Tribute to Sgt Minnick USAAF. A moving commemoration

Last Sunday a monument was inaugurated at Amilly, Near Chartres France, to pay a tribute to a B-17 crew and especially to Sgt Minnick whose relatives attended the ceremony.

It shows that even after all those years , people still care.


Special thanks to the Forced-Landing Association for masterminding this moving project, they are doing a tremendous job. also thanks to my friend Christian for his excellent artwork



stele with U.S. flag and propeller blade




US and French national anthems





















speech by the Mayor




the plaque with the crew




A relative received a framed painting of her father's B-17.
(note that the author who is a good friend also drew Alex's Campbell's signature drawing on this forum and "my" P-47 signature. )

pictures taken at the following sources: (many more to be seen
Site officiel de la Communauté de Communes du Val de l'Eure


www.lechorepublicain.fr - A la Une - AMILLY (28300) - Le sergent Minnick, tué en 44 dans le crash de son avion à Amilly, n
La mission du 1er Aot 1944

 

and Mrs Minnick's speech in English:



"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, you are so kind.
I'm sorry I don't speak French.
My nephew RJ will be speaking for me.
On behalf of my father, Thomas Joseph Minnick III, the bombardier, my mother Judy, my twin brother Tom, and all my family and father's family, the families of Thomas Scheurell, the navigator, and Eldred Baskin, a gunner, and the rest of the crew who we have not yet been able to contact.
We thank the mayor, all the dignitaries, the French veterans, and the Association Forced Landing, and especially the French people.

I know our countries have a long history of friendship. One of the greatest symbol of liberty in the Unites States and the world, the Statue of Liberty is a gift from the French people to the American people.
We have been Allies for centuries.
During World War II, many brave people, including the military, the Free French, the Resistance, families and civilians made many courageous sacrifices in the fight for freedom. What moves me beyond what words can express is the friendship and concern shown by the French for my father's and others' sacrifice.
It means so much to me that almost 68 years after the crash of this B17, their efforts are not forgotten. A part of me always rests with you in a field in Amilly and in the Normandy American Cemetery
Thank you.
Vive la France, vive the United States"

 

Thanks Biak, if you like these kind of threads I can post more of them.

 

Cheers Biak, that's all I needed to hear, I will post another commemoration for you and others very soon.

 

I cannot thank Jean Pierre and all at the Association Forced Landing, the mayor and people of Amilly, and the French people enough. Such an incredible and moving experience. Thank you for your comments.

 

does anyone know where he was from? just wondering.

 

Thank you, Mrs. Minnick. Please know how much we appreciate your father's service and sacrifice. We consider it a privilege to honor the memory of those young men who put everything on the line for the cause of freedom.

And thank you, Skipper, for posting Mrs. Minnick's speech in English for the mono-lingual folks like me.

 

It's been a privilege posting this Mrs Minnick. Mr Pierre told me how honored he was by your visit .

 

Thank You Mrs. Minnick! and Well done Skipper keep em coming!

 

He was from Philadelphia, PA. My mother was from Cincinnati, OH. He was actually 26 when he was killed, not 24. Thanks for all your comments.

 

:S!

 

Thank you all. I haven't been able to get to the site for several weeks but there was a note that it may harm my computer. Now I can get started again.

 

Thanks Mrs Minnick, glad you are able to connect again. When I have more follow ups I will gladly post them here as well.

 

My mother, Dorothy Jarvis, is Eldred Baskin's widow. I would love to get a close-up photo of the monument. I know Eldred has at least one sibling living in the Carrollton, GA area.

 

Enjoy :





http://www.aerosteles.net/fiche.php?code=amilly-b17