The ceremony at Arlington's National Cemetery
 
 
Michel BAUDOUIN, the representative of the ANSA 39/45 ORNE-MAINE Association, during his speech.
 
 
CHOW HOUND
 

Some people here may wonder why a Frenchman is attending this Ceremony. In fact, I'm speaking on behalf of the Normandy Association for Air Remembrance. Also, I was 12 at D Day and living in Normandy. So I'll never forget what American Aviators did at that time for the Liberation of France.
 
As already mentioned by John Collins, our Association has erected more than forty stone memorials in Normandy. Out of the forty, one has been especially dedicated to the nine brave crewmembers of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Chow Hound".
 
This memorial has been unveiled on August 08, 2004, exactly 60 years after the Chow Hound tragedy, at LONLAY L'ABBAYE, Normandy, and France.
 
The Ceremony, organized by the NAAR, was attended by some crewmember relatives, Colonel Jeffry Jackson, Air Attaché at the US Embassy in France, Mrs Jackson, French Officials, and the population of the village.
Let me review the circumstances surrounding the Chow Hound crash.

According to the Missing Air Crew Report established by other crews, on August 08, 1944 at 1:10 pm, the aircraft was flying in close formation at the altitude of 14,000 ft. It was loaded with about 30 anti-personnel bombs of 300 lbs each aimed to attack the German lines to the south of Caen where the enemy was offering a fierce resistance to the Canadian Forces and stopped their advance.
 
A few minutes after crossing the front line, German anti-aircraft 88 calibre guns fired at the bombers. Presumably, one shell hit directly the plane, cutting out the tail part. The bomber became out of control and dived in a spin. Then one wing and one engine separated from the fuselage prior to falling down in a field and caught fire. The bombs exploded because of the heat.
 
This happened so suddenly that the crew members were unable to bail out and jump by parachute. There were no survivors among the nine Airmen. The tail gunner was found still attached to his seat.
 
The crash occurred on the territory of the Normandy city of LONLAY L'ABBAYE. Abbaye means Abbey in American. LONLAY L'ABBAYE is a small middle-ages village where monks built a monastery. Now only the old and very beautiful church exists and is dedicated to worship.
 
When the city was liberated by US Army a few days later, the crew members' remains were buried. However, according to witness's testimony, three corpses were missing and still in the wreckage.
 
The NAAR got in touch with the American Authorities who sent a team including an anthropologist from Hawaii. They dug out and discovered some bones who were identified thank to the DNA.

We, at NAAR, are proud that the three Aviators found the burial they deserve in their own country.
 
A few words about the Aircraft" Chow Hound". It was a member of the 322nd Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force.

It took off from Station No 121, a south of England airstrip.
 
The Chow Hound was famous and very popular in the Air Force. It was probably the oldest B-17 still flying. USAF Staff policy was that one crew to be assigned not more than 25 war missions. At the time of the crash, Chow Hound was flying with its third crew.
 
NAAR has recovered and salvaged the Chow Hound nose art with the artist's signature. This part is unique and in relatively fair condition after a crash. We expect to make soon a donation to a Museum here in America, like one of the machine guns.
 
We in France have been liberated from the Nazis by Allied Forces. We remember that some young American volunteers like the Chow Hound Crew, lost their lives, far away from their home.
 
We consider we have to pay a just tribute to the brave Aviators who gave their all for our freedom.
 
Michel Baudouin
V/P Normandy Association for Air Remembrance
ARLINGTON, August 23/24, 2004
 
 
 
Arlington National Cemetery ( USA )
 
 

Sergent Henri Kortebein's casket , one out of the three airmen declared lost, whose remains have been exhumed at Lonlay l'Abbaye. The three caskets have been displayed at Arlington during the wake, August 23,2006 the night before the funeral service Ceremony.
Kortebein's family was originating from Alsace, an eastern province of France, prior to his emigrating to USA.

 
 
At the Arlington ceremony, Mrs Marion Burkhardt, Henri Kortebein's youngest sister, expressed the wish to obtain a small part of the "Chow Hound" as a souvenir.
Her wish has been granted less than one month later on September 21, 2006 at Scottsdale, AZ, where Mrs Burkhardt is living, during the Michel Baudouin's visit to the city.
 
 
What a coincidence! By chance the Veterans annual meeting of the B-26 "Marauder" 391th Bomber Group crewmembers was held at the Chaparral hotel in Scottsdale where Michel Baudouin was a guest at that time.
Gently, some veterans accepted to join Mrs Marion Burkhardt and the Normandy Association for Air Remembrance Representative for the picture at the time of the remittance of the souvenirs.
It is noted that NAAR paid a tribute precisely to a  391th BG crew (only one survivor but wounded) by erecting a memorial at Sainte Honorine la Chardonne (Normandy) a city located approximately at only 15 miles from Lonlay l'Abbaye, the Chow Hound's crash site.