- Type of Memorial
- Composite
- WMR Reference Number
- 1294
- Description
- A propellor, mounted onto a square, stone base with additional dedicatory stone placed to the front of the propeller. Squadron emblems carved and painted in colour on the sides and top of the stone base supporting the propeller: the whole is set on a paved area. A plaque giving details of the wartime history of 91st is to the right of the memorial: a second plaque, attached to a stone to the left of the propeller, details the associated 1st Scouting Force and lists its casualties.
- Inscription
- On stone in front of the propeller, front face: 91ST BOMB. GROUP (H)/ HEADQUARTERS/ 322 BOMB SQ 323 BOMB SQ/ 324 BOMB SQ 401 BOMB SQ/ 441 SUB DEPOT 1ST STA COMP/ 1696 ORDN 1204 QM/ 982 MP 863 CWS/ 556 APU 206 FINANCE/ 2024 ENGR FF 18 WEATHER/ 243 MED DISR (AVN) RED CROSS
Stone in front of the propeller, right face: TO HONOR [SIC] ALL MEN/ OF THE/ 91ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY)/ AAF STATION 121/ BASSINGBOURN DEPOT/ AMERICAN OCCUPIED/ 14 OCTOBER 1942 - 23 JUNE 1945/ NEVER FORGOTTEN/ FOREVER HONORED [SIC]/ ERECTED 1978
Plaque to the right - 91st BOMB GROUP (HEAVY)/ UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS/ From this Bassingbourn, England, site, the men of the 91st Bomb Group/ (H), participated as part of the 8th Air Force in the European Theater [sic]/ of Operations (ETO) during World War II. After forming and training at/ Tampa, Florida, and Walla Walla, Washington, U.S.A., they arrived in/ the ETO in September 1942. Supported by 2,000 ground personnel, 91st/ officers and enlisted airmen flew 9,591 B-17 combat sorties on 340/ missions from 7 November 1942 thru [sic] 25 April 1945. In the air battles/ for freedom, the 91st lost 197 B-17s while destroying 420 of Adolf/ Hitler's German aircraft. Lost were 1010 combat crewmen (899 killed/ and 111 missing in action); and more than 960 crewmen became prisoners/ of war. Two Distinguished Unit Citations were awarded the 91st for/ missions on 4 March 1943 to Hamm, and 11 January 1944 to Oschersleben/ Germany. "The Memphis Belle," (first 8th AF bomber to finish 25 missions),/ and "Nine-O-Nine" (completed a record 140 Missions) were 91st B-17 aircraft./ SUPPORTING UNITS/ 1st COMBAT BOMB WING
243rd MED DISP (AVN) 1204th QM/ 1st STATION COMPLEMENT 441st SUB DEPOT 1696 ORDINANCE/ 18th WEATHER SQUADRON 566th ARMY POSTAL UNIT 2044th ENG FF/ 39th ABGP 863rd CWS ROYAL AIR FORCE/ 206th FINANCE 982nd MPs RED CROSS/ NAAFI
Plaque to the left of the propeller - In Honor Of/ THE 1ST SCOUTING FORCE/ Flight Operations And Ground Personnel/ Who served at Bassingbourn 24 March - 21 April 1945/ Led by Lt. Col. Allison C. Brooks, this group of volunteer Bomber/ and Fighter Pilots, flying the P-51 Mustang, continued to lead the/ 1st Air Division on it's final missions over Germany. They took the/ bomber stream through the weather, scouted all targets and bravely/ defended the bomber stream./ In Memory of/ those who gave their lives while serving at Bassinghourn/ [Names]