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McAllister Memorial Marker

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Details:

The marker is attached to a roadside religious memorial alongside 2 other plaques.

Marker

The marker is an inscribed white marble piece about 18” by 24”.

 

The marker on Contrada Facchini Destra marks the location of where 1st Lieutenant Lee A. McAllister Jr. was executed on January 9, 1945 for cooperating with the local partisans. 1LT McAllister was a B-26 Pilot of the 428th Bomber Squadron, 310th Bomber Group, 57th Bomber Wing. 

 

Per Missing Aircraft Report (MACR) 10777, on December 10, 1944, McAllister flying a B-26, Donna Marie II (44-28937) participated on a 22-plane raid taking of from Ghisoanccia, Corsica to bomb the Dolce Railroad yard (Province of Verona).  Donna Marie II was one 6 planes flying to ahead of the main formation to suppress anti-aircraft fire.  Donna Marie was hit by flak and McAllister struggled to control the smoke-filled plane so his crew could bail out.  All crew members safely exited the aircraft before it crashed just south of Recoaro Terme - where Kesselring's Army Group C Headquarters was located.  McAllister would be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts.  

 

1LT McAllister, injured during his fall, and disabled due to smoke inhalation, was rescued by Italian Partisans of the "Stella" Brigade. Carrying the injured pilot on a makeshift sled, the Partisans moved McAllister to safety with a local Italian family. The rest of his crew was captured or immediately or over the course of the next few days.  The Partisans eventually attempted to assist McAllister and other to escape via Switzerland. Early in this escape attempt, the Germans spotted McAllister, who was wearing civilian clothes, and imprisoned him considering him a "bandit". Several days later, on January 9, 1944, McAllister was shot as a partisan at the spot where the marker is located.

 

 

Crew of Donna Marie II: 

 

1st Lt.  Lee Anthony McAllister, Pilot Jr., O-759282, Salem, Oregon

2nd Lt. Derril C. McMorris, Co-Pilot, O-775709, Charleston, Illinois

Capt. Jerry N. Baraniuk, Bombardier, O-733130, Babylon, New York

T/Sgt. Robert J. Baccus, Radio-gunner, 18226375, Huntsville, Texas

S/Sgt. Leonard G. Raple, Tail gunner, 36817821, Antigo, Wisconsin

S/Sgt. Everett C. Thompson, Turret gunner, 18140011, Shreveport, Louisiana

Special thanks to the Associazione Aeri Perduti for their assistance with this memorial.

Monument Text:

The text on the marker is written in Italian and in English.

 

The English Version reads:

 

In Memory of (In Ricordo di)

 

LEE ANTHONY Mc ALLISTER Jr.

1920-1944

 

1st LT. USAAF PILOT

310TH BOMBER GROUP

 

RESCUED BY THE PARTISANDS OF THE “STELLE” BRIGADE

DECEMBER 10, 1944

 

KILLED AS A PARTISAN BY THE GERMAN SOLDIERS

JANUARY 9, 1945



Translated:  The community remembers

25 April 2001

 

Note:  The date of death on the marker reads at the top 1944.  This is incorrect and should be 1945, as written at the bottom.

 

Commemorates:

People:

Lee Anthony Jr.  McAllister

Units:

12th Air Force

310th Bomb Group

428th Bomber Squadron, 310th Bomber Group

57th Bomber Wing

US Army Air Corps

Wars:

WWII

Battles:

Italian Campaign

Other images :