Memorial

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Sgt Wendel E. Rish graduated from Van Buren High School in 1938 and worked as a foreman at Peerless America.

He enlisted in Indianapolis, Indiana on 30 June 1942. He was trained in aircraft mechanics in Oklahoma and gunnery in Arizona.

The airplane was rammed by a FW-190, flown by Walter Otto of Sonderkommando Elbe who deliberately rammed the B-17. Both airplane disintegrated. The B-17 was seen by a local civilian to dive steeply. During the descend one of the wings broke away and the aircraft crashed in a wood. Petrol tanks exploded on impact and pieces of the aircraft were scattered over an area of about 1 square km.

The entire crew of ten men was killed. The German pilot survived.

Eight bodies were recovered from the scene of the crash and their positions deemed to indicate that an attempt was made to bail out.

Identification discs and all personal effects were removed and handed over the American forces who overran the area a few weeks later.

The eight bodies were wrapped in parachutes and buried the next day, some 25 yards from the scene of the crash. Eight crosses, which had been erected along one side of the communal grave were inscribed "Unknown Canadian Airmen". Investigation of the remains made clear that these men were undoubtely American members of an aircrew.

In one of the other aircraft of the group, one crew member was replaced by the airbase photographer who managed to snap a picture of this bomber as it started to go down. This picture appeared in the following week's issue of Stars and Stripes and became quite famous.