Memorial

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Statement of crew member Gunner S/Sgt Edwin H. Thomas: "Our aircraft was hit directly in the bomb bay by an 88-mm A.A. shell, cutting fuel lines and control cables. Consequently, aircraft was immediately out of control and almost entirely in flames internally. Therefore I believe my buddies perished because they were trapped in their positions by the fire."


Statement by S/Sgt Robert C. Gaylor, crew member of another airplane in the Group: "...As we came off the target, Les Chapoine Airfield (Les Chanoines, Airfield near Istress, south east France) we ran into some very heavy and extremely accurate flak. One burst hit directly in front of the Ball Turret of Lt Kalie's aircraft, and immediately after flames started spurting from his bomb bay. The aircraft slipped away in a steep glide as one man came out whose parachute opened and four (4) others came out whose parachutes did not open. I watched the plane as it went down and it did not crash ,for, by the time it had gone too very far, the fire and resulting explosions had almost completely demolished the aircraft."

Six crew members were killed, three were taken prisoner.

Nota: Although in the MACR the target is named "Les Chapoine Airfield", it can be assumed that this is a mistake. The only airfield in the area is called Le Tubé.