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Dibble- Marker P38 (42-13411) Crash Site

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Details:

The marker is on the roadside about 3 meters from the road edge.  In spring and summer, it could be covered by weeds and tall grass.  Marker is about 50 meters from a large white electrical transformer station.

Marker

 

The monument (or marker) is a vertical concrete slab (about 8 ft tall) in the shape of a flame with a bronze plaque attached to it with a small flower vase at its base.  There is also a small Plexiglas box with some personal items at the bottom of the marker that was added in 2017.

 

The Monument was placed in this location on May 6, 2000 marking the spot where 1stLieutenant Dibble was killed after being shot down in his P-38 (42- 13411) Aircraft on September 9, 1943 (Supporting Operation Avalanche).  It is located on the public easement of the roadside.



Monument Text:

Text on Bronze Plaque:

 

1stLieutenant James P. Dibble

94thFighter Squadron

1stFighter Group

12thUnited States Air Force

 

Nov. 03, 1921- Sept. 09, 1943

 

(Text written first in Italian then below in English.)

 

Text in English on bronze plaque: 

 

ON SEPT 9, 1943 LIEUTENANT JAMES P DIBBLE CRASHED HERE WITH HIS AIRCRAFT WHILE LEADING A SQUADRON OF 12 P-38 AIRPLANES.  HE WAS STILL ALIVE AND WOUNDED WHEN BARBARIOUSLY KILLED BY THE GERMAN SOLDIERS.

 

THE FAMILY AND ALL PADULA REMEMBER HIM, AND HIS MEMORY, HONOR THE COURAGE AND SACRAFICE OF HIS YOUNG LIFE.

 

 

The Plexiglas box at the base of the monument contains a metal shard and a red and blue cross with a written explanation in Italian only.

 

The Italian note reads:

 

1stJAMES P. DIBBLE

FRAMMENTO ORIGINALE DELL’ AREO

RITROVATI IL 1/10/2017 DAI NIPOTE DEL

CORAGGIOSO ED EROICO TENTENTE

PILOTA STATUNITENSE

 

ALTRI FRAMMENTI SONO STATI PORTATI 

IN AMERICA DAI NIPOTI

 

 

Translated into English:

1STJAMES P. DIBBLE

Original fragment of airplane found on 1 October 2017 by grandchildren (and/or nephews) of the courageous and heroic American Lieutenant Pilot

 

Other fragments were taken home to America by his grandchildren (nephews).

Commemorates:

People:

James P. Dibble

Units:

15th Air Force

94th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group

Wars:

WWII

Battles:

Italian Campaign

Operation Avalanche

Other images :