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Visit of the US pilot Albert Gese
and
the family of the German pilot Benno
Oberhauser
At the village of Ste Honorine la
Guillaume's initiative, the Association Normande du Souvenir Aérien, the ex-servicemen
(39-45) Association and Maurice Delhopital ex (UNC) serviceman, a memorial
ceremony took place in the city hall on June 2nd, 2007.
Reminder.
On June
12th 1944, Albert Gese, a US airforce pilot (20th FG, 77 FS) was flying a P38
Lockheed "Lightning" aircraft when he was shot down by ground fire and crashed at Le Val Joas, close to the village of Ste Honorine la Guillaume. He bailed out and
jumped successfully by parachute. He was then hold and secured by local French people "resistance". At
about the same time, a little bit later, on June 27th 1944, a German pilot,
Benno Oberhauser from II/JG1, flying a FW 190 was killed after beeing hit during a
dog figth and crashed at la Bouvetiere, not very far the village of Ste Honorine la
Guillaume.
During the ceremony, organized at the Ste
Honorine City Hall, in the presence of the mayor Serge Clerembaux, the president
and several members of the ANSA association, Albert Gese the US
pilot and many locals attending, Hans Oberhauser, the
German pilot's brother read a message and declared:
" I have searched for many years to know more
about my brother's fate. As luck would have it, we already came here in 1999 and
we appreciated your welcome. It is the 3rd time that you invite us to attend
this reunion at the city hall. "
Mr Oberhauser thanked the Mayor and the
organizers.
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