In the center of the subdivision's park, McCammonplein.
Monument
In the park of this subdivision is a brick-laid patio in the shape of an airplane with a protruding vertical stabilizer with a metal plaque. The memorial honors the crew of the B-17 "MAN-O-War" (41-24399) that crashed near Opijnen on July 30, 1943. The memorial was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Keene McCammon, Mr. and Mrs. John Bruce, the American Women's Club of Amsterdam, and The Municipality of Neerijnen. The streets and footpaths surrounding the subdivision are named for the crew members.
Lt. Keene C. McCammon led the crew with the 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91th Bomber Group (H), flying the B17 41-24399 'MAN-O-WAR' out of Bassingbourn. On July 30, 1943 Lt. McCammon’s crew participated in a bombing mission to Kassel. In this ‘maximum effort’ mission, 186 bombers bombed the Messerschmidt plants near this city in central Germany. It was the crews first mission. The outbound leg, to the target, proved uneventful. The formation did not meet with the Luftwaffe. The weather was excellent, and the target was found without difficulty. It was subsequently bombed with good results. On the way back to Bassingbourn, their luck turned. They were intercepted and attacked by FW190 fighters of JG26. A fierce fight ensued during which the ‘MAN-O-WAR’ and a second B17 (‘Yankee Dandy’, commanded by 1Lt. Robert M. Miles) were forced to leave the relatively protective realm of the bomber formation. The ‘Man-O-War’ was last seen leaving the formation, burning from under the wings with both inboard (no. 2 & 3) engines out and going into a dive. The German fighters pressed home their attacks on the ‘straggler’. After fierce fighting from both sides, Lt. Johannes Neumann, a leading fighter pilot with JG26, finally claimed the ‘MAN-O-WAR’ 5 kilometers south of Est, close to Opijnen.
The eight crewman KIA are buried in the nearby Opijnen Church cemetery. See this website for more details.
8th Air Force
1st Air Division
91st Bomb Group
Amerikaanse bemanning
van de B-17 Man-O-War
hier gesneuveld tijdens de
Tweede Wereldoorlog
op 30 juli 1943
Douglas Victor
Blackwood
Americo Cianfichi
Robert Urquhart
Duggan
George Richard
Krueger
Daniel Victor Ohman
Mike Anthony Perrotts
Hermon Daines Poling
Harold Royce Sparks
Zij
rusten op het kerkhof
in
Opijnen
Krijgsgevangenen
Keene McCammon
John Bruce
Geschonken
door
Hr
en Mw Keene McCammon
Hr
en Mw John Bruce
American
Women's Club of Amsterdam
Gemeenie
Neerijnen
Lithos
bouw & outwikkeling
Onthuld
door
John
Bruce
Bonney
Jean McCammon
2006
English
Translation:
8th Air Force
1st Air Division
91st Bomb Group
American Crew
of the B-17 Man-O-War
died here during the
Second World War
on July 30, 1943
Douglas Victor Blackwood
Americo Cianfichi
Robert Urquhart Duggan
George Richard Krueger
Daniel Victor Ohman
Mike Anthony Perrotts
Hermon Daines Poling
Harold Royce Sparks
They rest in the cemetery
in Opijnen
Prisoners of War
Keene McClammon
John Bruce
Donated by
Mr. and Mrs. Keene McCammon
Mr. and Mrs. John Bruce
American Women's Club of Amsterdam
The Municipality of
Neerijnen
Lithos Construction
Unveiled by
John Bruce
Bonney Jean McCammon
2006
