B-17G 44-8614 Crew Monument
Details:
On the right hand side of the town war memorial.
A rough-hewn stone with two separate plaques affixed on its front. The top plaque commemorates the fallen crew members of an Avro Manchester of the Royal Air Force while the below plaques commemorates the four fallen members of the 9-man crew of the American B-17G 44-8614. The plaques are inscribed in French text with grey background.
B-17G 44-8614 of the 836th Bombardment Squadron was attacked by German fighters on December 24, 1944. According to one source, the bomber came to the hamlet of So Lés Malines of Deigné, but this is not near Comblain: it is the location of the place where the aircraft was last seen. The plaque features the names of 1Lt Howard A Turnquist (pilot), 2Lt Thomas C. Chatterton (co-pilot), T/Sgt Warren J. Stanton (Flight Engineer) and S/Sgt Jefferson G. Gregory (Rear Gunner). Pilot Turnquist was the most unfortunate: while jumping out, he got stuck to the escape hatch with his parachute harness. He was pulled back into the plane by bombardier 2Lt Ceder. Then Turnquist jumped again but his parachute did not fully open and he crashed. 2Lt Frank E. Jordon (navigator), 2Lt Richard E. Ceder (bombardier), S/Sgt Stanley Kleinman (radio operator), Sgt David H. MacHauer (ball turret gunner) and Sgt Neil F. Matz (waist gunner) were able to leave the aircraft in time. 4 men were killed and five men survived.
Source of information: https://www.hangarflying.eu
Monument Text:
1er Lt TURNQUIST Howard USA 2ème Lt CHATTERTON Thomas USA T/Sgt STANTON Warren USA S/Sgt Gregory Jefferson USA |
English translation:
1er = 1st
2ème = 2nd
Commemorates:
People:
Thomas Cole “Tommy”, Sr. Chatterton
Units:
487th Bomber Group, Heavy
836th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy
8th Air Force
US Army Air Corps
Wars:
WWII
Other images :