\n
\n <\/p>\n
<\/a> Eighty years later, several members from Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and local veteran groups and historians met at the memorial site \u2013 which is located just a stone\u2019s throw from the Eygelshoven Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite \u2013 to honor their legacy.<\/p>\n In addition to honoring the U.S. B-17 aircrew, the memorial site in Eygleshoven also honors a Royal Air Force ME647 Lancaster III bomber crew that was shot down and crashed in the same area on New Years Eve, 1944. All seven Canadian and British servicemembers, who were on their way home from a successful bombing mission and looking forward to ringing in the new year, died in the Lancaster crash.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a humbling experience to be standing next to our Dutch partners in uniform, wearing the American flag on our shoulders, and honoring their legacy,\u201d said Maj. James Maskovjak, the AFSBn-Benelux executive officer. \u201cThose American, British and Canadian service members gave their lives in order to liberate this land, and we are currently serving here and living here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing these two events happened in the vicinity of where we currently plant our flag and where we conduct operations is a humbling reminder of where we came from and where we’re going in the future,\u201d Maskoviak said.<\/p>\n Several streets at the Eygelshoven APS-2 worksite are named after the B-17 aircrew members who died near the APS-2 site, as well as the aircrew member who was never found. The streets at the Eygelshoven APS-2 worksite are named after:<\/p>\n \u201cIt was an honor to pay tribute to the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for liberty 80 years ago, and to honor those who narrowly survived,\u201d said Lt. Col. Blake Smith, the AFSBn-Benelux commander.<\/p>\n \u201cAs an American Soldier, I am consistently encouraged by the local community’s investment in protecting and revitalizing the stories of our heroes who fought so hard in this same town eight decades ago,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe are proud to work amongst the community in Eygelshoven and will continue to invest in our relationships outside the gates of our worksite as the U.S. Army continues to do important work here every day.\u201d<\/p>\n Sergeant Arthur Linrud was a top turret gunner and flight engineer on the B17 when it was shot down and crashed at Eygelshoven. Linrud survived the crash and the time he endured in Nazi captivity. His grandson is visiting Eygelshoven and the memorial site on Oct. 19, and the team from AFSBn-Benelux and the Eygelshoven APS-2 worksite will be greeting him and his traveling group and hosting them during their visit.<\/p>\n
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n Show Caption +<\/span>
\n Hide Caption \u2013<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n Members from Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and local veteran groups and historians meet at the memorial site for a U.S. Army Air Forces B-17F Flying Fortress and aircrew that was shot down and crashed near there on Oct. 14, 1943. This year marks the 80th anniversary of that faithful day.
\n (Photo Credit: Courtesy photo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n
\n ![\"AFSBn-Benelux](\"https:\/\/api.army.mil\/e2\/c\/images\/2023\/10\/17\/41416f2a\/original.jpg\")
\n <\/a>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n Show Caption +<\/span>
\n Hide Caption \u2013<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n A U.S. Army Air Forces B-17F Flying Fortress, like the one pictured here, was shot down and crashed in Eygelshoven, Netherlands, on Oct. 14, 1943. To honor the five U.S. aircrew who died, five taken prisoner of war and one still listed as missing in action \u2013 members from Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and local veteran groups and historians met at the memorial site near the Eygelshoven Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite \u2013 80 years following that faithful day.
\n (Photo Credit: Courtesy photo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n The commander of Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux, Lt. Col. Blake Smith, and the senior advisor to the Dutch Garrison Command, Lt. Col. D.G. Reijnen, pay respect to the U.S. Army Air Forces B-17F Flying Fortress aircrew that was shot down and crashed in Eygelshoven, Netherlands, on Oct. 14, 1943. Smith and Reijnen too part in an 80-year commemoration ceremony Oct. 13 to honor the five U.S. aircrew who died, five survivors who were captured and taken prisoner of war and the one crew member who is still listed as missing in action.
\n (Photo Credit: Courtesy photo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n Several streets at the Eygelshoven Army prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite are named after the B-17F Flying Fortress aircrew members who died near the APS-2 site, as well as the aircrew member who was never found. Pictured here is a street sign dedicated to 1st Lt. Harvey A. Manley, a bombardier in the B-17 who was killed in action at the age 23 when he and his fellow aircrew were shot down on Oct. 14, 1943. Other aircrew members memorialized with their own street signs at the Eygelshoven APS-2 worksite are 1st Lt. William J. Martin, 1st Lt. Donald P. Breeden, Sgt. Leonard R. Henlin and Sgt. Robert G. Wells.
\n (Photo Credit: Courtesy photo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n