Monument Details

B-24 (44-41017) Crash Memorial (Tyrol Air Battle)-465th Bomber Group

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Details:

On a rockface adjacent to the trail under the hohe Munde Massif, near a park bench.

Plaque

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A metal inscribed plaque attached to a rockface.

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The memorial remembers the crew of B-24 (44-41017), 782nd Bomber Squadron, 465th Bomber Group, 15th Air Force that was shot down here on August 3, 1944. Two of the crew were KIA; the rest taken as POWS. �One, S/SGT Arthur Reents was saved by the Alpine Patrol on the mountain top of Hochwand after 4 days. This B-24 was one of eight shot down that day over the skies of Tyrol, Austria. Thirty crewmen were KIA and the rest taken POW of the eight crews.

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On August 3, 1944 planes of the 15th US Air Force were returning from a bombing mission to Friedrichshafen when engaged in heavy combat over the Tyrol with eight B-24 bombers being shot down in the area.�

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The planes of the 465th Bomber Group that crashed that day and their location included:
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Lermoos: �B-24 (42-78322), 782nd Bomber Squadron, 10 KIA
Brendlkar: B-24 (42-52498) "Sugar Baby", 780th Bomber Squadron, 2 KIA
Wampeter: B-24 (44-41011), 'Fast Number', 782nd Bomber Squadron, 5 KIA
Biberwier: B-24 (42-78308), 780th Bomber Squadron, 4 KIA
Hohe Munde: B-24 (44-41017), 782nd Bomber Squadron, 2 KIA
Beim Wasser: B-24 (42-95284), 782nd Bomber Squadron, 7 KIA

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Other plane crash sites include:� Sites Brendlkar, Lermoos, Ehrwald-Panoramaweg & Biberweir -Wampeter Schrofen also have memorials remembering crews.

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A memorial located in Erhwald, Austria remembers all of the KIA that day.�See Site Erwald, Tyrol Air Battle (Aug 1944) Monument.

Monument Text:

IN MEMORIAM

Am 3. August 1944 wurden acht schwere Bomber der
15. US-Luftwaffe, gestartet von der Airbase Pantanella, S�ditalien, von J�ger der Deutschen Luftweffe im
Gebiet �ber dem Fernpa� abgeschossen. Einer dissei
Bomber, ein B-24 Liberator von der 465 Bomber-gruppe/782 Staffel zerschellte an der gegen�her-liegenden Fe'swand der Hohe Munde"
Von den insgesam! 79 Besatzungsmitglieder dieser
acht US-Flugzeuge haben 30 junge Manner an diesem
Tag ihr Leben verloren.

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Crew of the Hohe Munde" crash Serial Nr. 44-41917
Die Besatzung des hier abgest�rzten Flunzeugs bestand aust

Pilot
1stLT. Theodore G. POOLE -Killed in Action / gefallen

Co-Pilot
2'nd Lt Bernard L. LOWENTHAL.-POW Igefangen genominen

Bombardier 2" Lt. Benjamin P. BENSON Jr. -Pow I gefangen genommer

Engineer
T/Sgt. Conard D. CROSTON-�POW / gefangen gonornien

Radio-Op.
S/SGT �Weldon D. SQUYRES -POW / gelangen genowner.

Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert W. SALMON -POW / gefangen genomen

Gunner
S/Sgt Arthur F. REENTS -POW I gelangen genomen

Gunner
S/Sgt. OScar C. ROGERS -POW I getangen

RearGunner�

T/Sgt. Albert S. HILL -Killed in Action / gefallen

S/Sgt Reents wurde erst 4 Tage spater von der
Leutascher Bergrettung von der
Hochwand gereilet

S/Sgt Reents was reccued four days later by the Leutasch Mountain Rescue
Team from the top of the Hochwand"

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IN COMMEMORATION
August 3� 1944 eight B24 Liberator Heavy

August 3i0 1944 eight B24 Liberator Heavy Bombers or the 15" USAAF, based at Pantanella in southern aly, were shot down by fighters of the German Air Force over. the area of the Fernpa�, one of which crashed on the horth side rocky cliffs of the Hohe Munde". This 524 was from the 465 Bomber Group, 782 Bomber Squadron From these eight aircraft, crewed by 79 airmen, 30 lost their lives on this day.

Commemorates:

People:

Albert Stanley Hill

Theodore G. Poole

Units:

15th Air Force

465th Bomber Group (H)

782nd Bomber Squadron, 465th Bomber Group

Wars:

WWII

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