Ammunition Explosion (1 March 1945) -464/465 Bomber Groups
Details:
In the center of the town square.
PlaqueA white marble plaque attached to the front of a boulder.
The memorial remembers the 30 victims of a catastrophic accidental ammunition explosion occurred at the 464th Bomb Group Depot near the Pantanella Airfield located in Loconia, a hamlet of Canosa di Puglia, Italy. Nine local Italians and 23 American support personnel of the 517th Air Service Group. that supported the 464th and 465th Bomber Groups, were killed in the accident.
Sources:
https://the464th.org
https://www.assoaeronautica.it/post/a-a-a-aviatori-d-italia-canosa-di-puglia-bt-commemora-le-vittime-dell-esplosione-di-pantanella
Monument Text:
The text on the plaque is inscribed in Italian:
A PERENNE RICORDO
DELLE VITTIME DEL LAVORO del 1 marzo 1945 presso
L'AEROPORTO DI PANTANELLA
BASE DEL 464° e 465°
SQUADRON BOMBARDIERI
DEL 55° WING
Loconia, 12 Gugno 2023
Translation:
IN LASTING MEMORY
OF THE WORKPLACE FATALITIES OF MARCH 1, 1945, AT
PANTANELLA AIRFIELD
BASE OF THE 464TH AND 465TH
BOMBER SQUADRONS**
OF THE 55TH WING
Loconia June 12, 2023
Note: ** 464th and 465th Bomber Groups



