On February 22, 2019, a flypast honoring 10 airmen called in a Sheffield bomber crash 75 years ago was conducted.
It was held largely because of the work of Tony Foulds who inspired the BBC to reach out to the RAF and the USAF to honor the memory of these pilots.
The crew of this particular B-17 had become heroes to a little boy who witnessed the crash, namely Tony Foulds.
As the B-17 was about to crash, the children playing in the park were waved off of the area by crewmen, and Foulds believes the pilot directed the plane into the trees to avoid killing the children playing in the park.
According to a BBC story published on February 22, 2019:
The US bomber came down in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield on 22 February 1944, killing everyone on board.
A campaign for a flypast started after a chance meeting between BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker and Tony Foulds, who tends a park memorial.
A tearful Mr Foulds was given a rousing round of applause as the planes flew over. He said: “This is unbelievable.”
Relatives of the aircrew and thousands of people from across Britain paid their respects as the planes roared over the memorial at about 08:45 GMT….
The flypast involved military aircraft from Britain and the United States, who set off from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk – home to the largest US Air Force base in the UK….
Mr Foulds said he and the other children were in the park 75 years ago because boys from two rival junior schools were fighting.
Of the airmen on board the B-17 Flying Fortress, known as Mi Amigo, he said: “If it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t be here with my family.
“It’s more than bravery, what they did. They saved me, and I mean saved me.
“These are now part of my family, my ashes are going to be put by the memorial. I might as well stay with them, you know.”
The featured photo shows Tony Foulds waving at the aircraft as they flew past Endclliffe Park.
For an earlier look at remembering a downed B-17 crew in France, see the following:
And for the flight that day of the remaining B-17 plane in the UK, see the following as well.
For our B-17 special report, see the following:
B-17-Special-Report