Near the door of the chapel.

Plaque

A rectangular white plaque written in French in black lettering commemorating 2Lt  Pavlovsky. On July 14, 1944, during the German occupation, 28 American bomber planes departed from the English military base in Andover to carry out a mission in France. Among them, 6 bombers were tasked with destroying the Besnault viaduct in the Manse Valley, where the communes of Sainte-Maure, Noyant, and Saint-Epain meet. This viaduct, which spans the valley, supports the railway line connecting Paris to Bordeaux and was a critical target to hinder the advance of enemy troops. During the mission, pilot William L. Pavlovsky was struck by German anti-aircraft fire and was unable to open his parachute, leading to his immediate death near Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine. After the war, the American army exhumed his remains and reburied him alongside his comrades in Normandy, at the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.

Source of information: www.lanouvellerepublique.fr, www.francebleu.fr

Source of photo: www.francebleu.fr

A LA MEMOIRE

du sos-lieutenant William L. Pavlovsky.

Pilote de l'US Air Force.

Mort au champ d'honneur.

Pour la liberation de la France le 14 juillet 1944

sur notre commune

Les habitants de Sainte-Maure-de-Toraine

ne l'oublient pas.

English Translation:

IN MEMORY 

of Second Lieutenant William L. Pavlovsky 

US Air Force Pilot. 

Died on the field of honor.

 For the liberation of France on July 14, 1944, in our town 

The people of Sainte-Maure-de-Toraine 

will not forget him.