United States 8th Air Force Memorial - RAF Museum, Hendon, London, UK
N 51° 35.845 W 000° 14.263
30U E 691311 N 5719878
The US 8th Air Force memorial is located within the RAF Museum at Hendon in London. It is dedicated to the memory of US airmen who served in the UK between 1942 and 1945 in the Second World War. The monument moved from Liverpool to London.
Waymark Code: WMNG0X
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/09/2015
Views: 3
The RAF Museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm with admission being free. Car parking is available but there is a charge. The nearest underground station is Colindale about a 10-15 minute walk away or a number 303 bus passes both the tube station and museum. The co-ordinates posted are for the entrance to the "Milestones of Flight" hall/exhibition entrance.
The memorial stone was first erected in Liverpool on 28th May 1984 in a garden dedicated to the fallen at the Liverpool International Garden Festival. Subsequently, the site was to be redeveloped so the memorial stone was relocated to its current location in the RAF Museum. The memorial was produced and donated to the 8th Air Force by the Shreveport Monument Company.
The memorial has images of five aircraft inscribed in its top part together with the insignia of the 8th. Below that is inscribed:
In memory of the 350,000 Americans who
served in Great Britain, 1942 - 1945, as members
of the Eighth Air Force
Their sacrifices - more than 26,000 died in combat - contributed immeasurably to
the Allied victory in Europe - they shall not be forgotten.
The following Medal of Honor recipients typified that special courage, devotion
to duty and can-do spirit displayed by all members of the mighty Eighth:
There follows a list of 17 names, then:
Dedicated this 28th day of May 1984, on behalf of the men and women of today's Eighth Air Force.
The aircraft featured on the memorial stone, from top to bottom, are:
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
- Consolidated B24 Liberator
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning
- North American P-51 Mustang