Off road attached to a stone wall overlooking the sea.

A black polished marble inscribed plaque attached to a cement roadway guardrail.

On April 14, 1945, B-17 “Combined Operations” (42-37840) of the 367^th Bomber Squadron, 306^th Bomber Group, “The Reich Wreckers”, US 8^th Air Force, was flying from Thurleigh, England, (Army Air Force Base 111) was on a peaceful mission to transport military personnel on leave to Nutts Corner Airfield in Northern Ireland.  On board “Combined Operations” was a crew of five and six passengers.

The plane encountered foggy conditions and crashed on the Isle of Man just over Pearlwick Bay near Glenn Chase and The Chasms.  All personnel onboard were killed in the accident.

One of the passengers, Emily Harper Rea, 33, was responsible for setting up the Red Cross Clubs where American servicemen could relax and have a reminder of their far-away homes.

Combined Operations saw over 80 Combat Missions before this crash.

The memorial was dedicated in 2012. 

The Crew Included:

Pilot: 1st Lieutenant Robert Arthur Vieille, 23

Second Pilot: 2nd Lieutenant Collins Edward Liersch, 22

Navigator: Flight Officer Howard Edgar LeCompte Jr, 24

Engineer: Technical Sergeant Earnest Earl Gallion, 21

Radio Operator: Staff Sergeant Chester Frank Smalczewski

The Passenger sincluded:

Captain Wilber Bradley Butterfield, 24

Captain George E. Cubberly, 32

2nd Lieutenant Austin J. Parrish, 28

Master Sergeant Derrell Sevier Jones, 35

Technical Sergeant William C. Starbuck, 27

Emily Harper Rea, American Red Cross, 33

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

On the 14^th of April 1945

Boeing B-17Flying Fortress (42-37840) “COMBINED OPERATIONS”

Of the 306^th Bomb Group, 8^th Air Force,

Crashed here with the loss of all Crew and Passengers

The Crew:

Pilot: 1^st Lieutenant Robert Arthur Vielle, 23

Second Pilot: Collin Edward Liersch, 22

Navigator: Flight Officer Howard Edgar LeCompte, Jr, 24

Flight Engineer:  Technical Sergeant Earnest earl Gallion, 21

Radio Operator: Staff Sergeant Chester Frank Smalczewski, 21

The Passengers:

Captain Wilbur Bradley Butterfield, 24

Captain, George E. Cubberly, 32

2^nd Lieutenant Austin J. Parrish , 28

Master Sergeant Derrell Servier Jones, 35

Technical Sergeant William J. Starbuck, 27

Emily Harper Rea, American Red Cross, 33

--Symbols of the American Red Cross, 8^th US Air Force; 306^th Bomber Group; and an image of a  B-17--

This memorial was erected by

Rushen Parrish Commissioners

And the 
Manx Aviation Preservation Society

14^th April 2012