On the south side of the Basilica of the Holy Cross (SS. Crocifisso). Monument

A marble monument with a red border and a plaque attached to the rear side; the monument is about 9 feet high.

The monument remembers Captain Herman Everhart the pilot of B-25 “Spider’s Frolic Pad, (43-27737) who was killed by the enemy just feet above the ground while parachuting out of his stricken aircraft.  (Everhart was on his 60^th Mission)

On March 21, 1945, B-25 (43-27737) “Spider’s Frolic Pad” Tail #42 was on a mission to bomb a railroad bridge at Campo di Trues, near the Brenner Pass.  The plane was part of the 446th Bomber Squadron, 321^st Bomber Group, 57^th Bomber Wing, of the 12^th Air Force.  Departing Solenzara, Corsica, the plane was part of a 15-plane mission to bomb this heavily defended site Brenner Pass site.  After dropping its bombs, the plane was hit by flak and lost an engine.  The Pilot, Captain Herman Everhart, who was on his 60^th mission, attempted to fly the plane to find a site to make an emergency landing.  Over Switzerland, near the Italian border by Lake Lugano, Everhart directed the crew to bail out.  The crew bailed out; four safely landed and were interned by the Swiss Government.  The Co-Pilot, Flight Officer Charles Callaway’s parachute didn’t open and he died upon impact on Monte Gheggio near Curio, Switzerland (A memorial remembers Callaway in Curio).  Everhart bailed out last and while coming down was shot by the enemy on the ground and killed.  Observers of the incident on both sides of the border yelled at the enemy for murdering the pilot.   A memorial remembers Captain Everhart located on the side of the Basilica SS Croficio (Holy Cross) in Lavena Ponte Tresa.  (Reference Missing Aircraft Report {MACR}: 13203.

The crew included:

Pilot: Everhart, Herman E., Captain – KIA

 Co-Pilot:  Callaway, Charles R., F/O - KIA

Bombardier:  Falk, Jack G., 2Lt - Interned in Switzerland

Engineer: Scheetz, Elvin N., Sgt - Interned in Switzerland

Radio Operator:  Wilkins, Keith Albert, Sgt - Interned in Switzerland

Gunner:  Springer, Walter H., S/Sgt - Interned in Switzerland

See Site Curio- Monte Gheggio for more on the Callawy memorial, just across the border in Switzerland.

Special thanks for the B-17 Museum in Utzenstrorf, Switzerland for the photos of this memorial and for information concerning this crash.  For more on the B-17 Museum Utzenstorf, see the museum website at https://www.b17museum.ch

The text on the monument is written in Italian and reads:

Cap. Herman Everhart

caduto il 21 Marzo 1945

a 32 anni

... il cielo lo accolse fiaccola di liberta’

un Paese lo fece suo figlio

The translation is:

CAPTAIN HERMAN EVERHART

FELL ON MARCH 21, 1945

32 YEARS OLD

HEAVEN WELCOMED HIM FOR CARRYING 

THE TORCH OF LIBERTY FOR OUR COUNTRY

The text on the plaque is written in Italian and reads:

-Photo of Everhart-

21.3.1945

QUI COLPITI DALL’ ODIO

NEMICO LUNGI DALLA

A MIGLIA E DELLA PATRIA

CADE IL CAPITANO 

HERMAN EVERHART

DI 32 ANNI

IMMOLANDO LA SUA

FIORENTE GIOVENIZZA

The translation is:

 KILLED HERE BY THE HATRED OF THE ENEMY,

MILES FORM HIS COUNTRY

CAPTAIN HERMAN EVERHART FELL

32 YEARS OLD

SACRIFICING HIS YOUTH