94th Bomb Group Aviators Monument
Details:
In front of the town hall.
A rough-hewn stone monument bearing a relief on the top followed by an engraved French inscription and then a black plaque on which the commemoration message for the four aviators of the 94th BG is inscribed. The plaque is also written in French, in incised and yellow lettering.
For Stubblefield, Monson, and Coleman:
On January 5, 1944, the crew was on a bombing mission with 112 other bombers to a German airfield at Merignac, France. After completing the mission, their aircraft was attacked by German Focke-Wulf 190s. This resulted in the deaths of three crew members. The others were able to bail out and survived.
B-17 #42-31212 crew:
Pilot - 1st Lt. Glen B. Johnson
Co-Pilot - 2nd Lt. Ralph K. Patton
Navigator - 2nd Lt. Milton L. Church Jr
Bombardier - 2nd Lt. Jack Mc Gough
Radio Op - T/Sgt. Kenneth O. Blye
Ball Turret - S/Sgt. James L. Stubblefield (KIA)
Engineer/Top Turret - T/Sgt. Ralph Hall
Tail Gunner - S/Sgt. Carlton V. Coleman (KIA)
Right Waist Gunner/Asst. Engineer - S/Sgt. Isadore C. Viola
Left Waist Gunner - S/Sgt. William A. Monson (KIA)
For Thompson:
Also commemorated on the plaque is Arlie Le Roy Thompson who was a crew member on the B-17 #42-30200 ‘Slo Time Sally,’ assigned to the 410th BS. His crew was also on the same mission as the above crew that day. Their plane was also shot down by enemy fighters but all of them were able to bail out. Sgt Thompson was seriously injured in the abdomen during the attack, was helped to jump from the plane, but was dead on arrival on the ground (possibly parachute not opened). All the remaining members survived, but two of them were taken as prisoners.
B-17 # 42-30200 ‘Slo Time Sally’ crew:
2Lt Raymond John Born - Pilot
F/O Harold J Erickson - Co-Pilot
2Lt Ernest H Hugonnet - Bombardier
2Lt Norman R King - Navigator
Sgt Harold Otis Gilley - Radio Operator/Gunner
Sgt Robert C Southers - Ball Turret Gunner
S/Sgt Donald Duncan McLeod - Mechanic/Gunner
Sgt Arlie LeRoy Thompson - Tail Gunner
Sgt Robert Alfred Schwartzburg - Right Waist Gunner
Sgt Marion Augusta Hall - Left Waist Gunner
Source of information: francecrashes39-45.net
Source of photos: www.aerosteles.net
Monument Text:
Engraved on the monument:
KERGRIST-MOELOU
A SES ENFANTS
MORTS POUR LA
FRANCE
English translation:
KERGRIST-MOELOU
TO THEIR CHILDREN
WHO DIED FOR
FRANCE
On the plaque:
A LA MEMOIRE DES AVIATEURS AMERICAINS
JAMES STUBBLEFIELD
WILLIAM A MONSON
CARLTON V COLEMAN
ARLIE LE ROY THOMPSON
ABATTUS AU VILLAGE DE KERMOROU
LE 4 JANVIER 1944
MORTS POUR DEFENDRE NOS LIBERTES
N' OUBLIONS JAMAIS
R. PATTON LE 4 MAI 1986
English translation:
IN MEMORY OF AMERICAN AIRMEN
JAMES STUBBLEFIELD
WILLIAM A MONSON
CARLTON V COLEMAN
ARLIE LE ROY THOMPSON
SHOT DOWN IN THE VILLAGE OF KERMOROU
JANUARY 4, 1944
DIED TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOM
LET US NEVER FORGET
R. PATTON MAY 4, 1986
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
331st Bomber Squadron, 94th Bomber Group, Heavy
410th Bomber Squadron, 94th Bomber Group, Heavy
94th Bomber Group, Heavy
US Army Air Corps
Wars:
WWII
Other images :
