B-24 'Black Cat' (42-95592) Crash Marker -Last Bomber shot down over Germany WW2
Details:
Just off the paved farm road next to a field.
MarkerA Bavarian style covered cross with an inscribed plaque and picture of the crew attached below the cross
On 21 April 1945 B-24 Liberator "Black Cat" (42-95592) of the 784th Bomber Squadron, 466th Bomber Group, 8th Air Force, and is considered the last heavy bomber to be shot down over Germany in WW2.
On 21 April 1945, B-24 bombers from the 8th US Air Force to include the 466th Bombardment Group departed from their air force bases in Norfolk, England to bomb a railway bridge in Salzburg, Austria. Within the formation, "Black Cat" led the third squadron. However once the target was reached four hours later, the mission had to be abandoned due to the heavy cloud and thunderstorms covering the area. The lead aircraft flew a return course over Regensburg. At 20,000 feet above Regensburg, the formation received eight bursts of flak. Black Cat was the only casualty. It was struck by a shell on the left wing causing the aircraft to crash. Ten of the crew were killed including the pilot, Richard Farrington.
The crew Killed in Action included:
1LT Richard J Farrington, O-713376, MO, Pilot
1LT John A Regan, O-828526. NY, Co-Pilot
Capt Louis C Wieser, O-025959, IN, Commander
1LT John C Murphy, O-768886, PA, Mickey Operator
1LT George E Noe, O-739110, MI, Navigator
2LT John Perella Jr., O2064309, IL, Navigator
TSGT Jerome Barrett, 12157563, NY, Flight Engineer
SSGT John C Brennan, 12206828, NJ, Waist Gunner
TSGT Howard G Goodner, 34726638, TN, Radio Operator
SSGT Robert E Peterson, 16054935, IL, Waist Gunner
Two crew members survived and became POWs and were liberated after a few weeks:
2LT Christ D. Manners, Bombadier
SSGT Albert Seraydarian, Tail Gunner
A 1996 book, "Wings of Morning" by Thomas Childers tells the story of "Black Cat".
A 2005 United States Postal Service Postage Stamp Honors the B-24 Liberator "Black Cat'.
Sources:
https://americanarchive.iwm.org.uk
Find aGrave
Monument Text:
The text on the plaque reads:
IN MEMORIAL OF
21. April 1945
466 BG 8 USAAF
Terry Barrett-Grorge Noe
Jack Brennan-John Perella
Richard Farrington-Bob Peterson
Howard Goodner - Jack Regan
Jack Murply - John C. Wieser
zum Greden
aller Kriegeonfer
(In memory of all the victims of the war)






