Monument Details

B-17 (42-3235) 'Lakanuki' Crash Memorial

Details:

At the intersection of the D4 and the D79.

Monument
A gray vertical stone slab fenced in with bomber parts and flanked by stone wings bearing an inscription and a plaque at its feet commemorating US aviators who crashed in the area during WWII.

B-17 42-3235 “Lakanuki”, of the 545th Bomber Squadron, 384th Bomb Group, took off from station 106 in Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over LeMans. They were shot down by a German Fw190-A5 piloted by Uffz Wolfgang Ortlepp of the JG2/Stab at 28000 feet. The crew perished except for the Tail Gunner. Sgt Butcher bailed out semi-conscious and came to in midair. He landed in a wheat field where three Resistance members of the Buckmaster cell took him in and sent him back to the UK through the Francoise pipeline.

Monument Text:

Monument inscription:

A LA MÉMOIRE

DES AVIATEURS AMÉRICAINS

TOMBÉS A POILLÉ (SARTHE)

LE 4 JUILLET 1943

POUR LA LIBERATION DE LA FRANCE

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