A-20 Havoc (43-9616) Crash Memorial
Details:
On the side of a building along the road about 8 feet above the ground. Plaque
A inscribed marble plaque fixed to a wall.
The plaque remembers the A-20 'Havoc' (43-9616) that was shot down here in March 1945.
The crew of the A-20 included:
Pilot 1st Lt. Robert V. Smith
Gunner S/Sgt. Louis J. Kocsis
Gunner S/Sgt. Peter W. Sellman
They served with 85th Bomber Squadron, 47th Bomber Group (Light), 57th Bomber Wing of the 12th US Air Force. On March 18, 1945 flying from Grossetto, Italy on a night intruder mission, the A-20 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from Gheddi Air Base. The plane crashed near Castenedolo, in the Ginevra neighborhood close to Brescia, Italy. (Reference: MACR# 12982)
All three crew members are buried in the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial near Florence, Italy.
The plaque was dedicated in April 2023.
Thanks to Air Crash Po (Cremona, Italy) for assistance in identifying this crash site and placing this plaque.
Monument Text:
The plaque is inscribed in Italian and reads:
IL 18 MARZO 1945 NEI PRESSI QUESTE ABITAZIONE IL
BIMOTORE DELL AVIAZIONE AMERICANA A-20G-30-DO
VINIVA ABBATUTTO DELLA CONTRAERIA
TEDESCA DI GHEDDI A SI SCHIANTAVA IN UN CAMPO POCO DISTANTE
CON IL LORO SACRIFICIO GLI AVIATORI
ROBERT V SMITH
LOUIS J. KOCSIS
PETER W. SELLMANN
SALVARONO LA FRAZIONE DI GINEVRA
E LA LIBERTA DELL' ITALIA
L'ASSOCIAZIONE CARMAGNOLA DI CASTENDOLO
E L' ASSOCIAZIONE AIRCRASH PO
POSERO
25 APRILE 2023
The Translation:
On March 18, 1945 near these houses,
the dual engine American Plane A-20G-30-DO
was hot down by German Anti-Aicraft fire coming
from Gheddi Base and crashed in a field nearby
With the sacrifice of the Aviators
ROBERT V SMITH
LOUIS J. KOCSIS
PETER W. SELLMANN
They saved the Ginerva neighborhood
and the liberty of Italy
The Association Carmagnola of Castendolo
and the Association Aircrash Po
Remember
25 April 2023
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
12th Air Force
47th Bomber Group (Light)
57th Bomber Wing
85th Bomber Squadron, 47th Bomber Group
Wars:
WWII
Other images :
