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B-17 “Treble Four” (44-8444), BG Frederick Castle (MOH), Crash Site Memorial

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Details:

Just outside the village in a roadside pull-off.



Monument

A chiseled stone about 6 feet high along with an information board.

 

On December 24, 1944 the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. B-17 “Treble Four” (44-8444) was chosen as lead for the 487th Bomb Group, which led the entire 8th Air Force that day. 

  

The crew roster on that day:

 

B-17G Treble Four” (44-8444 )– 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, 4th Bomber Wing, 8th Air force:

 

Harriman, Robert W – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA

Castle, Frederick W – Brig Gen – Air Leader/Copilot – KIA

MacArty, Henry D – 1/Lt – Navigator – Bailed out; survived

Auer, Edmund F – Capt – Pilotage Navigator –Bailed out; Survived

Biri, Paul L – 1/Lt – Bombardier – Bailed out; survived

Procopio, Bruno S – 1/Lt – Radar Operator – Bailed out; died form wounds next day Rowe Jr, Claude L – 1/Lt – Off. Tail Gunner – Bailed out; died from wounds next day 

Hudson, Lowell B – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – Bailed out; survived

Jeffers, Quentin W – T/Sgt – Engineer Gunner – Bailed out; survived

Swain, Lawrence H – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – Bailed out; found dead

 

Brigadier General Frederick W. Castle, Commanding Officer of the 4th Bomb Wing, flew as air leader with Harriman's crew in the copilot's position. Copilot Lt Rowe moved to the tail gunner's position as Officer Tail Gunner and formation observer, as was the custom. The 487th Bomb Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters before reaching the target. BG Castle refused to dump their bombs afraid it might injure friendly troops below.  He directed the crew to bail out while he and Pilot Harriman flew the aircraft and subsequently shot down by enemy aircraft. Five of the crew died; five survived.  A memorial to the plane is located near the crash site near Tinlot, Belgium in the province of Liege. (Reference Missing Aircraft Report {MACR} 11552).

 

 

Brig Gen Frederick W Castle, wing commander, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for action on 24 Dec 1944 when he kept a burning B-17 from crashing until other members of the crew had parachuted to safety. 

 

Monument Text:

The text is written in French and reads:

 

-Symbol of the 8th  Air Force and 487th BG chiseled in the stone above the text-

 

EN HOMMAGE AUX

AVIATEURS AMERICAINS

ABUTTUS DENS LE CIEL

DE FRAITURE LE

12.24.1944

 

The translation is:

 

IN HONOR OF

THE AMERICAN AVIATORS

SHOT DOWN IN THE 

SKIES ABOVE FRAITURE

DECEMBER 24, 1944

Commemorates:

People:

Edmund Frank “Misch”  Auer

Paul Louis  Biri

Frederick Walker Castle

Robert Winfred “Bob” Harriman

Lowell Blaze  Hudson

Quentin W.  Jeffers

Henry Davis  MacArty

Bruno Salvatore Procopio

Claude Linwell, Jr. Rowe

Lawrence Harvey Swain

Units:

487th Bomber Group, Heavy

4th Bomber Wing, 8th Air Force

836th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy

8th Air Force

Wars:

WWII

Battles:

Battle of the Bulge

Other images :