In the woodline in an area known locally as Jehliná.

The memorial  includes a piece of the aircraft that is inscribed along with a photo attached to a tree.  The memorial also includes an information board.  

The memorial marks the location where Sergeant Joseph Marinello, Ball Turret Gunner on the B-17 (42-97159) 'Tail End Charlie', was found with a large portion of the aircraft fuselage  on August 29, 1944 after the "Air Battle over the White Carpathians". He was later buried in the Rudice Cemetery where he is remembered today with a cenotaph.

On August 29, 2944, the 15th Air Force conducted "Mission 263",  a raid on the Moravska Ostrava industrial complex (current-day city of Ostrava). The 2nd Bomber group supported this mission flying from flying from Amendola Air Base, Foggia, Italy. as become known as the "Air Battle over the White Carpathians", nine B-17Gs from 2nd Bomber Group were attacked by 89 German fighters and 20 minutes later eight of them were shot down and crashed in Slovakia (1), Czech Republic (7) and one crash landed in Hungary.  41 US airmen lost their lives, 28 of them were buried in a mass grave in Slavicin. Four fliers evaded capture, and 55 airmen ended up in German POW camps. All the planes of the 20th Bomber Squadron were shot down that day; 1/Lt. William S. Tune, Pilot on this bomber was also the Commander of the 20th Bomber Squadron. Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR) 8763.

Sgt Joseph Marinello  along with 2LT Russell Meyrick are also remembered at the B-17 (42-97159) 'Tail End Charlie' Crew Cenotaph- Mission 2632, located at Site Rudice (Ziln)-Cemetery.

Several museums in the area also remember this battle.  See sites: Sanov; Slavicin, and Bojkovice.

Search "Mission 263" for memorials and cenotaphs associated with this event on our website.

For more information, the  see the Air Battle over the White Carpathian website at: www.leteckabitvakarpaty.cz 

Special thanks to Mission 263 - Aug 29,1944 / Letecká bitva 29.8.1944 Facebook page & group for remembering this battle and for the several memorials that remember this mission.

The text on the plaque is in Czech and reads:

SPODNÍ STELEC
BOMBARDÉRU B-17G
FLYING FORTRESS .159
TAIL END CHARLIE
29.8.1944
SGT. JOSEPH MARINELLO
15. USAAF
RUDICE - PEKOVICE
EST JEHO PAMÁTCE

The transaltion:

WAIST GUNNER
OF A B-17G BOMBER
FLYING FORTRESS NO.159
"TAIL END CHARLIE"
29.8.1944
SGT. JOSEPH MARINELLO
15th USAAF
RUDICE - PEKOVICE
HONORING HIS MEMORY