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B-17 'Ten Horsepower' (42-31763) & Medals of Honor Memorial Hall

<< Back to Polebrook -All Saints Church

Details:

Inside the church.

Commemorative Object

The collection includes several items to include framed pictures; small wooden memorial and engraved plaques.  The

 

The items remember the B-17 B-17 'Ten Horsepower' #42-31763 of the 510th Bomber Squardron, 351st Bomber Group which crashed at the nearby Polebrook Airfield (USAAF 110) on February 20, 1944; two members of the crew were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions on that day.

A desription in the church states:

On February 20th 1944 the Flying Fortress, Ten Horsepower, was sent with the 510th Bomber Squadron on a bombing raid to Leipzig in Germany as part of the "big Week" . When the plane was attacked by German fighter aircraft, the Co-Pilot was killed instantly and the Pilot, Captain Clarence Nelson severely wounded and unconscious. 'Ten Horsepower' was spiralling out of control until the Navigator, Lt Walter Truemper, assisted by SSG Archie Mathies (born in Scotland), though unqualified to pilot a plane, took charge. Still under bombardment and with their plane crippled, they limped back to Polebrook. They refused to bail out with the other living crew members because they felt unable to leave the severely injured Captain Nelson to his fate. The Base Commander, Col. Eugene Romig, and Major Ledoux took off in another plane to try fly alongside them to try to ensure a safe landing. Several attempts proved futile. They deliberately avoided further damage to personnel and planes on the ground by heading for an open field where they ploughed into Denton Hill. Walter Truemper and Archie Mathies died instantly: Their outstanding courage is hereby recognised. Both Mathies and Truemper were honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor for their heroic efforts.

 

Source of photos: The Eighth Air Force Historical Society (official) Facebook page

Monument Text:

Small Wooden Memorial:

DEDICATED TO
LT CLARENCE NELSON
FO RONALD BARTLEY
LT JOSEPH MARTIN
LT WALTER TRUEMPER
SGT CARL MOORE
SGT JOE REX
SGT ARCHIE MATHIES
SGT RUSSELL ROBINSON
SGT THOMAS SOWELL
SGT MAGNUS HAGBO

'TEN HORSEPOWER'
20th FEBRUARY 1944

 

Engraved plaque with portrait of the two Medal of Honor Awardees:

 

Second Lietenant Walter Edward Truemper

Sergeant Archibald Mathies

 

 

Commemorates:

People:

Ronald Emerson Bartley

Magnus August Hagbo

Joseph R., Sr. Martin

Archibald Mathies

Carl Moore

Clarence R. Nelson

Joseph Franklin Rex

Russell Ray Robinson

Thomas Richard Sowell

Walter Edward Truemper

Units:

351st Bomber Group

510th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomb Group, Heavy

8th Air Force

Wars:

WWII

Other images :