B-17 "Pink Lady"

Air Poche One

Friday 18th July 2003 ceremony

The ceremony took place on the exact spot where on the 16th July 1944 a B17 named "Denny Boy" crash landed after being hit by Nazi flak over Munich and Strasbourg after a bombing raid over the BMW aircraft engines factory in Munich.

We invited the four remaining members of the crew of 9, but alas only one was fit enough to make the trip to France, Mr. Robert Price, radio operator of "Denny Boy"

Robert Price

(Price was one of nine crew members on the B-17 nicknamed ''Denny Boy'' when it was shot down over occupied France on July 16, 1944. It was only the second mission for Price, an Army Air Force radio operator and gunner. The plane lost two engines after being struck by enemy fire during a bombing run over Munich. The pilot was able to crash-land the B-17 in a meadow on the side of a hill near Feternes, in eastern France, and the crew was immediately captured by a German patrol. But within an hour, French liberators ambushed the patrol and rescued the Americans. ''We ran out of the plane and the Germans were there. They put us in a truck,'' said Price. ''And all these French liberators came along and rescued us from the Germans.'' In the confusion, he said, ''We didn't know who was who. [The French] took us up in the hills of that area . . .. We stayed in the mountains overnight.'' The next night, the Resistance fighters took the crew to safety in Switzerland, shooting their way past several German checkpoints on the way. ''It's miraculous the plane didn't blow up. . . . For some reason, we made it. God only knows why,'' said Price, sitting recently at his dining room table. He talks about the event without emotion and said he had not thought about it for years until he received a letter in November from Michel Michoud, a French historical researcher. The letter, which included sepia-toned photos of Price's plane, included an invitation to a planned air show commemorating the crash and rescue. Michoud was born in 1948 in Feternes and has been fascinated by the story of the rescue since he was a young boy. Over the years, Michoud told him, he gathered many pieces of Price's plane that ended up at neighboring farms and in the hands of collectors. ''I'm particularly proud of having rescued your radio,'' he wrote to Price. ''I was amazed that anyone would be that interested in this,'' said Price. ''They are honoring not only me but all the Americans that helped liberate France.'' )

On the 18th July 2003 at about 9:30 the crowd started to gather around the little chapel built on the site, estimated at around 1000 persons.

On a reserved rectangle square of alpine grass, all the members of the local French resistance organizations gathered along the perimeter, about 30 French flags of different organizations of veterans.

Also present a USAF guard of honor from Ramstein AFB (Germany) and a guard of honor of the French Air Force, a military band of the French Air Force, and quite a few high ranking officers from the USAF, French Air Force, as well as other military and political authorities.

At 10:00 sharp, the Air Force band came marching in playing a French military march, followed by the French and USAF guards of honor.

When everybody was in place, the three gentlemen being decorated took place in the middle of the ceremony ground.

Then the Air Force band plaid the US national anthem followed by the French national anthem.

Then the decoration ceremony started, first to be decorated Gen. Chuck Yeager, Col. Bud Anderson and finally Mr. Robert Price.
 

Bud receiving award from French Général Jean-Paul Vinciguerra

The French Air Force General conducting the ceremony, firstly said : Colonel Bud Anderson, in the name of the President of the Republic and in virtue of the powers which are given to me, I elevate you to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honour, then the general draw his officer's dagger and slowly touch the left then the right shoulder of Bud, then put the dagger back in its shaft, then he takes the medal on a purple pillow (held by a blond girl...) pin the medal to Buds' jacket then give him an accolade, take a footstep back and salute.

When all three recipient have been decorated, the band plays the French national anthem, then the three recipients are walked back by an officer to their seat.

End of the ceremony.


Speeches, Gen. Yeager says a few words, then the band plays some music and
then....:


Fly-past at low level of four French Air Force Mirage 2000, followed two minutes later by a B17, a Corsair and a Mustang who did three or four flyovers.

End of the official ceremony and all invitees walk to a nearby tent where a great buffet and drinks are being served.

By Jean-Marc Jeanmaire

General Yeager and Bud Anderson after receiving their awards.

We would like to thank Jean-Marc Jeanmaire and the following people for making Bud's trip to France possible and for the warm hospitality and friendship shown Bud and Eleanor during their stay:

Philippe Mourier, Président of the Organisation Comitee "Air Poche One 2003"
All the members of the Organisation comitee Air Poche One 2003 (includine Jean-Marc Jeanmaire.)

Marc Francina, Deputy, Mayor of Evian
Patricia Mahut, Director of the Cabinet (office) of Marc Francina Jean-Philippe Bened, Mayor of Féternes Denis Ducrot, Mayor of Habère-Poche Guy Martenet, Mayor of Morgins-Troistorrents (Switzerland) Ernest Nycollin, Président of the General councel of Haute-Savoie Department Joel Baud-Grasset, General councelor of the Haute-Savoie Department Denis Bouchet, General councelor of the Haute-Savoie Department Pierre Herisson, Senator Jean-Claude Carle, Senator

Robert Crinquant, Major of the French Air Force (retired) Général Jean-Paul Vinciguerra, General of the French Air Force (retired) THE MAN WHO DECORATED BUD !

Philippe Roy, spokesperson Geneva International Airport Jacques Fritz, Chief of Operations Geneva International Airport Jean-Baptiste Stange, Skyguide, Swiss Aerial Control

Michel Michoud, Collector (of the B17 bits and pieces) recovered after the crash and after the war.