B-17 42-29895 'The Black Swan' Plaque
Details:
At about 200 yards behind the granite memorial.
A large wooden plaque inscribed in French in incised lettering. The plaque is affixed on two wooden poles with a roof. This memorial marks the point of impact of the B-17 42-29895 'The Black Swan' crash. Inside the plane were 2Lt Mendelsohn (pilot) and TSgt Hensley who crashed with the plane. 2Lt Mendelsohn was killed in the air combat while TSgt Hensley was seriously injured and was unable to bail out.
On December 31, 1943, B-17 #42-29895 was shot down by flak and enemy fighters during a mission between Bordeaux and Cognac area in France. 2Lt Mendelsohn (pilot) and TSgt Hensley were Killed in Action while the other eight members were able to bail out but six of them were taken as prisoners.
*The crew members of The Black Swan were:
|
2Lt |
Stuart B |
Mendelsohn |
Pilot |
KIA |
|
2Lt |
Laverne Ellie |
Woods |
CoPilot |
Prisoner |
|
2Lt |
Warren L |
Ellis |
Navigator |
Prisoner |
|
2Lt |
James A |
Schneider |
Bombardier |
- |
|
T/Sgt |
Richard George |
Hensley |
Mechanic |
KIA |
|
T/Sgt |
James Nicholas "Jimmy" |
Quinn |
Radio Operator |
- |
|
S/Sgt |
Larry C |
Hull |
Assitant Radio Operator |
Prisoner |
|
S/Sgt |
Porter Dudley |
Clemens |
Ball Turret Gunner |
Prisoner |
|
S/Sgt |
Abraham Roke |
Lieberman |
Left Waist Gunner |
Prisoner |
|
S/Sgt |
Rollin E |
Gater |
Right Waist Gunner |
Prisoner |
This crew list was taken from francecrashes39-45.net. According to this data, TSgt Hensley was the crew’s mechanic while on the plaque, he was a gunner. Another source says he was a radio operator.
The inscribed last digit of the plane’s serial number on the plaque is incorrect. It should be 5, not 3.
Source of photos: www.aerosteles.net
Monument Text:
|
LE 31 DÉCEMBRE 1943 UN BOMBARDIER B-17F DE LA 8-TH U. S. ARMY AIR FORCE, 91-ST BOMB GROUP "H", 324-TH SQUADRON ATTAQUÉ PAR LA CHASSE ENNEMIE S'ÉCRASAIT EN CET ENDROIT.
LE LT STUART B MENDELSOHN, COPILOTE ET LE T/SGT. RICHARD G HENSLEY, MITRAILLEUR PÉRIRENT DURANT CE COMBAT.
«THE BLACK SWAN» CODE DF-H
SERIAL NUMBER : 42-29893.
|
English translation:
|
ON DECEMBER 31, 1943, A B-17F BOMBER OF THE 8TH U. S. ARMY AIR FORCE, 91ST BOMB GROUP "H", 324TH SQUADRON, ATTACKED BY THE BY ENEMY FIGHTERS CRASHED AT THIS LOCATION.
LT STUART B MENDELSOHN, CO-PILOT AND T/SGT. RICHARD G HENSLEY, GUNNER PERISHED IN THIS COMBAT.
«THE BLACK SWAN» CODE DF-H
SERIAL NUMBER : 42-29893.
|
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
324th Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, Heavy
8th Air Force
US Army Air Corps
Wars:
WWII
Other images :
