Memorial

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The aircraft was hit by flak over the target and two engines had to be feathered.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Judd this morning were waiting the arrival of a 22-year-old Dutch youth who will take the place of their son, who gave his life during the war. The replacement is Hans Kloosterman, who arrived in New York yesterday aboard the Holland America Liner Leerdam. His arrival climaxed a series of events which started in March 1944 when a B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into a windmill near Andega in northern Netherlands. Piloting the stricken plane was Stephen Peter Judd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Judd. As the plane crashed Hans, old 19 at the time and a member of the Dutch underground, leaped his bicycle and sped to aid the crew members as they stagger from the wreckage. All but two of the crewmen were spirited away before the arrival of the German patrols by Hans and fellow members of the underground. Only Stephen Judd and Jo Kendrick, a Mississippian, couldn't be moved because of injuries. Stephen died a few hours after the crash. Kendrick was removed to a German hospital where both of his legs were amputated. Stephen was buried in the town of Wartena. Hans who helped bury the dead pilot, wrote Mr. and Mrs. Judd the details of their son's death and promised to care for their son's grave. As the correspondence continued, Mr. and Mrs. Judd learned that Hans worked on a dairy farm. The Judds' 72-acre Cannonsville farm had been used for dairying until recently when they sold the cattle. Mr. Judd wrote Hans and gratitude for his kindness invited him to live in Cannonsville."