Next to the town war memorial.

The memorial includes an information sign, plaque, and propeller of the B-24 ‘Jenny Ann’.

B-24 “Jenny Ann” (41-28768) of the 747^th Bomber Squadron, 456^th Bomber Group, 15^th Air Force, departed Storna Airfield (Foggia, Italy) on October 20, 1944 on a mission to bomb the airfield in Bad Aibling, Germany.  On the return flight, due to maintenance problems, the plane made a controlled emergency landing on a Po Delta Barrier Island.  The B-24 Commander, 1LT Dickie, split the crew into three groups in order to best evade the enemy.  One group, with the help of local Italian citizen fisherman were able to escape and evade capture.  The local group was lead by the “Cicolani”, Achille Siveiro. The rest of the crew was captured.

After the war, Roberto Rosselini, the famous Italian movie director, directed the movie “Paisan” or “Paisa” which depicted life as a partisan in Italy during the war; one part of the movie the Italian citizens who helped the crew were included as movie extras including “Cicolani”.

In 2014, 2LT Sciaroni and the three Italian citizens, Giovani Achille Siviero “Cicolani” e di Francesco e Sergio Mantovani, were honored as heroes in the US Congress.  

The memorial was dedicated on November 7, 2021 in the town of Porto Tolle.

The Crew of B-24 “Jenny Ann” included:

1^st LT David J. Dickie, Pilot, POW (Stalag 7, Moosburg)                 

2^nd LT Paul J. Delecour, Co-Pilot -POW (Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia)

2^nd LT Richard H. Sciaroni, Navigator - Escaped      

2^nd LT Woodrow W. O’Brien, Bombardier, - POW

Sgt James S. Pentecost, Engineer/Gunner – POW (Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow)

Sgt. Leonard C. Meton, Radio Operator/Gunner - Escaped

Sgt Albert  Deerwald, Gunner - Escaped

Sgt. Olin B. Houghton, Gunner – Escaped ***

Sgt Chester W. Nowak, Gunner – POW (Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow)

Sgt Carroll D. Presnell, Gunner – POW (Stalag 2B Hammerstein)

Reference:  Missing Aircraft Report (MACR): 9213 & Lost Aircraft-Po (Associazione Aerei Perduti-Polesine) research.

***Note: S/SSGT Houghton escaped to return to duty.  However, on December 11, 1944, flying in B-24 (42-51146) “Green S” of the 343^rd Bomber Squadron, 98^th Bomber Group, on a mission to bomb and oil refinery in Austria the aircraft was hit and Houghton bailed out and was captured.  He spent the rest of the war at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth Germany.

Special Thanks to Association of Lost Aircraft-Polesine (Associazione Aerei Perduti-Polesine) for assistance with this memorial. 

The text on the plaque is written in Italian and reads:

American Flag – profile of a B-24- Italian Flag

B-24H “LIBERATOR” s/n 41-28768 “JENNY ANN”

747 Bomber Squadron, 456^th Bomber Group,

15^th US Air Force, United States Army Airforce (USAAF)

Missione di bombardamento su aeroporto di Bad Aibling – Monaco di Bavaria

Decollato di Storna – Foggia atterato in avaria sullo scanno “Canarin” Porto Tolle

20 Ottobre 1944

1^st LT David J. Dickie, Pilota, catturato            Sgt. Leonard C. Meton Radio Operatore -fuggito

2^nd LT Paul J. Delecour, Co-Pilota -catturato    Sgt Albert J. Deerwald mitragliere -fuggito

2^nd LT Richard H. Sciaroni, Navigatore -fuggito       Sgt. Olin B. Houghton, mitragliere -fuggito

2^nd LT Woodrow W. O’Brien, Bombadier, catturato  Sgt Chester W. Nowak, Mitragliere, catturato

Sgt James S. Pentecost, Motorista, Mitra -caturato  Sgt Carroll D. Presnell. Mitragliere, catturato

Richard H. Sciaroni, Leonard C. Menton, Albert J. Doerwald and Olin B. Houghton sffugriono la catttura grazie al corraggiodi Giovani Achille Siviero “Cicolani” e di Francesco e Sergio Mantovani

-Symbol of the 456^th Bomber Group-

Elica Hamilton Standard “Hydromatic” proveiniete dal B-24H “Jenny Ann”

Donata della Contess Marina Torchio

The English Translation:

American Flag – profile of a B-24- Italian Flag

B-24H “LIBERATOR” s/n 41-28768 “JENNY ANN”

747 Bomber Squadron, 456^th Bomber Group,

15^th US Air Force, United States Army Airforce (USAAF)

Mission was to bomb the airport at Bad Aibling in Bavaria, Germany

Took off from Storna in Foggia (Puglia) and landed on the barrier islands called “Canarin”, Porto Tolle

20 October 1944

1^st LT David J. Dickie, Pilot, Captured      Sgt. Leonard C. Meton Radio Operator, Escaped

2^nd LT Paul J. Delecour, Co-Pilot -Captured              Sgt Albert J. Deerwald, Gunner, Escaped

2^nd LT Richard H. Sciaroni, Navigator, Escaped       Sgt. Olin B. Houghton, Gunner, Escaped

2^nd LT Woodrow W. O’Brien, Bombardier, Captured Sgt Chester W. Nowak, Gunner, Captured

Sgt James S. Pentecost, Engineer/Gunner -captured              Sgt Carroll D. Presnell, Gunner - Captured

Richard H. Sciaroni, Leonard C. Menton, Albert J. Doerwald and Olin B. Houghton escaped capture with thanks to the courage ofi Giovani Achille Siviero “Cicolani” e di Francesco e Sergio Mantovani

-Symbol of the 456^th Bomber Group-

Propeller Hamilton Standard “Hydromatic” from the  B-24H “Jenny Ann”

Donated by Contess Marina Torchio