Flygmonumentet (Project Sonnie)
Details:
Directly south 500ft into the forest from the parking lot. Monument
Involved in a classified war operation named 'Project Sonnie', which started in the beginning of 1944 with the purpose of flying out Norwegian members of the resistance that had managed to get to Sweden and take them from Sweden to England in order to train them in the fight against the German occupation of Norway, and also fly out American aircrews that for different reasons had landed in Sweden. The Project was lead by the Norwegian-American, famed Polar Explorer, Bernt Balchen as part of Operation Carpetbagger.
The operation was so secret and sensitive that after the accident, it was claimed in the U.S. that the plane crashed during a mission in Indo-China.
During fifteen months from April 1, 1944 to June 25, 1945, the 'Sonnie-planes' took a total of 4304 passengers from Sweden to England. To keep the flights secret, they were most often done in bad weather. Many flights were even canceled because the weather was too good. According to the regulations, the airplanes had to be civilian, at least on paper. Since Sweden was 'neutral', a 'civilian' transport company was created, The American Air Transport Service.
On the evening of October 19, 1944 six planes flew in bad weather. One turned back with engine trouble and the five continued on towards Scotland with a stop in Bromma. They were directed to land in Torslanda in Goteborg. Only four of the five planes arrived.
The circumstances relating to the crash are mysterious. The reason is still unknown and local witness reports vary.
On May 27, 1945 a monument was erected on the site of the accident. Funds for the monument were gathered from the local population on the initiative of the former sawmill owner E. Johansson, and Hilmer Andersson from Alingsas.
See this website, site Malmo Eastern Cemetery, ISOB Campbell and Ragland for more on the burial of the crew.
Many thanks to www.flygmonumentet.se/e for use of their copyrighted photos and text. Please contact them for further information.
Monument Text:
Har omkommo den 20 oktober 1944 sex flygare fran Amerikas Forenta Stater
De follo for sitt fosterland, for frihet och ratt i andra varldskriget
English Translation:
Here died, on the 20th of October, 1944, six airmen from the United States of America.
They fell for their country, for freedom and right in the second world war.
Captain Truett K. Bullock
Captain Thomas C. Campbell
Lieutenant James Buchanan
Sergeant Donald J. Johnston
Sergeant Oakley J. Ragland
Corporal Earl K. Nore
A nearby sign reads:
An American courier plane on a secret mission with a destination of Bromma crashed here on October 20, 1944. As it was bad weather, they were rejected to go down at Bromma and turned towards Torslanda, whereby one plane in a group of five crashed here and six American airmen died.
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
1409th Army Air Force Base Unit
330th Bomber Squadron, 93rd Bomber Group
Air Transport Command
Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
OSS
United States Air Force
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Operation Carpetbagger
Project Sonnie
Other images :
