Features

“The Black Widow” WWII crash site, crew memorialized

Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Olivia Sampson
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
August 30, 2024
Leaders from the 86th Airlift Wing, German air force, NATO Allied Air Command, local civic leaders and members from the Rhineland-Pfalz Historical Research Community pose for a photo in Mechtersheim, Germany, August 24, 2024.The leaders met to honor nine fallen members at the crash site of a B-17G Flying Fortress callsigned The Black Widow. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olivia Sampson)

A new monument was unveiled during a memorial service honoring the American aviators of a B-17G Flying Fortress that crashed during World War II in Mechtersheim, Germany, Aug. 24.

The memorial service was held at the exact crash site and brought descendants of the aviators together for the first time since the crash’s investigation started in 2016.

The crew flew through winter weather and heavy fog on a mission targeting a crucial bridge over the River Rhine. After being struck by anti-aircraft flak, the B-17G caught fire and exploded, with seven of the nine crew members parachuting to safety. Though they survived, they were captured by the German air force and spent the remaining months of the war as prisoners of war.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Adrienne L. Williams, 86th Airlift Wing commander, puts a purple heart in a time capsule during the memorial service for a B-17G Flying Fortress crash in Mechtersheim, Germany, Aug. 24. Relatives of the fallen aircrew traveled from the U.S. to attend the ceremony, remember and celebrate their sacrifices, and to gain closure.

U.S. Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. James Richard Mitchell and U.S. Army Air Corps Sgt. Nelson R. Beyer both perished in the crash.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Adrienne L. Williams, 86th Airlift Wing commander, represented the wing and gave a speech thanking the descendants for their families’ service.

“Our commemoration today emphasizes the importance of partnerships and community, as descended family members, military members, Germans, Americans, volunteers, and others helped make this memorial permanent. Time continues to tick forward, but the history, legacy, and heritage of the Black Widow and 2nd Lt. Mitchell’s crew will always remain an essential lesson in service before self. We owe our lives, and our future, to these young men and their eternal legacy.”

Guests of a B-17G Flying Fortress crash memorial service greet each other in Mechtersheim, Germany, Aug. 24. The ceremony honored the lives lost during the crash and included leaders from the 86th Airlift Wing, German air force, NATO Allied Air Command, local civic leaders and members from the Rheinland-Pfalz Historical Research Community to honor the American aviators and their descendants.

Once the memorial was unveiled and the speeches concluded, guests were taken to the exact location where the cockpit crashed. Additionally, attendees witnessed a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft flyover with a personnel airdrop, a pigeon release and delivered speeches of their own to express their gratitude.

The guests and presiding officials attended a reception hosted by the city of Romerberg after the ceremony. This gave the chance for the U.S. Air Force, German air force and local communities to strengthen ties and pay respects to the past.

“Now, eighty years after Allied forces landed on Europe, it remains as important to honor and memorialize all those involved in defeating Axis forces,” said Williams. “To be able to remember together as allies, acknowledge history and work toward healing is the truest test of peace.”

World War II era military vehicles line up to take guests of a B-17G Flying Fortress crash memorial service to the reception after the ceremony, in Mechtersheim, Germany, Aug. 24. The ceremony allowed the city of Neustadt to memorialize the World War II crash site, pay respects and give closure to living relatives.
German air force Lt. Col. Andreas Kaukel, NATO Allied Air Command German national representative, speaks during a memorial service of the fallen Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress aircraft and its crew in Mechtersheim, Germany, Aug. 24. The memorial service also included a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft flyover with a personnel airdrop, a pigeon release and speeches expressing gratitude and honoring the crew.
Leaders from the 86th Airlift Wing, German air force, NATO Allied Air Command, local civic leaders and members from the Rheinland-Pfalz Historical Research Community honor nine aircrew members at a B-17G Flying Fortress crash memorial service in Mechtersheim, Aug. 24. The memorial service provided an opportunity for members to remember and honor the fallen aircrew’s sacrifice and strengthen the bond between the U.S. and Germany.
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