Listen closely. Have you ever considered the echoes of wartime Amsterdam? Today we stand before the Neergestorte Amerikaanse bommenwerper Plaque. This memorial marks a tragic event during World War II.
The Neergestorte Amerikaanse bommenwerper Plaque commemorates a B-17-G Flying Fortress crash. It happened on March 22 1944. This event deeply impacted the Westzaanstraat neighborhood.
Let’s delve into the story of that fateful day. The American bomber was returning from a mission over Germany. German anti-aircraft fire struck the plane. Piloted by Edward Stull the aircraft struggled. The plane limped towards Amsterdam.
Near Bremen Stull ordered five crew members to parachute. He and co-pilot Samuel Showalter remained. Near Schellingswoude more anti-aircraft fire hit them. Both pilots then bailed out. The crippled plane crashed. It struck a school on Westzaanstraat. Part of it hit the rectory of a church on Spaarndammerstraat.
Anne Frank even wrote about this event in her diary. The crash was poorly documented. Yet it left an indelible mark. The ten crew members faced capture. Five parachuted near Nordhorn Germany. The Germans quickly took them prisoner. Stull and Showalter were captured later.
Pilot Sam Showalter returned to Amsterdam 50 years later. In 1994 he visited Bremstraat. That is where he landed by parachute. He recalled trying to secure wiring. This aimed to crash the plane into the North Sea.
The Westzaanstraat has honored the crash with two monuments. There is a plaque on the wall of Westzaanstraat 71. This commemorates the three civilians who died. Five civilians were also wounded.
Sixty years later the Westzaanstraat added a statue. It is in Westzaanplantsoen. Godelieve Smulders created “Farewell 2004”. The statue represents two events. First it recalls when the area was a cemetery. Second it honors the crashed bomber.
The monument features a granite column. Its segments symbolize life’s journey. A bronze figure on top waves goodbye. The wings bear the words “we too”.
Reports from that day paint a grim picture. The Luchtbeschermingsdienst noted three deaths. M. Baarslag and Fr. Houttuin were identified. One victim remained unknown. Five people were seriously injured. Buildings suffered damage from fire and shattered glass.
Eyewitness Ben van den Broek described the chaos. He saw the plane struggling. It flew towards them like a wounded bird. He and others ran for safety. A wing with a fuel tank crashed nearby. Burning fuel spread. It injured residents.
The school was also used by the Dutch Resistance. The crash created problems. Members feared the Germans would find hidden weapons.
The Neergestorte Amerikaanse bommenwerper Plaque reminds us. It speaks of wartime tragedy. It speaks of resilience and remembrance. It is a tribute to those who lost their lives. It honors those who survived the chaos. Take a moment to reflect on this history. Consider its impact on this community.