B-24 'Pregnant Peggy'& 'Bomber's Moon' Crash Site Plaque
Schänzelstraße , 67480 Edenkoben
8.014099, 49.298547
Zwei amerikanische Militärflugzeuge, die Industrieziele in Mainz angreifen sollten, kollidierten am 19. Oktober 1944 in der Nähe des Forsthauses Heldenstein und stürzten ab. Die meisten amerikanischen Soldaten kamen ums Leben, wenige Überlebende gerieten in deutsche Kriegsgefangenschaft. Die Gedenktafel wurde 2017 in der Anwesenheit der Angehörigen der verstorbenen Soldaten angebracht. 2019 fand eine Gedenkveranstaltung statt, bei der auch die Angehörigen der damals verstorbenen Soldaten anwesend waren.
Die Inschrift auf der Gedenktafel lautet wie folgt:,
IN LOVING MEMORY,
,
AT THIS SITE ON OCTOBER 19, 1944 TWO AMERICAN B-24,
LIBERATOR BOMBERS COLLIDED MIDAIR AND FELL 26,400 FEET. „PREGNANT PEGGY“ AND „BOMBER’S MOON“,
OF THE 8TH ARMY AIR CORPS/489 BOMB GROUP/844 BOMB SQUADRON WERE FLYING IN CLOSE FORMATION,
WITH OVER THREE HUNDRED BOMBERS WHEN SEVERE TURBULENCE AND HIGH CLOUD COVERAGE CAUSED THE,
TWO FULLY LOADED PLANES TO COLLIDE.,
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ONLY TWO MEN FROM EACH PLANE WERE ABLE TO PARACHUTE TO SAFETY, BUT WERE CAPTURED,
AND BECAME PRISONERS UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. WITH THE HELP OF THE CEMETERY CARETAKER, CIVILIAN,
POLICE, AND GERMAN RED CROSS, THE REMAINS OF THE DEAD WERE BURIED IN A COMMON GRAVE IN A,
CIVILIAN CEMETERY. UPON THE WAR’S END, THEY WERE EXHUMED AND REINTERRED WITH FULL MILITARY,
HONORS IN LORRAINE MILITARY CEMETERY IN FRANCE AS WELL AS THE UNITED STATES.,
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FAMILY AND FRIENDS WISH TO THANK THE GERMAN PEOPLE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS MEMORIAL POSSIBLE.,
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MAY THESE YOUNG MEN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN FOR THEIR HONOR, COURAGE, AND SACRIFICE.,
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EX TENEBRIS LUX VERITATES,
„OUT OF DARKNESS, THE LIGHT OF TRUTH“,
,
PREGNANT PEGGY CREW:,
| Lithander, Lee B. 2/Lt. | Pilot | KIA |
| Krumrey, Lloyd W. 2/Lt. | Co-Pilot | POW |
| Hurley, Robert J. 2/Lt. | Bombardier | KIA |
| Butler, Robert R. Jr. S/Sgt. | Engineer | KIA |
| Stock, Henry L. Sgt. | Waist gunner | KIA |
| Torok, Gezo Sgt. | Nose Gunner | KIA |
| Phillippy, Richard F. S/Sgt. | Radio Operator | POW |
| Kader, Eugene I. S/Sgt. | Tail Gunner | KIA |
| Crompfon, John H. Sgt. | NG/WG | KIA |
,
,
BOMBER’S MOON CREW:,
| Aiken, John M. 2/Lt. | Pilot | KIA |
| Rath, Charles A. 2/Lt. | Co-Pilot | KIA |
| Doherty, Loyola F. 2/Lt. | Navigator | KIA |
| Francis, Lewis C. F/O | Bombardier | KIA |
| Smith, Glen L. S/Sgt. | Engineer | KIA |
| Harding, Clarence J. Sgt. | Waist Gunner | POW |
| Anderson, Bruce D. Sgt. | Waist Gunner | KIA |
| Everhart, Virgil S/Sgt. | Radio Operator | KIA |
| Dudek, Daniel D. Sgt. | Tail Gunner | POW |
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Dedicated 2017,
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