Memorial held 80 years after US airmen killed

A memorial service has taken place to honour a group of US servicemen who died in a World War Two plane crash 80 years ago.

Nine members of the 306th Bombardment Group were killed on a mission from Thurleigh Airfield, Bedfordshire, on 26 April 1944.

Mary Laws, who owns the nearby Bletsoe field where the plane came down, said she could not let the tragedy go by without a commemoration.

"We needed to remember them because they died protecting our country," she said.

In August 2022, a memorial stone was unveiled in St Mary's Church, Bletsoe, and three family members of Floyd Henry, one of the victims, attended.

Mrs Laws, 69, said: "There were young boys, aged 19 to 25. They were sons and brothers.

"We need to remember them because they died protecting our country. We must remember them."

The men were on a mission to drop propaganda leaflets over Germany when their plane suffered an engine fire and came down in Bletsoe.

Donald Schaefer, Floyd Henry, Willard Transeth, Roy McKinney, Charles Weller, Sheldon Kinberg, John Simons, John Byrd and Ronald Minter were killed.

Only George Littlefield, a tail gunner, survived.

The service started at 17:30 BST on Friday, with a minute's silence at 17:40 BST, exactly 80 years and 12 hours after the plane came down.

Prayers were said, bagpiper Les Skinner - from the village - played Flowers of The Forest and a wreath was laid at the graveyard memorial.

"I think about the men a lot. I'm still picking up parts of the aircraft in my field," Mrs Laws said.

"I just feel I'm doing my bit to remember them."

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