Members of the French and Royal air forces assist family members of Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, Royal Air Force; and Sous-Lieutenant Bernard Scheidhauer, Free French Air Force, unveil the memorial dedicated to the two men outside the West Gate of Ramstein July 1. The two airmen were the masterminds behind the “Great Escape” that took place March 24, 1944. During the escape, 76 Allied airmen escaped from the prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III at Żagań, Poland. Although, they only made it as far as Saarbruecken, Germany, where they were arrested on March 26 and interrogated. On March 29, under the pretext of being returned to their prison camp, Bushell and Scheidhauer were driven to a bridge near Ramstein and killed. Throughout the following days, 48 of their fellow escapees were executed. The commemorative stone was made possible through the support and efforts of the German, U.S., British, and French communities. — Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Moore
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