Redlingfield, UK
Dedicated May 15th, 2010
The arrival of the 95th Bomb Group in Horham had a profound effect on neighboring villages such as Redlingfield. Many events still resonate strongly with those who lived in the area through the war. Older locals remember seeing a B-17 Flying Fortress “fall out of the sky” on an icy morning on November 19th 1943. Children were cycling to school and farmers out in their fields when the B-17 crashed just after taking off for a mission to Gelsenkirchen.
All ten crew members died, but miraculously no villagers were seriously injured. The ensuing explosions destroyed Green Farm, the home of the Gooderhams and the Tydemans, who had only moved in to the farmhouse five weeks before. The heavily pregnant Ruby Gooderham and her young daughter Ann, who were in the house, escaped and hid behind a muck heap as the B-17’s ammunition and bombs exploded.
To this day wreckage is still unearthed in the nearby fields. Eddie Coe was a young kid at the time, so when in 2009 his wife Edith suggested to the village committee that Redlingfield should erect a memorial to those brave young men, her idea was taken up immediately. Redlingfield Parish Meeting’s chairman, Janet Norman-Philips, and her husband, village clerk Mike Ager, contacted James Mutton, chairman of the 95th Bomb Group Heritage Association, in neighboring Horham. James was more than keen to come onboard as the crash was one of the things that drew him into his interest in the 95th Bomb Group. Very little was known about the crew and none of those involved in the project really knew what the memorial should look like or where it should be placed. Research in the U.S. revealed the enlistment details of nine of the crew. Janet then got busy online contacting newspapers and other organizations in the men’s home towns to request photographs of the men and other details of their lives. Fundraising was a challenge for the village of just over 100 people but the target was quickly met due to the generosity of: many locals; the 95th Bomb Group Heritage Association; the 95th Bomb Group Memorials Foundation; Sheila Dettleoff-Oniu nèe Whatling, a Redlingfield native; and Robert and Jean Grimaldi from the pilot’s home state. The design was settled on and many gave much help in the areas of design, bricklaying, and construction, including Richard E. Flagg, Roy Wilkinson, and Barry Ransome.
Finally, on Saturday May 15th 2010, Redlingfield honoured the men of a B-17G 42-31123. In a moving ceremony attended by some 200 people—including visitors from the U.S., representatives of the USAF and RAF, local dignitaries from both the county and district councils and members of the Royal British Legion, Royal Air Forces Association and Air Cadets—the memorial was unveiled on Green Lane in Redlingfield. Ann Stebbings, the young girl who escaped from Green Farm on that fateful day in 1943, was joined by USAAF veteran Staff Sgt. Earl Joswick, who knew one of the crew members (Kenneth Cosby), to lay wreaths as the memorial was unveiled and dedicated.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Douglas C47 (DC3) Dakota ZA947 performed a flypast and a bagpiper and a bugler added to the solemn atmosphere. Particularly moving were the speeches by Janie McKnight, president of the 95th Bomb Group Memorials Foundation, and USAF Lt. Col. Brent R. Vosseller from RAF Lakenheath. Janie’s father-in-law, David T. McKnight was one of the first Americans on the scene of the crash. She listed the ten airmen who lost their lives in the crash. Lt. Col. Vosseller, a F15E Strike Eagle pilot, spoke with great sincerity and admiration for the B-17 pilot, Kenneth Rongstad, who had weeks before the crash successfully ditched his stricken aircraft in the North Sea with no loss of life. Lt. Col. Vosseller said, as a fighter pilot, the one thing he really feared was ditching in the unforgiving North Sea. These, and many recollections of the crash and pictures of the unveiling, can all be found on the village’s website: www.redlingfield.suffolk.gov.uk. The memorial’s specially commissioned black granite plaque reads:
REMEMBERED WITH HONOUR
The crew of B-17G-1-BO Flying Fortress 42-31123 G-J of the 334th Bombardment Squadron 95th Bomb Group US Eighth Army Air Force based at Station 119 Horham Suffolk, crashed with the loss of the crew near this spot shortly after taking off on 19th November 1943.
Crew list
2nd Lt Kenneth B. Rongstad (Pilot)
2nd Lt Warren M. Strawn (Co-pilot)
2nd Lt Richard E. Diete (Navigator)
2nd Lt Joseph F. Spicer (Bombardier)
S/Sgt Gail A. Richmond Jr (Top Turret/Engineer)
T/Sgt Gordon V. Sorensen (Radio Operator)
Sgt Charles M. Phinney (Ball Turret Gunner)
Sgt Louis M. Mirabel (Waist Gunner)
Sgt Julius W. Torok (Waist Gunner)
S/Sgt Kenneth Cosby (Tail Gunner)
42-31123 B17-G
This aircraft was assigned to 334th BS 95th BG 14/10/43. Piloted by Kenneth B. Rongstadt, it crashed shortly after taking off at Green Farm, Redlingfield, Suffolk, killing all ten crew members, 19/11/43.
On 15th May 2010, a memorial to the crew was unveiled near the crash site.
Kenneth B. Rongstad Crew - 334th Sqn 42-31123
BACK ROW: S/Sgt Gordon V.Sorensen (radio), Sgt Julius W.Torok (right waist gunner), Sgt Charles E. Phinney (ball turret),Sgt Louis M. Mirabel (left waist gunner), Sgt Aloysious L. Godek, S/Sgt Agnew R. Eckert
FRONT ROW : 2nd Lt Kenneth B. Rongstadt (pilot), 2nd Lt Strawn (co-pilot), 2nd Lt Richard E. Diete (navigator), 2nd Lt Joseph M. Spicer (bombardier)
NOTE : S/Sgt Kenneth Cosby and S/Sgt Gail A. Richmond were both killed in the crash, but are not in the photo. S/Sgt Eckert and Sgt Godek were not in the crew at the time of the crash.
