2019_02_0403
Steph's off somewhere else Chatting to Other People, Mi Amigo Flypast BBC Breakfast TV Special, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
It was a highly emotionally charged morning with many tears shed all round, and a real privilege to attend and witness.
Most people in the UK will know this story by now. But in case not, or you're not viewing from the UK :
75 years ago on 22nd February, US Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress 'Mi Amigo' (305th Bomb Group) crashed in Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The plane circled the nearby houses and decided to try to land in Endcliffe Park. However, a group of kids were playing in the park, and rather than risk killing them, the plane crashed into trees at the back of the park. All the crew were killed.
One of those kids was (now) 82 year Tony Foulds. A memorial was installed at the crash site in 1969, which Tony has visited every day to pay homage to the 10 - his 'family' and life-saver.
BBC TV presenter Dan Walker lives nearby and walks his dog in the park. He met Tony, and one thing led to another, and escalated into a live broadcast building up to a 10 aircraft flypast at 8:45 on 22nd February 2019 - the 75th anniversary of the crash.
Presented by Charlie Stayt and Steph McGovern with a lot of special guests, including Tony Foulds, USAF and RAF dignitaries, family of the crew and music from the US Air Force Band, culminating in the flypast.
Sadly Dan Walker couldn't make the day that he organised - he had signed up to raise money for BBC fundraiser 'Comic Relief' by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
I'll upload loads more photos from this event soon, but this is a brief sneak preview. I'll also return to the memorial itself when it's slightly less busy.
The Mission :
'Mi Amigo' departed from RAF Chelveston, Northants at 08.00 on a diversionary mission to Aalborg in Denmark to confuse Luftwaffe defences. Sadly Denmark was covered in thick cloud, and circled a few times to try to find breaks in cover. They were forced to abort the mission and offload their loads in the North Sea. They were attacked by the Luftwaffe with strikes to the wing and fuselage. It was a 'spirited' fight, and the attacker lost his life, as well as 3 of the B-17 crew. At 16:10 the B-17 requested a vector to an emergency landing field in Yorkshire. With one engine already out, another cut out causing the plane to spiral out of control and crash in Endcliffe Park.
In Memory of the Crew 'Lest We Forget' :
First Lieutenant John Glennon Krieghauser, Pilot from Missouri
Second Lieutenant Lyle J Curtis, Co-Pilot from Idaho
Second Lieutenant John W Humphrey, Navigator from Illinois
Second Lieutenant Melchor Hernandez, Bombardier from California
Staff Sergeant Robert E Mayfield, Radio Operator from Illinois
Staff Sergeant Harry W Estabrooks, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner from Kansas
Sergeant Charles H Tuttle, Ball-Turret Gunner from Kentucky
Sergeant Maurice O Robbins, Tail Gunner from Texas
Sergeant Vito R Ambrosio, Right Waist Gunner from New York
Muster Sergeant George U Williams, Left Waist Gunner from Oklahoma
The Flypast Aircraft :
4x F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath
KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall
MC-130J Commando II from RAF Mildenhall
CV-22 Osprey from RAF Mildenhall
2x Typhoon from RAF Coningsby
Dakota from RAF Coningsby
2019_02_0403
Steph's off somewhere else Chatting to Other People, Mi Amigo Flypast BBC Breakfast TV Special, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
It was a highly emotionally charged morning with many tears shed all round, and a real privilege to attend and witness.
Most people in the UK will know this story by now. But in case not, or you're not viewing from the UK :
75 years ago on 22nd February, US Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress 'Mi Amigo' (305th Bomb Group) crashed in Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The plane circled the nearby houses and decided to try to land in Endcliffe Park. However, a group of kids were playing in the park, and rather than risk killing them, the plane crashed into trees at the back of the park. All the crew were killed.
One of those kids was (now) 82 year Tony Foulds. A memorial was installed at the crash site in 1969, which Tony has visited every day to pay homage to the 10 - his 'family' and life-saver.
BBC TV presenter Dan Walker lives nearby and walks his dog in the park. He met Tony, and one thing led to another, and escalated into a live broadcast building up to a 10 aircraft flypast at 8:45 on 22nd February 2019 - the 75th anniversary of the crash.
Presented by Charlie Stayt and Steph McGovern with a lot of special guests, including Tony Foulds, USAF and RAF dignitaries, family of the crew and music from the US Air Force Band, culminating in the flypast.
Sadly Dan Walker couldn't make the day that he organised - he had signed up to raise money for BBC fundraiser 'Comic Relief' by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
I'll upload loads more photos from this event soon, but this is a brief sneak preview. I'll also return to the memorial itself when it's slightly less busy.
The Mission :
'Mi Amigo' departed from RAF Chelveston, Northants at 08.00 on a diversionary mission to Aalborg in Denmark to confuse Luftwaffe defences. Sadly Denmark was covered in thick cloud, and circled a few times to try to find breaks in cover. They were forced to abort the mission and offload their loads in the North Sea. They were attacked by the Luftwaffe with strikes to the wing and fuselage. It was a 'spirited' fight, and the attacker lost his life, as well as 3 of the B-17 crew. At 16:10 the B-17 requested a vector to an emergency landing field in Yorkshire. With one engine already out, another cut out causing the plane to spiral out of control and crash in Endcliffe Park.
In Memory of the Crew 'Lest We Forget' :
First Lieutenant John Glennon Krieghauser, Pilot from Missouri
Second Lieutenant Lyle J Curtis, Co-Pilot from Idaho
Second Lieutenant John W Humphrey, Navigator from Illinois
Second Lieutenant Melchor Hernandez, Bombardier from California
Staff Sergeant Robert E Mayfield, Radio Operator from Illinois
Staff Sergeant Harry W Estabrooks, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner from Kansas
Sergeant Charles H Tuttle, Ball-Turret Gunner from Kentucky
Sergeant Maurice O Robbins, Tail Gunner from Texas
Sergeant Vito R Ambrosio, Right Waist Gunner from New York
Muster Sergeant George U Williams, Left Waist Gunner from Oklahoma
The Flypast Aircraft :
4x F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath
KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall
MC-130J Commando II from RAF Mildenhall
CV-22 Osprey from RAF Mildenhall
2x Typhoon from RAF Coningsby
Dakota from RAF Coningsby