On August 17, 1943, an American B-17 bomber crashed in Lummen, near GCOC Oosterhof. It was shot down by a German fighter plane. Some of the crew died, some were captured, others managed to escape.  Seventy years later, in 2013, a memorial was erected at the GCOC in memory of this crew, in the presence of the son of one of them. This year we commemorate the 80th anniversary of this tragic incident on August 19, 2023.

Program:

10h00: Welcome + Speeches

10h30: Unveiling of new information board at the monument.

10h40: Short explanation about the B-17 and the crash by Rudy Kenis

11h00: Wreath laying at monument + hymns

11h30: Opening temporary exhibition about the story of "Dear Mom" and with original remains of the aircraft and personal belongings of the crew.

12h00: Reception

B-17 42-30389 / Dear Mom  94th Bomb Group - 331st Bomb Squadron

The mission was Regensburg – Sweinfurt (Germany), the plane crashed in Lummen (Belgium) on 17th August 1943 at 10.31h