Cambridge American Cemetery flyover and wreath-laying in honor of the “Mi Amigo” B-17 crew

The U.S. Air Force will conduct a flyover and the Royal British Legion will lay a wreath at Cambridge American Cemetery (CAAC) on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in honor of the 10 crewmembers of the B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed “Mi Amigo,” who died seventy-five years ago while returning from a combat mission; and Tony Foulds, a British citizen who witnessed the crash as a child and has tended the crew’s memorial in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, United Kingdom for many years.

According to eye-witness accounts, it is believed the crew of the badly damaged aircraft chose not to land in the park after seeing children playing in the field, and instead, crashed in nearby woods killing all aboard.

Three members of the crew are interred at CAAC: Staff Sgt. Harry W. Estabrooks of Mound Valley, Kan.; Sgt. Maurice D. Robbins of Jonah, Texas; and Sgt. Charles H. Tuttle of Raceland, Ky.

The cemetery, which is open to the public, will open early on February 22 to support this remembrance. CAAC staff will dress the three headstones that morning with British and American flags, and will highlight the inscriptions on the headstones with sand from the Normandy Beaches – the final objective for many interred at CAAC. At approximately 8:30 a.m. a small remembrance will begin, followed by the wreath laying, moment of silence and flyover that is scheduled – weather dependent – for between 9:45-10 a.m. GMT.

Cambridge American Cemetery is the only World War II American cemetery in the United Kingdom. CAAC memorializes nearly 9, 000 American service men and women who lost their lives fighting for freedom during the Battle of the Atlantic, the strategic air war over northwest Europe, and the invasion of occupied Europe. There are more than 3,000 buried at the cemetery, and more than 5,000 are honored on the Wall of the Missing. CAAC also demonstrates the critical role Great Britain played in the preparations for D-Day, which will mark its 75th Anniversary at a ceremony at Normandy American Cemetery on June 6, 2019.

Media interested in covering the observance and flyover should arrive by 8 a.m. GMT, and be able to present valid press credentials. Media are asked to RSVP by 3 p.m. GMT Thursday, Feb 21 by contacting Alison Bettencourt at bettencourta@abmc.gov or at publicaffairs@abmc.gov.   

CAAC is part of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), which oversees 26 cemeteries and 30 monuments in Europe, Asia, North Africa and Central and North America. ABMC was formed in 1923 by an act of Congress, and was first chaired by Gen. John J. Pershing. Please visit our website for more information at www.abmc.gov or follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram.