B-24 42-52445 Plaque
Details:
The plaque is mounted on the lower walls near the edge of the road. Plaque
A black stone plaque mounted on red brick wall, printed in white and English text. On the top left-hand corner is the insignia of the Eight Air Force and crossed Union flag and American flag on the top center. On the top right-hand corner is the aircraft tail identification and an outline of B-24 plane on the bottom. The plaque commemorates ten American airmen of the B-24 #42-52445 plane which crashed in the area.
The Night of the Intruders, on 22nd April
1944 when American bombers suffered their highest ever loss to German
intruders. The German bomber fighters followed the air armada home after the
raid, picking individual bombers off on their return over Europe and then over
England as the American force struggled to land.
Over a period of only twenty minutes, ten
aircraft, nine of them B-24 Liberators, were shot down and 61 men killed for
the loss of only two Me 410s.
Monument Text:
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE SEVEN AMERICAN AIRMEN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON THE EVENING OF
22ND APRIL 1944 WHEN THEIR B24 AIRCRAFT OF THE 467TH BG(H) CRASHED
CLOSE TO THIS LOCATION DUE TO ENEMY NIGHT INTRUDER ATTACK WHILE
RETURNING FROM A COMBAT MISSION TO HAMM, GERMANY
LT. STALIE C. REID | LT. JAMES G. FERGUSON | SGT. SYLVIO L. DERY |
LT. WARREN W. MASON | LT LOUIS A. ALIER | SGT. EDWARD W HOKE |
| SGT. WALTER W. KOVALENK |
|
THREE AIRMEN SURVED THE CRASH
SGT GEORGE. S. HAMILTON KILLED IN ACTION 8TH MAY 1944
SGT JOHN H. BIGGS KILLED IN ACTION 6TH AUG 1944
SGT MERVIN SHANK WHO RETURNED TO BARSHAM 24TH APRIL 1999
FOR THE DEDICATION OF THIS MEMORIAL
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
467th Bomber Group, Heavy
791st Bomber Squadron, 467th Bomber Group, Heavy
8th Air Force
United States Air Force
Wars:
WWII
Other images :