90th Division Monument
Details:
On the west side very close to the entrance of the square.
Monument
A rectangular marble stele which features a black plaque, a metal sheet cut-out depicting a Piper L4 plane, the 90th Division insignia, and the town’s liberation message. The plaque is inscribed in French in gold lettering which commemorates Cpt Alfred Ryland Howard II and 2Lt William G. Windeler who were killed aboard the Piper L4 plane during the town’s liberation. The memorial is set on brick pavement and was unveiled on June 11, 2021.
Monument Text:
On the plaque:
LE 4 JUILLET 1944, UN AVION D' OBSERVATION PIPER L4
CHARGE DU REGLAGE DES TIRS D' UN BATAILLON
D' ARTILLERIE DE LA 90E DIVISION D' INFANTERIE
AMÉRICAINE A ETE ABATTU A PROXIMITE D' ICI,
TUANT SES DEUX MEMBRES D ÉQUIPAGE
PILOTE: ALFRED RYLAND HOWARD
HOUSTON , TEXAS
OBSERVATEUR: WILLIAM WINDELER
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIE
NE LES OUBLIEZ JAMAIS CAR ILS SONT
MORTS POUR VOTRE LIBERTE
English translation:
ON JULY 4, 1944, A PIPER L4 OBSERVATION AIRCRAFT
CHARGE OF FIRE REGULATION OF A BATTALION
90TH INFANTRY DIVISION ARTILLERY
AMERICAN WAS KILLED NEAR HERE,
KILLING ITS TWO CREW MEMBERS
PILOT: RYLAND ALFRED HOWARD
HOUSTON, TEXAS
OBSERVER: WILLIAM WINDELER
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
NEVER FORGET THEM BECAUSE THEY
DIED FOR YOUR FREEDOM
On the stele:
A la mémoire des hommes de la
90e Division d'Infanterie US
tombés pour la liberation
de Pretot le 3 Juillet 1944
English translation:
In memory of the men of the
90th US Infantry Division
fallen for liberation
of Pretot on July 3, 1944
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
90th Infantry Division
United States Army
Wars:
WWII
Other images :
