FELLOW VETERANS OF SCHWEINFURT AND YOUR WIVES, PATRIOTIC FRIENDS AND SUCH DIGNATARIES AS HAVE SEEN FIT TO JOIN US IN THIS MEMORIAL CEREMONY IN THIS HALLOWED PLACE. WE ARE MET HERE TO ASSURE OURSELVES AND THIS NATION THAT POSTERITY SHALL NOT FORGET AND TOTALLY NEGELECT THE 600 COURAGEOUS AND SELFLESS YOUNG AMERICANS WHO FAILED TO RETURN ON THAT FATEFUL DAY 37 YEARS AGO FROM THE BALL BEARING PLANTS OF SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY. WE HAVE TAKEN SOLEMN PLEDGE THAT THESE WONDERFULL YOUNG MEN IN THE PRIME TIME OF THEIR LIVES SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SLKP INTO COMPLETE OBLIVION BY AN UNGRATEFUL AND FORGETFUL GOVERNMENT FOR WHICH THEY GAVE THE FULL MEASURE OF THEIR DEVOTION TO THEIR COUNTRY AND THE FREQUENTLY PROCLAIMED PIRNCIEPLES THAT SOMEHOW SEEM TO HAVE LOSTTHEIR FULL MEANING TO MOST OF THE POLITICIANS AND ETHNIC NEWCOMERS TO THIS WONDEROUS LAND.
IN HONORING THESE FALLEN NATIONAL HEROES, WE ARE IN A CERTAIN SENSE HONORING OURSELVES WHO WERE THE LUCKY ONES THAT RETURNED FROM THIS DISASTEROUS EVENT OF WAR. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF DIVINE SELECTION OR SOME OTHER UNKNOWN AND UNFATHOMABLE STROKE OF FORTUNE WE WERE PRESERVED TO ESTABLISH THIS MEMORIAL AT THIS SITE FOR THE
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FALLEN HERORES OF THE NATION. IN OUR OWN MEMORIES ARE IMPRINTED THE UNFORGETABLE SIGHTS WE SAW AND FELT THE INDESCRIBABLE TERROR AS WE WATCHED THE HOLOCAUST UNROLL BEFORE US. IT IS THESE FEELINGS THAT HAVE INSPIRED US TO ESTABALISH IN INDESTRUCTABLE STONE AND METAL THE MEMORY OF THE VALIANT YOUNG MEN OF YESTERYEAR.
IN UNDERTAKING OUR SELF-ASSIGNED MISSION WE IN NO WAY DETRACT FROM OUR FORMER COMRADES WHO FELL IN OTHER GREAT AIR BATTLES AND WHOSE LOSSES WE SHARED ON MANY OTHER OCCASIONS. NOR DO WE FORGET THE MEN WHO LANDED ON THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY OR OTHER PLACES IN BOTH EUROPE AND THE PACIFIC. THEIRDEVOTION AN DSACRIFICE WAS EQUAL TO THOSE WE HONOR TODAY. THEIR TERROR AND HURTS WERE AS REAL AS OUR OWN AND THEIR LOVED ONES AT HOME FELT THEIR DEVISTATING LOSS EQUALLY WITH OUR WON. TO THEM WE PAY DEEPEST TRIBUTE. HERE IN MY POOR INADEQUATE WAY I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO SET THE EVNVIRONMENT FOR YOU.
TRY TO IMAGINE YOURSELF STANDING IN AN ENGLISH WOODLAND IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT. THE INEVITABLE MISTS HAVE CREPT IN FROM THE NORHT SEA. EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH IS COLD AN DWET AND THE LEAVES AND BRANCHES ARE CONSTANTLY DRIPPING THE COLD DAMPNESS ON YOUR SKIN AND CLOTHING. AS YOU STAND THERE THE SILENCE IS CONSTANTLY AND CONTINUOUSLY BROKEN BY THE ROAR OF DISTANT ENGINES AS THE UNSUNG
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BUT HEROIC GROUND-CREWS READY FTHE BOMBERS FOR THE APPROACHING DAY WHEN THEY MUST BE READY TO CARRY ON THE WAR. THEY STRUGGLE ON IN THE BITTER COLD LOADING THE BOMBS AND STOWING THE AMMUNITION. THEY CANNOT STOP TO REST OR WARM THEMSELVES FOR THE SQUATTING MONSTERS MUST BE READY BEFORE DAWN. THERE ARE GREAT SURGES OF SOUND AS A CREW CHIEF WINDS UP ONE OF THE GREAT ENGINES TO FULL POWER TO TEST ITS READINESS. AS YOU LISTEN IN THE FINAL HOURS OF DARKNEWSS THE TEMPO OF SOUND INCREASES, THE CREWS HAVE ENTERED THE BOMBERS NOW AND THE WAR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN AGAIN FOR THIS IS JUST ANOTHER DAY.
THE BRITISH VILLAGERS AND FARMERS STIR IN THEIR BEDS AND TAKE COMFORT AT THE PENETRATING SOUNDS. THEY SMILE IN RELIEF AND APPRECIATION FOR THEY KNOW WHAT THESE CRAZY BOISTROUS YOUNG AMERICANS HAVE COME FROM FAR ACROSS THE SEA TO TAKE UP THEIR BURDEN AND CAUSE THAT SEEMED TO THEM TO BE ALL BUT LOST BEFORE THEIR ARRIVAL.
THE NEW DAY HAS DAWNED, A NEW WAR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. HUNDREDS OF BOMBERS HAVE RISEN THROUGH THE OVERCAST AND ASSEMBLED INTO GREAT FORMATIONS. THE AIR OVER THE ENGLISH MIDLANDS IS FILLED WITH THE SOUND OF THUNDER, THE VERY EARTH SEEMS TO TREMBLE. AS THEY TURN TOWARD THE EAST AND THE SHORES OF CONTINENTAL EUROPE THE THUNDER
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DIMINISHES AND FINALLY FADES AWAY AS THE GREAT FLEET ENTERS THE HOSTILE SKIES OF THE ENEMY.
IN YOUR IMAGINATION I ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR PLACE IN ONE OF THESE BOMBERS. BELOW YOU, YOU SEE THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. FROM THIS HEIGHT OF FIVE MILES IT LOOKS SMALL ENOUGH TO STEP ACROSS. YOU ANXIOUSLY WATCH THE SKIES AROUND YOU FOR YOUR FIGHTER ESCORT WHO ARE TO PROTECT YOU FROM THE VICIOUS ABEYVILLE KIDS WHO YOU KNOW ARE WAITING FOR YOU AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN THEIR WEAPONS AGAINST YOU. YOU SEE YOUR FRIENDLY FIGHTERS BUT FOR FAR TOO SHORT AN INTERVAL. YOU KNOW THEY MUST SOON TURN BACK TO ENGLAND BECAUSE OF THEIR LIMITED RANGE. YOU NOTE THEY ARE TURNING BACK AND THE SKY SEEMS EMPTY. BUT NOT FOR LONG.
SUDDENLY AND SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE THE BOGIES APPEAR IN DROVES, YOU REALIZE THE BATTLE IS TO BE ENJOINED. THE NEW FIGHTERS BORE IN WITH A HEAD ON ATTACK, THEIR 20 MILIMETER CANNON FLASHING LIKE A THOUSAND FLASHBULBS; IN THE BRIGHT SUN THEY REVEAL THEMSELVES TO BE THE DREADED MESSERSCHMIDT 109S AND FULK WULF 190S. NOW YOU DISCOVER THERE ARE OTHER SAPPOACHING FROM THE REAR. THESE ARE THE ME 210S AND HEINKEL 111S AND THEY CARRY THE LETHAL 8-INCH ROCKETS. TIME SEEMS TO STAND STILL BUT IT HAS MOVED ON RELENTLESSLY AND YOU NOTICE THAT THE RANKS OF THE BOMBERS AROUND YOU HAVE THINNED AN
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OTHERS ARE LAGGING. THE PRECISE FORMATIONS ARE RAGGED. SUDDENLY YOU SEE BOMBER NEAREST YOU HAS BEEN STRUCK BY ONE OF THE DEVASTATING ROCKETS – THE WINGS RIP OFF, THE CLEAN BODY OF THE BOMBER IS SHATTERED AND BGINGS TO DISGINTEGRATE – BODIES OF MENA DN PARTS OF BODIES ERUPT FROM THE MANGLED WRECKAGE AND BEGIN THE LONG FIVE-MILE FALL TO THE EARTH FAR BELOW. THE GREAT BOMBER AND ITS CREW HAVE DISAPPEARED INTO OBLIVION AND YOU SUDDENLY REALIZE THAT TEN OF THE MEN YOU HAD BREAKFAST WITH A FEW HOURS BEFORE ARE NO MORE AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. YOU ARE SHOCKED AND DEPRESSED FOR A SHORT TIME BUT THE DAY GRINDS ON AND YOU ARE CONFRONTED WITH NEW SIGHTS AND EVENTS THAT OCCUPY YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS.
FINALLY THERE IS THE TARGET AND THE BOMBS ARE AWAY AND THE REASON YOU ARE HERE HAS VANISHED. YOU HAVE A SENSE OF RELIEF YOU KNOW YOUR JOB FOR THIS DAY IS DONE. NOW LET’S GO HOME TO ENGLAND IF WE CAN.
BACK THERE THE DAYLIGHT DIMS TOWARD EVENING. THE CLOOUDS STILL OBSCURE THE SKY BUT IT’S TIME FOR THE BOMBERS TO RETURN, FOR THEIR FUEL IS NEARLY EXHAUSTED. ALL EYES ARE TURNED TOWARD THE EAST SEARCHING FOR THE LUCKY ONES AND AT LONG LAST THEY BEING TO APPEAR RAGGED AND SCATTERED, SOME SEEM TO STAGGER BUT HELD ALOFT BY THE GREAT SKILL AND DETERMINATION OF THEIR PILOTS AND CREWS. BEHIND THEM, STREWN ACROSS THE FIELDS OF EUROPE, ARE PILES OF RUBBLE WITH
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THEIR FRAGILE HUMAN REMAINS TORN ASUNDER AND ALREADY TURNING TO DUST AND TOTAL OBLIVION BY THE VIOLANCE OF THEIR PASSING.
THE BRITISH PEOPLE WATCH IN SORROW FOR THOSE WHOSE LAUGHTER AND YOUTHFUL CHATTER WILL NEVER GAGIN BE HEARD IN THE PUBS OF THE VILLAGES OR AT THE OCCASIONAL ARTIFICIALLY GAY PARTIES ON THE BOMBER BASES.
THERE ARE NO BATTLEFIELDS TO MAKR IN THE SKIES, NO PLOTS OF EART FOR VISITORS TO REMBEMBER AND LISTEN TO STORIES OF VALOR AND SACRIFICE BY GUIDES TRAINED IN DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES. THERE ARE ONLY THESE POOR INAUSPICIOUS MARKERS THAT WE THE LIVING HAVE ERECTED TO HONOR OUR COMRADES. AND SO WE DEDICATED THIS SMALL PLOT OF GROUND, THIS TREE THAT WILL EVENTUALLY WITHER AND DIE, THIS SMALL MARKER WITH ITS INADEQUATE MESSAGE TO RECALL THOSE GREAT AND COURAGEOUS AMERICANS WHO STILL LIVE STRONGLY INO UR LMEMORIES AND THE AGING POPULATION OF BRITAIN.
NEVER AGAIN WILL THE SOUND OF THE GREAT BOMBERS IN MASS FORMATION DISTURB THE COUNTRYSIDES OF THE WORLD. THEIR ERA HAS OCME AND GONE FOREVER AS WE ARE THE WILD CHARGES OF PICKETT AND CUSTER AND THE SHRILL CRIES OF THE WOUNDED AND DYING ON THE FIELDS OF GETTYSBURG.
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I URGE THAT ON THE FUTURE VISITS TO THESE HALLOWED GROUNDS YOU PAUSE BRIEFLY AT THIS SHRINE AND REMEMBER THE VALIANT YOUNG MEN WHO COULD ONLY MARK THEIR PASSAGE THIS WAY WITH AN INDELIBLE MARK ON AMERICAN HISTORY AND A HERITAGE OF VALOR TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION, THE EQUIVALENT OF OR EVEN SURPASSING THE IMMORTAL WORDS COMMENMORATING THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGAD OF ENGLAND’S HISTORY.
AND NOW IN CLOSING I BEG THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE LIMITATIONS OF MY ABILITY AND THE INADEQUACIES OF LANGUAGE TO PRESENT A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHY WE ARE HERE AND THE DEPT OF OUR PURPOSE.
SO SAYING, I BID YOU ADIEU.
COLONEL BUDD J. PEASLEE (Ret)
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
SECOND SCHWEINFURT MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
14:39, Oct.14, 1988
Oaktree & S.S.M.A. Bronze Plaque
Dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery-Adjacent to the tomb of the unknown solider
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I was honored to read this address written by Col Peaslee at our reunion dinner in New Orleans last month. It is presented as written with a few typos. The main one noticed is the date of the address. It is typed as 1988 and we know Col Peaslee left us in 1983. We are trying to verify the date of the dedication