Just off a dirt road. Monument

The memorial includes a large stone about four feet high with a brass plaque attached to the front and a small information sign next to it.

On October 7, 1944, B-17 (42-31192) was flying on a bombing mission (#216) to the Politz, Poland synthetic oil plants as part of the 511^th Bomber Squadron, 351^st Bomber Group, 8^th Air Force from Station 110, Polebrook, Northamptonshire, part of a 1400 plane mission. The B-17 was piloted by 1LT Einer Peterson, who was new to this crew, but flying his 25^th mission. Enroute to the target the plane a supercharger on one engine; over the target it was hit by flak and lost two more engines.  Due to loss of fuel, Peterson decided to attempt to cross the Baltic and make an emergency landing in Sweden.  Upon reaching Sweden the land was obscured by clouds and as the plane approached an open field, they noticed farm workers picking potatoes in the path of the aircraft.  With no fuel remaining, Peterson tried to gain altitude, but stalled the plane and it crashed against a big rock.  The local populace came to the rescue, but seven of the crew were killed, five instantly and two died two days later in hospital in Karlshamn, Sweden.  Two survived the crash and after three months after internment in Sweden they were returned to England as part of Project Sonnie. (Reference Missing Aircraft Report {MACR} 9566 and the 351^st Bomber Group Association website). See this website site Alingsås, Flygmonumentet (Project Sonnie) for more on Project Sonnie.

40 planes were lost during this mission, and eight attempted to make it to Sweden.

The dead were buried in the Östra Kyrkogården (Eastern Cemetery) in Malmö, Sweden and after the war repatriated.

The crew of B-17 (42-31192) included:

Lt. Einer Peterson Pilot, 

2nd Lt Duane A. Wilson Co-Pilot, 

2nd Lt Benjamin F. Christensen Navigator, 

F/O William F. Rooney Bombardier, 

Sgt. Louis R. Candelaria Top Turret, 

Sgt. Lawrence E. Jensen Radio Operator (survived), 

Sgt. Robert W. Crawford Right Waist, 

Sgt. J. K. Blake Jnr. Ball Turret, 

Sgt. Lloyd G. Best Tail Gunner (survived). 

Special thanks to Lars Gyllenhaal, author of "200 svenska sevärdheter från andra världskriget (200 Swedish WWII Sights)” for assistance and photos of this memorial.

The text is in Swedish and reads:

HAR STORTADE

EIN FLYGANDE FASTNING

Den 7 Oct 1944

7 dog och  2 overlevde

The translation is:

Here crashed

A Flying Fortress

October 7, 1944

7 Died 2 Survived