One of 33 Service Members who died when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff at Greenham Common Airbase.
Article originally posted
September 24 to the U.S. European Command website.
Princess Anne Unveils U.K Memorial to WWII U.S. Airmen
By Brian Stives
501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
28 September 2012
Excerpts:
Greenham Common, England — Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, officially dedicated three memorial stones for U.S. visiting forces at the Greenham Business Park in Greenham Common, England, on September 21.
The three-part memorial is in remembrance of 16 airmen killed when two B-17 Flying Fortresses collided above Greenham Common on December 15, 1944; 33 service members who died three days earlier when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff at the base; and all American servicemen who were based locally and lost their lives in World War II.
"We are here to remember the 49 airmen who gave their lives in 1944 and also all who served in the area," said Colonel Brian Kelly, 501st Combat Support Wing commander, whose wing at RAF Alconbury can trace its history back to the 501st Tactical Missile Wing stationed at RAF Greenham Common from 1982 to 1991. "We can look back at the sacrifice and struggles that united our two great nations. For the last 70 years our nations have stood shoulder-to-shoulder protecting the world, and our relationship is stronger than ever, as these memorials show."
Greenham Common was one of the main staging points for thousands of U.S. troops in the run-up to D-Day, and continued to host U.S. Air Force units until it was closed in 1992 and converted into a nature reserve and business park.
Horsa Glider Crash
On December 12, 1944, 31 paratroopers from the 17th Airborne Division, mostly from the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, and two glider pilots of the 88th Troop Carrier Squadron gathered at RAF Greenham Common for Horsa glider flight training.
The Horsa was constructed almost entirely of molded plywood and was bolted together in sections. The British had solved the problem of fast unloading by fixing an explosive on the rear section. Upon landing, the rear end blew off to allow easy egress. A live charge while the glider was in flight was certainly not a comforting thought for the troops inside.
Walt Wrzeszczynski, a medic with 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, was waiting on the flightline for the next available Horsa.
"Everything looked fine," he said. "The glider was flying along smoothly when all of a sudden the tail section just came off. There was no explosion; it just fell off."
"The glider swayed and flopped around at the end of the tow line and sank lower and lower," he said, shaking his head sadly. "It seemed to be pulling the tow plane down. Suddenly, it either cut loose or was cut loose and then it went almost straight down. It was all over in just a few seconds."
Article originally posted
September 24 to the U.S. European Command website.
Princess Anne Unveils U.K Memorial to WWII U.S. Airmen
By Brian Stives
501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
28 September 2012
Excerpts:
Greenham Common, England — Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, officially dedicated three memorial stones for U.S. visiting forces at the Greenham Business Park in Greenham Common, England, on September 21.
The three-part memorial is in remembrance of 16 airmen killed when two B-17 Flying Fortresses collided above Greenham Common on December 15, 1944; 33 service members who died three days earlier when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff at the base; and all American servicemen who were based locally and lost their lives in World War II.
"We are here to remember the 49 airmen who gave their lives in 1944 and also all who served in the area," said Colonel Brian Kelly, 501st Combat Support Wing commander, whose wing at RAF Alconbury can trace its history back to the 501st Tactical Missile Wing stationed at RAF Greenham Common from 1982 to 1991. "We can look back at the sacrifice and struggles that united our two great nations. For the last 70 years our nations have stood shoulder-to-shoulder protecting the world, and our relationship is stronger than ever, as these memorials show."
Greenham Common was one of the main staging points for thousands of U.S. troops in the run-up to D-Day, and continued to host U.S. Air Force units until it was closed in 1992 and converted into a nature reserve and business park.
Horsa Glider Crash
On December 12, 1944, 31 paratroopers from the 17th Airborne Division, mostly from the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, and two glider pilots of the 88th Troop Carrier Squadron gathered at RAF Greenham Common for Horsa glider flight training.
The Horsa was constructed almost entirely of molded plywood and was bolted together in sections. The British had solved the problem of fast unloading by fixing an explosive on the rear section. Upon landing, the rear end blew off to allow easy egress. A live charge while the glider was in flight was certainly not a comforting thought for the troops inside.
Walt Wrzeszczynski, a medic with 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, was waiting on the flightline for the next available Horsa.
"Everything looked fine," he said. "The glider was flying along smoothly when all of a sudden the tail section just came off. There was no explosion; it just fell off."
"The glider swayed and flopped around at the end of the tow line and sank lower and lower," he said, shaking his head sadly. "It seemed to be pulling the tow plane down. Suddenly, it either cut loose or was cut loose and then it went almost straight down. It was all over in just a few seconds."
One of 33 Service Members who died when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff at Greenham Common Airbase.
Article originally posted
September 24 to the U.S. European Command website.
Princess Anne Unveils U.K Memorial to WWII U.S. Airmen
By Brian Stives
501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
28 September 2012
Excerpts:
Greenham Common, England — Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, officially dedicated three memorial stones for U.S. visiting forces at the Greenham Business Park in Greenham Common, England, on September 21.
The three-part memorial is in remembrance of 16 airmen killed when two B-17 Flying Fortresses collided above Greenham Common on December 15, 1944; 33 service members who died three days earlier when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff at the base; and all American servicemen who were based locally and lost their lives in World War II.
"We are here to remember the 49 airmen who gave their lives in 1944 and also all who served in the area," said Colonel Brian Kelly, 501st Combat Support Wing commander, whose wing at RAF Alconbury can trace its history back to the 501st Tactical Missile Wing stationed at RAF Greenham Common from 1982 to 1991. "We can look back at the sacrifice and struggles that united our two great nations. For the last 70 years our nations have stood shoulder-to-shoulder protecting the world, and our relationship is stronger than ever, as these memorials show."
Greenham Common was one of the main staging points for thousands of U.S. troops in the run-up to D-Day, and continued to host U.S. Air Force units until it was closed in 1992 and converted into a nature reserve and business park.
Horsa Glider Crash
On December 12, 1944, 31 paratroopers from the 17th Airborne Division, mostly from the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, and two glider pilots of the 88th Troop Carrier Squadron gathered at RAF Greenham Common for Horsa glider flight training.
The Horsa was constructed almost entirely of molded plywood and was bolted together in sections. The British had solved the problem of fast unloading by fixing an explosive on the rear section. Upon landing, the rear end blew off to allow easy egress. A live charge while the glider was in flight was certainly not a comforting thought for the troops inside.
Walt Wrzeszczynski, a medic with 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, was waiting on the flightline for the next available Horsa.
"Everything looked fine," he said. "The glider was flying along smoothly when all of a sudden the tail section just came off. There was no explosion; it just fell off."
"The glider swayed and flopped around at the end of the tow line and sank lower and lower," he said, shaking his head sadly. "It seemed to be pulling the tow plane down. Suddenly, it either cut loose or was cut loose and then it went almost straight down. It was all over in just a few seconds."
Article originally posted
September 24 to the U.S. European Command website.
Princess Anne Unveils U.K Memorial to WWII U.S. Airmen
By Brian Stives
501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
28 September 2012
Excerpts:
Greenham Common, England — Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, officially dedicated three memorial stones for U.S. visiting forces at the Greenham Business Park in Greenham Common, England, on September 21.
The three-part memorial is in remembrance of 16 airmen killed when two B-17 Flying Fortresses collided above Greenham Common on December 15, 1944; 33 service members who died three days earlier when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff at the base; and all American servicemen who were based locally and lost their lives in World War II.
"We are here to remember the 49 airmen who gave their lives in 1944 and also all who served in the area," said Colonel Brian Kelly, 501st Combat Support Wing commander, whose wing at RAF Alconbury can trace its history back to the 501st Tactical Missile Wing stationed at RAF Greenham Common from 1982 to 1991. "We can look back at the sacrifice and struggles that united our two great nations. For the last 70 years our nations have stood shoulder-to-shoulder protecting the world, and our relationship is stronger than ever, as these memorials show."
Greenham Common was one of the main staging points for thousands of U.S. troops in the run-up to D-Day, and continued to host U.S. Air Force units until it was closed in 1992 and converted into a nature reserve and business park.
Horsa Glider Crash
On December 12, 1944, 31 paratroopers from the 17th Airborne Division, mostly from the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, and two glider pilots of the 88th Troop Carrier Squadron gathered at RAF Greenham Common for Horsa glider flight training.
The Horsa was constructed almost entirely of molded plywood and was bolted together in sections. The British had solved the problem of fast unloading by fixing an explosive on the rear section. Upon landing, the rear end blew off to allow easy egress. A live charge while the glider was in flight was certainly not a comforting thought for the troops inside.
Walt Wrzeszczynski, a medic with 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, was waiting on the flightline for the next available Horsa.
"Everything looked fine," he said. "The glider was flying along smoothly when all of a sudden the tail section just came off. There was no explosion; it just fell off."
"The glider swayed and flopped around at the end of the tow line and sank lower and lower," he said, shaking his head sadly. "It seemed to be pulling the tow plane down. Suddenly, it either cut loose or was cut loose and then it went almost straight down. It was all over in just a few seconds."
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