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Arenig Fawr B17 Flying Fortress crash site

Memorial for a B17 bomber crew

This is a link to a photo of the crew 2 weeks before they died !........... http://www.303rdbg.com/427pratt.html
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IMG_1567.JPG		 Arenig Fawr
Arenig Fawr

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Don Konley 13-Jan-2011 17:15
4th AUGUST. 1943
'To the crew of the Flying Fortress
that crashed on the summit
of Arenig Fawr'

War brought them - mist caught them.
Capsuled within fogged panes, we see them,
hunched over dials and wavering needles,
tapping the treacherous glass, gloved fingers
rapping the altimeter, sensing the danger.
Shock splinters their fear - a burst
of rock where no rock should have been,
fisting its way through glass, flesh, metal.

and now the same mist shrouds them, a mesh
of droplets, beading pale foreheads, hands,
grass and hard Welsh slate, clammy on leather,
cold on the creaking fuselage; a gray wind
lifting torn shreds of aluminum, shards
scattered among the ancient mountain crags.

Eight crewmen, lost to Illinois, Kentucky,
Ohio, California, New York, Michigan, Idaho
and Pennsylvania. We read their names,
carved on this slate and wonder who they were, or who they might have been, had not their fortress fallen from that grim August sky - how far they might have gone, how high have flown.
D.J.Thorp
sun_cathy 30-Aug-2009 20:33
Don, I really would love to read the poem if you don't mind positing it on the site
LynnH11-Jan-2009 13:59
A very touching story and a nice tribute. Thank you for sharing.
Flying Dutchman15-Aug-2008 21:11
Wow... thank you for posting this on pbase. Men not only gave their lives during the battles... but none the less this loss and pain was felt by many many people they left behind. Good to see that they are still remembered.
Jaybooze 23-Mar-2008 09:15
I lived at a house called Bryniau Goleu on the south side of Bala Lake during the war years and we could see Arenig Fawr from there.
I remember clearly the August morning when we first saw part of the wreckage of the B17 sticking up from near the summit of the east peak of the mountain,it was there for about 3 weeks before removal . I was 10 yrs old then. Jerry
Don Konley 01-Oct-2007 22:09
I was visitibf my wifes cousin in Bala when he said your from Tinley Park Il, Well theres a monument on the top of that mountain ( You coud see the mountain his kitchen window) One of the grew that died was from Tinley Park IL. That interested me and I came home and wrote the newspapers and Mayors of the boys town. This resulted in Flags of the towns being sent over there and thanking the people ofWales for remembering 8 strangers still fifty years after the crash. As they were still having a service in a small Church in Bala with a crowded attendance. Also I received a letter saying altho the Air crew was getting long in tooth and could no longer climb the mountain, don't worry as the sea cadets are taking over that honor.These are boys and girls from 12 to 17.
Thru the newspapers I have heard from twin sisters and brothers of some of the crew, The fiance of Allan Bonner who was to be married a month after the crash date. I also received a letter frrom a Bala resident that walked the mountain a lot and felt he had to write a poem. Ifyou read the poen you feel as tho your in the aircraft as it crashed. I well post it later if anyone wants to read it.
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