European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 9, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday. May 9. 1987 the stars and stripes Pago 3 s4s photos by mail s propeller Blades Alp a Flower strewn memorial in a Field outside  or buium Salute the memory of wartime american fliers. Belgians Honor american As a fallen son from Page 1 Wood from the nearby forests the second As a human being was More important malic s Iid. Thai was in ensure thai he survivors were rounded up mid turned Over to Ihu belgian partisans or underground who would help them 10 Safe passage through Belgium and France to Swiler land and  working under constant threat of death or Deporta Tion to concentration tamps in Germany tie mayor and other villagers coordinated with the underground to find inc american airmen and get them to safely. When the fire was contained in tit returned to the Village called the germans and told them a j-17 had crashed. Two hours had passed since the crash. Upon arriving at the crash site the germans inspected the wreckage and were Given Young s Hody. A Soldier spoiled an pm ply Parachute in the Tri is near the area. Whal is Hal the Soldier asked Milel. Is thai not a Parachute in i Host i rfcs of course hat is a Parachute hut i Don t Kunciw what was in it Motel replied. That is not my Pronh 1cm. As mayor of his Village my responsibility was to immediately fight till fire and sae the Wood from being consumed that n what i  the germans believed Mousci did not know where the americans were they began their own search unaware the villagers were making plans to turn the airmen Over to the underground. Shortly Alt a the crash the h-17 s co Pilot and 1.1. Donald Smith. Armed at a farm near the Village. In very broken French Siuila said i my with my Chule into the Recs always Green meaning he landed in Pine Trees. When the mayor was notified he and Village resident Victor Selock went 10 the farm waited until Sunset then look Smith to the nearby Village of do champs. Schleck contacted the Village priest who was a Mem Ber of the underground and they escorted the flier to a Point deep in the Woods where three other americans wailed to rejoin their forces. Two of these were fellow Crew members from the b-17. The third was a downed America n fighter i Loi. Two Days after the crash. Motel received a phone Call from someone who had an american  on n farm no far from i Rii Menil. The caller used the mayor what am i to do with this american the mayor asked the caller not to panic and Afler Sun Sel Well to inc Larm on his Moio Faike. Monet called a Village official in nearby Samaree and asked him to Check for germans who a Ere looking Lor the americans. Beri Menil mayor Joseph Motti l stands in front of a Mill Monument dedicated in the nun s our dead. Because it was Loo dangerous to in ii l the roads with the american. Mullet drove the flier on Ilie Back of his Bike through the Woods to nearby do champs. There he turned the american Over 10 the priest. Mui Tel said thai was inc kill in1 so of the flier. Mollet was Ingemi Galud Al length by the Fimi ians. List he again played dumb i look the face of a stupid  he said i Epi telling ii Iti i did t know Wail they were talking Aboul my i didn1 know a Hal h in end to the Anu i  the germans  slopped la Weir is Sivh. By Resea riling .  trim worlds or ii. The villagers determined that the surviving Crew Mem Bers rejoined the Allied t orces. Today just outside the Village and very Clobe to the crash site stands Anu Lher Monument. This one lopped with a three bladed aircraft propeller. It is dedicated to the h-17 Crew members. Hut the propeller is no from the h-17. When the american forces moved into the area in sep tember 11 44. The Vilogi is saved one of the u-17 propel it i lending to use in Lor inc memorial. But. 10 Decem Ber l m4. In More they had Chance id build in. The tie Ritums re entered the area during the hauled the bulge. The villagers hid Ilie propeller Dee i in the winds u keep the trcrman1. From find inti in. They bid it so we lit has never k cd found. When the Oiom Tseih was finally buil in i yi4. The Helgio air Force donated a propeller from a it a aircraft