Monument Details

1st Pathfinder and 36th Crash Site

Details:

The memorial is located on the southern edge of Bois de Buire, along the tree line. 100 meters north of D6 (can be seen from the road). Monument The monument is made of concrete and displays 4 grey granite plaques screwed onto the front of the monument. Each of the plaques has carvings of pictures of the aircraft that crashed there, insignias of the units involved in the crashes, the names of the men in each of the crashes, and the stories associated with the crashes.

The top left plaque commemorates the crew of the 1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional) and the crash of their B-26 Marauder, "Where's It At?" on January 22, 1945. The aircraft crashed 1,200 meters west of the memorial.

The bottom left plaque has the French translation of the story of the crash of "Where's It At?", as well as a commemoration of the 27th and 30th Divisions, who helped liberate France in both World Wars in this area.

The top right plaque commemorates the crew of the 36th Bombardment Group and the crash of their B-24 Liberator on November 10th, 1944. The aircraft crashed 330 meters behind this memorial.

The bottom right plaque has the French translation of the story of the crash of the 36th's B-24. It also commemorates four squadrons of the 452nd Bombardment Group (H), the 728th, 729th, 730th, and 731st Bombardment Squadrons, who flew several missions in France during World War II. In particular, it honors the crew of the 729th Squadron, whose bomber, "Lady Jeanette," crashed near Hattonville, where there is a memorial similar to this in their honor.

Monument Text:

Top Left Plaque:

Where's It At?

B–26G–1–MA, SN 43–34201

1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional)

9th United States Air Force

Attached: 387th Bombardment Group

Péronne A–72 Air Base

1st Lt. Joseph M. DuBois, O-677682, Pilot, Bridgeton, New Jersey

1st Lt. Richard R. Britanik, O-822630, Co-Pilot, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1st Lt. Raymond H. Boettcher, O-766186, Bombardier, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

*1st Lt. Hugh W. Robbins, O-749933, Navigator, Buried Cedar Bluff Cemetery, Annapolis, Maryland

*S/Sgt. William G. Glass, 38117765, Flight Engineer, Buried Epinal American Cemetery, B–42–36

S/Sgt. Samuel M. Assey, 20304258, Radio Operator, Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania

S/Sgt. Mike Flores, 39571005, Tail Gunner, California

22 January, 1945

With its left engine damaged by FLAK, while over the target on a Pathfinder marking mission, this bomber approached the A-72 air base with the left engine running only part of the time. After several attempts of landing during the heavy snow storm covering the base that day, the bomber was diverted by A-72 Drunkard Control toward the Cambrai A-74 Air Base. As it flew over Tincourt-Boucly, both engines stopped. The bomber crashed into the Bois de Buire, 1,200 meters west of this memorial.

*Two men were killed during the crash when they were crushed by electronic equipment falling on them. The Pilot and Co-Pilot were both awarded the Soldiers Medal for their efforts in removing the two men's bodies from the burning bomber.

The Soldiers Medal is the United States highest non-combat medal awarded

Bottom Left Plaque:

Le moteur gauche endommagé par le Flak, alors qu'il se trouvait en mission de repérage au-dessus de l'objectif, le bombardier Marauder s'approcha de la base A-72, le moteur gauche ne fonctionnant que partiellement. Après plusieurs essais d'atterrissage pendant la terrible tempête de neige se déchainant sur la base ce jour-là, le bombardier fut detourne sur la base A 74 de Cambrai par le poste de controle <> de l'A 72. Alors qu'il sur volait Tincourt-Boucly, les deux moteurs s'arreterent. Le bombardier Marauder s'écrasa dans le bois de Buire, 1200 mètres à l'Ouest de ce mémorial et s'immobilisa a 50 metres a l'interrieur du bois. Deux hommes furent tués dans le crash, écrasés par l'équipement électronique. qui tombe sur eux. Le Gouvernement américain decora le pilote et le copilote de la Médaille du Soldats pour les efforts qu'ils firent pour dégager les corps des deux hommes du bombardier en flammes. La médaille du soldats est la plus haute distinction militaire pour récompenser des actions non combattantes.

27th Division - 30th Division

United States of America

These divisions, part of the II Corps, affiliated with the Australian Corps, participated in the Battle of the Hindenburg Line in 1918. For part of September and October, their Headquarters were located in the Bois de Buire, just northwest of this memorial. 136 Americans were buried in the Tincourt New British Cemetery until 1924/25 when they were moved to the Somme American Cemetery at Bony. The 30th Division left from Péronne in 1944 to enter combat in Belgium during World War Two. Tincourt-Boucly and the area around it, is just one place in France where Americans served during both World Wars to help regain the Liberty of France.

Granite Donated By Willis S. Sam and Carol L. Cole, Jr. Union Nationale

Koppenberg Enterprises Bailery Corporal Willis S. Cole DES COMBATTANTS

Carving Donated By Military Museum De department

Quiring Monuments Luella C. Cole Rice de la Somme

Quiring Monuments, Inc

Seattle, Washington, USA Le Souvenir Francais

Top Right Plaque:

36th Bombardment Squadron (H) (RCM) – 8th Air Force – U.S.A.

Attached: 100th Group R.A.F. CHeddington, England

B–24J–1

SN: 42–51226

1st Lt. Joseph R. Hornsby, O–462844, Pilot, Dothan, Alabama

2nd Lt. Robert H. Casper, O–827128, Co-Pilot, Conway, South Carolina

*2nd Lt. Frederick G. Grey, O-727204, Navigator, Sioux Rapids, Iowa

*Sgt. Frank A. Bartho, 36515334, Nose Turret Gunner, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

Sgt. Jackson K. Chestnut, 34653808, Flight Engineer Gunner, Savannah, Georgia

Sgt. Pete B. Yslava, 39554532, Belly Turret Gunner, California

Sgt. Joseph P. Danahy, 31311144, Radio Operator, Canton, Massachusetts

*Sgt. Raymond G. Mears, 33556665, Waist Gunner, Hagerstown, Maryland

Sgt. Robert R. Veliz, 18090248, Tail Turret Gunner, Monrovia, California

Early on the morning of 10 November, 1944, this bomber came from the east with its number four engine on fire and its number three engine failing. The bomber, on a Radar Counter Measure secret mission, had been jamming German radars for a Royal Air Force attack when flak hit its engine forcing it to attempt to return to England. East of Roisel, the pilot gave the order to bail out. Soon after the pilot bailed out the bomber began its dive to earth just north of Tincourt-Boucly. Exploding once in the air, it crashed, exploded again and then disintegrated 330 meters behind this memorial

*Three crew members were killed in the crash. It is believed two crew men stayed with a trapped nose turret gunner in a failed attempt to free him from the turret before the crash. Most of the recovered remains of these three men are buried in their common grave in the Village Cemetery of Cartigny, 5 km southwest of this memorial

Bottom Right Plaque:

Tôt le matin du 10 Novembre 1944, un bombardier arriva de l'est avec le moteur Nº4 en le feu et le Nº3 faiblissant. Cet appareil, utilisé pour des missions secrètes de coontre measures RADAR, était allé brouiller les systèmes de détection allemands au profit d'une attaque de la Royal Air Force lorsqu'un moteur fut atteint par la défense antiaérienne allemande (FLAK), ce qui le forca à tenter de regagner l'Angleterre. Parvenu à l'est de Roisel, le pilote donna l'ordre à l'équipage d'evacuer le bord. Peu après que le pilote ait sauté, le bombardier plongea vers la terre juste au nord de Tincourt-Boucly. Il y eut une première déflagration en l'air puis il se désintegra en une violente explosion lors de l'impact au sol survenu à environ 330 mètres derrière ce monument commémoratif.

* Trois membres de l'équipage furent tués lors de la lors du crash. Il semblerait que deux hommes sauver le mitrailleur restés prisonnier dans la tourelle à l'avant. L'essentiel des restes de ces trois hommes repose dans une tombe commune du cimetière de CARTIGNY situé à 5 km au sud-ouest de ce monument.

452nd Bombardment Group (H)

45th Combat Wing, 3rd Air Division

8th Air Force, United States Army Air Force

Deopham Green, England

728th Bombardment Squadron (H)

729th Bombardment Squadron (H)

730th Bombardment Squadron (H)

731st Bombardment Squadron (H)

The 452nd Bomb Group (H) flew many missions over France during World War Two. 437 men were Killed In Action, with 4 killed while supporting air actions. Many of those Killed In Action lost their lives in France. Four men of the 729th Sq. were killed in the crash of the Lady Jeanette. The Pilot, 1st Lt. Gott, and the Co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Metzger, were awarded the United States highest military medal, the Congressional Medal of Honor. The crew memorial is in the village of Hattonville, southeast of Verdun. 1st Lt. Noble, of the 731st Sq., was executed with Pilot Officer DUBE by the Germans when captured while evading. Their memorial is on the church at Olizy, near Grand Pre, in the Ardennes.

Commemorates:

People: