(Long Island, NY) Monday April 7TH, at 11:00 a.m. the American Airpower Museum, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, will hold a memorial service to honor the crews of two B-24’s that disappeared off the coast of Long Island during the Second World War.
The date marks the 70TH anniversary of the disappearance of one of the planes and its eleven man crew. The right main B-24 landing gear the museum now has on display was recovered by fisherman from the waters where B-24H-1-FO, 42-7525 was last reported. The four engine bomber had had taken off from Westover Air Base (where is that) on April 7TH 1944 for high altitude gunnery and bombing practice over the Montauk Gunnery Range. The other B-24, 42-7225, departed Westover on December 12, 1943 on a navigation and high altitude gunnery mission. It carried a crew of nine.
Both planes and their crews were never found. Since the origins of the B-24 landing gear remain unclear, the museum will honor the memory of both crews. Your presence is requested at this event as a demonstration that we have not forgotten what these men did. Present at the ceremony will be our World War II aircrew veterans and museum volunteers Frank Kittle, and Jack McMullen. In addition members the clergy will be present.
After the ceremony one of the museum’s aircraft will fly over the Atlantic Ocean and drop two sets of flowers to honor each of the crews.
