Memorial

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Bevan W. Colby Jr. graduated from Hope High School in 1937 where he was the manager of the football squad. He also graduated from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where he had a blind date with his futher wife Helen. They dated all thru their undergraduate years. Unfortunately, they were only married a few months before he was sent overseas.

He was a salesman.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Providence, Rhode Island on 16 March 1942.

The mission was to bomb the airfield of Gilze-Rijen with 38 B-17's from different bomber groups. Due to mist and the reflection of the sun, a first attempt to localise the target failed. The majority of the airplanes returned to their home base but the 303rd Bomber Group turned and tried a second time, but now this group was behind the main formation without the much needed fighter protection. At that moment the group was attacked by a large group of FW-190's who shoot down several bombers.

This B-17 was hit by flak and caught fire. Four crew members could bail out and were taken prisoner, six were killed.

Lt Colby was killed on his first combat mission. His body washed ashore on 30 August 1943, near Den Helder and was first buried at the General Cemetery of Huisduinen, the Netherlands.

Note: The story about his college years and meeting his futher wife was provided to us by M. Brad Flynn who is her son from her second marriage. After his mother remarried, Bevan Colby's mother, Mrs. Dorothy Bevan, remained an important part of the family. M. Flynn also reminded that Bevan's father had a premonition that something happened on the day his plane was shot down and soon after, the telegram notice arrived.