On the west side of the road.

An 8 foot tall, irregular shape stone in which a square, metal, commemorative plaque, and an emblem are mounted. At the foot of the stone is a recognition plaque. The memorial stone is quarried from Derbyshire and the plaque is inscribed in English, carved in Welsh slate. The memorial was unveiled on the 63rd anniversary of Captain Perrin's death on the site of the plane crash. Captain John Perrin died on the 4th of July 1944 having crashed his P-51D Mustang Fighter into land close to Home Farm and Sleepers Spinney. This area now forms part of the Primepoint Business Park. The memorial is signposted from the M6 and A34 road.

Decorated pilot Captain John (Jack) Pershing Perrin, of the United States Army Air Force, was just 25 when he died on Independence Day 1944. He was delivering a brand-new Mustang fighter plane to an airbase in England when it developed problems approaching Stafford. Instead of ejecting to safety, Jack stayed at the controls of his stricken aircraft long enough to steer it away from the town and outlying schools and villages, before losing control and crashing into what was then a wheat field, in Creswell. It is thought that his actions may have saved hundreds of lives.

Source of information: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, http://www.creswellparishcouncil.co.uk

Source of images: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, richlakin.wordpress.com

Surmounted plaque:

CAPT. JOHN P. PERRIN USAAF

DFC, AIR MEDAL (3 OAK CLUSTERS)

1918 - 1944

This plaque was unveiled on July 4th 2007

by Lt Col. Jeff Price, Assistant Air Attaché U.S. Embassy

and Col. Michael Beatty CBE TD DL,

Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire.

It marks the area, here in the Parish of Creswell,

where courageous U.S. Army Air Forces pilot

Captain John Pershing Perrin

died, after remaining at the controls of his stricken aircraft,

in order to avoid crashing onto the town of Stafford

and outlying homes and infant schools,

on U.S. Independence Day July 4th 1944.

Holder of the American Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal,

Capt Perrin, 25, selflessly gave his life, so that others might live.

We salute his valour, and offer our eternal thanks for his great sacrifice.

May He Rest In Peace.

CRESWELL PARISH COUNCIL

Plaque at the foot of the monument:

Creswell Parish Council awarded

Captain John P. Perrin

the posthumous honour of the

Honorary Freedom of the Parish of Creswell

on 4th July 2014

being the 70th anniversary of his courageous

act of self sacrifice.