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447th Bomb Group Memorial

<< Back to Wissous Arthur Clark Park

Details:

The Memorial stands in Arthur Clark Park, which is also dedicated to the memory of 2nd Lt. Arthur Clark, Co-Pilot of the B-17 Bomber.

Monument
On February 6, 1944, while returning to base, the G-K 231145 E "Hi-Jinx" took Flak over Wissous, France, killing Pilot Lt Allen S. Reed and Navigator 2nd Lt James Campbell. Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Clark ordered the rest of the crew to bail out, then guided the damaged bomber into a field to avoid crashing directly into the town of Wissous. 2nd Lt Clark was killed in the crash, and another crew member, 2nd Lt. Thomas Wilkins, was shot by German soldiers while parachuting to the ground. The remaining crew members were captured.

The memorial plaque is dedicated to the crew of the bomber, and each of the four pillars holding up the plaque is dedicated to one of the soldiers killed in action. The Park itself is dedicated to 2nd Lt Arthur Clark for his heroic actions protecting the people of Wissous.

Monument Text:

On

Sunday 6 February 1944
at 11:30 hours
this site was the
point of crash-landing
of the B-17 Bomber
G-K 231145 E, of the
447th Bombardment Group
of the U.S. Air Force
the crew did everything
possible to avoid
Wissous
four members of the crew
lost their lives in the action