Memorial

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1st Lt Sherman M. Dodge enlisted in Boston, Massachusetts on 17 March 1942.

Six months after arriving in England, Lt Dodge and his crew climbed into their plane, around 10:00 a.m., unaware their target would be the deadliest the 8th Air Force would face: Schweinfurt, Germany.

Lt Dodge and four of his crew members were killed when their B-17 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters. The co-pilot, 2nd Lt. John T. Chandler, survived and evaded capture with the help of the French Resistance.

Knowing his plane was fatally hit, Lt Dodge steered a course to France to afford his crew a chance to escape. Because of his actions, 4 of his 5 surviving crew were able to evade and return to England.

During his debriefing after returning to England, Lt Chandler described what happened that day:
"Hit by flak over Schweinfurt on Oct 14, 1943. We lost the formation and headed for France. At 18,000 feet we caught fire, fighters came in to finish us off. We began bailing out ... My chute opened just before I hit the ground. Lt. Dodge's chute did not open..."

Lt Dodge was first buried in Toul, France, near where the wreckage of his plane landed. His remains were later moved to the Lorraine American Cemetery at St. Avold, France.