W.E. FREEMAN

R.H. PENLY

F.J. WINGERTER

L.J. REANDEAU

P.G. WELCK

C. MANKOVIT

C.M. DARTT

PRISONNIER

English translation:

(Plaque 1)

July 4, 1943

an American bomber crashed near this location.

Two members of the crew died.

Donald W. Irvine -bombardier

Francis M. Hackley - navigator

Two were made prisoners of war

Six others escaped thanks to the complicity of the resistance fighters

of the sector and were able to resume the fight

But

Eighteen resistants were deported to Germany,

seven did not return

Killed in 1944

Edouard PAYSANT (father)

Louise PAYSANT

Killed in 1945

Francis COLLET

Jean DANIEL

Berthy BOUYER

Roger GAULARD

Missing in action

Edouard Paysant (son)

Deaths for freedom

(Plaque 2)

ESCAPES

G. ERIKSON

W.E. FREEMAN

R.H. PENLY

F.J. WINGERTER

L.J. REANDEAU

P.G. WELCK

C. MANKOVIT

C.M. DARTT

PRISONER

Commemorates:

People:

Francis Mercer Hackley

Units:

384th Bomb Group (Heavy)

544th Bomber Squadron, 384th Bomb Group, Heavy

8th Air Force

French Resistance

Resistance

United States Air Force

Wars:

WWII

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