At the intersection.

A large black marble tablet with two-step base, inscribed in English text with gold lettering on the front and back. Printed on the center on the front of the tablet is a B-17 bomber image followed by the commemoration message. A small rectangular plaque is attached on the base of the monument which contains the dedication message. Printed on the back of the monument are the 457^th’s associated units and a very short history and achievements of the group. Another small rectangular is also attached on the base.

Glatton Airfield was built mostly in the parish of Conington, Huntingdonshire by the United States Army 809th Engineer Battalion (Aviation) starting in the fall of 1942 and throughout 1943. It was built on farmland owned by the Rose Court Farm, which remained a working farm inside the airfield's three runways that surrounded the buildings of the farm during the war. When completed in late 1943, the facility was placed under the jurisdiction of the Eighth Air Force, United States Army Air Forces. Glatton was assigned USAAF designation Station 130.

The airfield was first used by the 457th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arriving from Wendover AAF, Utah on 21 January 1944. The 457th was assigned to the 94th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Bombardment Division. Its tail code was Triangle U.

The 457th Bomb Group consisted of the following operational squadrons flying Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses :

• 748th Bombardment Squadron (Red propeller hubs)
• 749th Bombardment Squadron (Blue propeller hubs)
• 750th Bombardment Squadron (White propeller hubs)
• 751st Bombardment Squadron (Yellow propeller hubs)

The 457th Bomb Group flew its first combat mission on 21 February 1944 during Big Week, taking part in the concentrated attacks of heavy bombers on the German aircraft industry. Until June 1944, the Group engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets, such as ball-bearing plants, aircraft factories, and oil refineries in Germany and Occupied Europe.

The Group bombed targets in Occupied France during the first week of June 1944 in preparation for the Normandy invasion, and attacked coastal defenses along the Cherbourg peninsula on D-Day in support of airborne forces who had landed on the peninsula. It struck airfields, railroads, fuel depots, and other interdictory targets behind the invasion beaches throughout the remainder of the month.

Beginning in July 1944, the 457th resumed bombardment of strategic objectives and engaged chiefly in such operations until April 1945. Sometimes flew support and interdictory missions, aiding the advance of ground forces during the Saint-Lô breakthrough in July 1944 and the landing of British 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem during the airborne attack on the Netherlands in September 1944; and participating in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 - January 1945, and the assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The Group flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945. The unit had carried out 237 missions. Total number of sorties was 7,086 with nearly 17,000 tons of bombs and 142 tons of leaflets being dropped.

After V-E Day, the 457th transported prisoners of war from Austria to France, and returned to Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota during June 1945 and was inactivated on 18 August 1945.

Source of information: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, https://en.wikipedia.org

Source of images: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register

On the front:

WE WHO HAVE SURVIVED DEDICATE

THIS MONUMENT TO OUR FELLOW

AIRMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES

IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM

Plaque below:

THIS GLATTON MEMORIAL MONUMENT WAS DEDICATED ON

SUNDAY 30^TH MAY 2004 IN THE PRESENCE OF VETERANS,

FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF THE 457^TH BOMB GROUP

On the back:

457^th BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)

(-Triangle U-)

237 COMBAT MISSIONS WERE FLOWN

FROM THIS FIELD OVER ENEMY

OCCUPIED EUROPE BETWEEN

FEBRUARY 21, 1944 AND APRIL 20, 1945

16,915 TONS OF BOMBS WERE DROPPED

WITH A LOSS OF 86 B-17s AND 739 AIRMEN

KILLED, MISSING OR PRISONERS OF WAR

Plaque below:

IN MEMORY OF

RAY POBGEE MBE DL

PETERBOROUGH

HIS DEDICATION, BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM AND TIRELESS EFFORTS

ENABLED THE 457^TH BOMB GROUP ASSOCIATION TO PLACE THIS

GLATTON MEMORIAL MONUMENT