Monument Details

B-17 (42-29792) Crash Memorial

<< Back to Saint-Nazaire -College Lycee St. Louis

View larger image

Details:

On the west side of the road.

�

Monument

�

A rough-hewn vertical stone set on a base holds a black plaque with gold lettering listing the crew members, honoring the American aviators. A smaller plaque at the base acknowledges the donors. The monument commemorates the B-17 (serial 42-29792) that crashed at this site on May 29, 1943.

�

On May 29, 1943, a B-17F Flying Fortress #42-29792 of the 305th Bomb Group, 366th Bomb Squadron, 8th Air Force departed from Station 105 at Chelveston, Northamptonshire, England. Its mission was to bomb the German submarine base at Saint-Nazaire, a heavily defended target on the French Atlantic coast. As the formation neared the city, the aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire, suffering a direct hit that caused it to explode and crash near the Parc du 19 mars 1962 in Saint-Nazaire. Of the ten crew members on board, only one survived and was later captured and held as a prisoner of war.

Source of information: francecrashes39-45.net

Monument Text:

8th US Air Force
305th BOMBARDMENT GROUP
366th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON

EN SOUVENIR DES VICTIMES DU CRASH
DU B-17F N42-29792
LE 29 MAI 1943

Lt James C. PERRY	Pilote
Lt Robert S. RODDY	Co-Pilote
Lt Herbert P. KORENKO	Navigateur
Lt Russell B. ROSE	Bombardier
Sgt Charles L. FUTCH	M�canicien
Sgt Harold R. PERRY Jr.	Radio
Sgt John R. GEMMEL	Mitrailleur
Sgt Michael MACINSKY	Mitrailleur
Sgt Ralph A. VITELLO	Mitrailleur

INAUGURE PAR RAYMOND H. ALLABY
MITRAILLEUR, SEUL RESCAPE
LE 25 OCTOBRE 1997

English translation:

In memory of the victims of the B-17 N42-29792 crash on May 29th 1943.

Lt James C. Perry - Pilot
Lt Robert S. Roddy - Co-Pilot
Lt Herbert P. Korenko - Navigator
Lt Russell B. Rose - Bombardier
Sgt Charles L. Futch - Mechanic
Sgt Harold R. Perry Jr. - Radio
Sgt John R. Gemmel - Gunner
Sgt Michael Macinsky - �Gunner
Sgt Ralph A. Vitello - Gunner

Inaugurated by Raymond H. Allaby, gunner and sole survivor, on October 25th 1997.

Small plaque below:

STELE OFFERTE PAR

LE SOUVENIR FRANCAIS

English translation:

STELE DONATED BY

LE SOUVENIR FRANCAIS

Commemorates:

People:

Charles Leslie Futch

John Robert Gemmel

Herbert Paul �Herb� Korenko