Leslie Wardell KING

“Les”

Parents : Stuart Warren & Kathleen Acheson Wardell KING

Siblings : Sydney Warren, Alice Viola & Ralph Stuart

Source : Chloé Lavernhe

B-17 Fortress - type G-20-BO - s/n 42-31445 GY*G

Macr : 4280
Mission : Oberpfaffenhofen

Take off station 111 Thurleigh, Bedfordshire UK

The bodies were initially interred at Cim Brit. from St-Riquier-es-Plains (76)
Shot down by flak - Engine #4 on fire

Aircraft partially evacuated (4) at 11:23 a.m. just before the in-flight explosion

 CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  St-Riquier-es-Plains

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  St André N°3572

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

By : http://francinecarville.free.fr/fc3945/42-31445.pdf

On April 24, 1944, around noon, an American B 17 bomber having taken off from England was heading for Germany with the mission of bombing an airfield. Arrived at the height of the crossroads of the Fort (today on the D 929), the plane received shells fired by the powerful German batteries placed at this strategic place and was hit by several projectiles. The pilot, Lt Peterson, having understood that his plane was seriously affected, directed him towards the forest of Eawy, taking all the precautions to circumvent St Saëns, he gave the crew the order to parachute

Only four airmen managed to reach the ground without problem: Lt Dinkel (navigator) — Sgt Antonio (gunner) — Sgt McAllister (gunner) — Sgt Marlow (gunner) but were captured by occupation troops and taken as prisoners to Germany.

The plane exploded in flight and fell into several pieces in the forest district of La Salandrière near the grassland opposite the Lihut forester's house.

The other six airmen were killed: Lt Peterson (pilot), Lt King (co-pilot), Lt Storolis (bombardier), Sgt Burton (gunner), Sgt Smith (radio operator), Sgt Bell (turret gunner).
All six dead were initially buried in the English Memorial Cemetery of St. Riquier; and later in the American cemetery in Evreux (27). King, Smith, and Burton are buried in Colleville sur Mer cemetery.

The bodies of the three others killed were repatriated to the U.S.A.
Several people locally witnessed the drama: Mr Louis Choppe was at the crossroads of the Conservateur with colleagues, they saw the plane fly at low attitude over the forest and several parachutes open, when suddenly the plane exploded into pieces of all sizes.
Mr Henri Dumontier de Maucomble saw a parachutist fall on a building in the village and be caught by the occupying troops.
Mr Guy Laurence, who was guarding the cows of his father, a brigadier at the Lihut post, on the Allée des Limousins, also saw the plane fall into several pieces. He later went with his father to the remains of the wreckage.
By an internet message sent to the town hall of Saint Saëns, the nephew of Lt King wanted to come to the scene of the crash and meet witnesses to the tragedy if there were still any.

David Gray and his sister returned to Indiana (USA), very happy with the welcome they received and the information given to them by Messrs. Choppe, Dumontier and Laurence, all three eyewitnesses to the disaster and translated by J.Pierre Dizengremel.

Source : David L Gray

Equipage du B-17 Fortress - type G-20-BO - s/n 42-31445 GY*G