Members of the RAF Alconbury Honor Guard post the colors at a memorial dedication service at St. Mary's Church, Yelden, Bedfordshire. The service honored U.S. military personnel who died March 24, 1944 when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed upon takeoff from RAF Cheveston. The crash killed 11 aircrew members, eight military personnel on the ground and two children from the village.

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Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter Bean gives a sermon at a memorial dedication service at St. Mary's Church, Yelden, Bedfordshire. The service honored U.S. military personnel who died March 24, 1944 when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed upon takeoff from RAF Cheveston. The crash killed 11 aircrew members, eight military personnel on the ground and two children from the village. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett)

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Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter Bean unveils a memorial plaque at a dedication service at St. Mary's Church, Yelden, Bedfordshire. The service honored U.S. military personnel who died March 24, 1944 when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed upon takeoff from RAF Cheveston. The crash killed 11 aircrew members, eight military personnel on the ground and two children from the village. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett)

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Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter Bean and Col. Timothy Cashdollar observe a moment of silence during a memorial dedication service at St. Mary's Church, Yelden, Bedfordshire. The service honored U.S. military personnel who died March 24, 1944 when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed upon takeoff from RAF Cheveston. The crash killed 11 aircrew members, eight military personnel on the ground and two children from the village. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett)

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Reverend Jan Brookshaw says the benediction at a memorial dedication service at St. Mary's Church, Yelden, Bedfordshire. The service honored U.S. military personnel who died March 24, 1944 when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed upon takeoff from RAF Cheveston. The crash killed 11 aircrew members, eight military personnel on the ground and two children from the village. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett)

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Members of the Tri-Base Honor Guard retire the colors at a memorial dedication service at St. Mary's Church, Yelden, Bedfordshire. The service honored U.S. military personnel who died March 24, 1944 when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed upon takeoff from RAF Cheveston. The crash killed 11 aircrew members, eight military personnel on the ground and two children from the village. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett)

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A Hawker Hurricane, Avro Lancaster and Supermarine Spitfire perform a memorial flyover at a memorial dedication service at St. Mary's Church in Yelden, Bedfordshire. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry White)

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Yelden remembers 19 Americans from World War II

Published June 2, 2009
By Tech. Sgt. Kristina Barrett
501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs

YELDEN, BEDFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom -- After 65 years, the aircrew and ground personnel who were killed in a B-17 crash were memorialized in a ceremony May 30 at Yelden Village, Bedfordshire.
A memorial dedication service was standing room only at St. Mary's Church, where a memorial plaque was dedicated to the 19 Americans who lost their lives March 24, 1944.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter Bean, 501st Combat Support Wing chaplain, gave the sermon during a traditional church service to honor the Americans. Words of Rememberance was given by Col. Timothy Cashdollar, 501 CSW commander, and the colors were posted by the Tri-Base Honor Guard. After the service a fly-by was conducted by the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial group.

In the early morning hours of March 24, a B-17 from the 422nd Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, 40th Combat Wing, crashed upon takeoff from the airfield at RAF Chelveston. Eleven aircrew died, along with 8 members of the 1121st Quartermaster Company who were sleeping in their barracks. In addition, 2 local children were also killed in the crash. A memorial to Keith Phillips, age 14, and Monica Phillips, age 4, was also dedicated at the church shortly after the accident.

Until recently, the Americans who died were not named in the memorial plaque. Saturday's service changed that and the 19 U.S. Army Air Corps members memorialized are:

Aircrew
William D. Sellers
Jack E. George
Joseph N.A. Grugnale
Loyde J. Judd
Charles W. Leake
Jesse H. Lehr
Kenneth I. Mace
Donald C. Parrish
David M. Rementeria
Dale E. Richel
Myer Silber

Quartermaster personnel
Frank J. Amato
Michael R. Arato
Sebastian J. Attilio
Arnold N. Chipoletti
Edward W. Dell
William L. Dickerson
Niles S. Johnson
Robert P. McClain