Slavičín August 29, 2005

 

Heading for the Eastern Moravian region, where the highest amount of the No 15 USAAF airships had been downned in on Aug 29, 1944, we went via the village of Velehrad [Vaellaehrud].
A crashsite of one B 17 bomber and a monument of one crewman was erected to the right of the T-junction towards the campsite. It si situated about one km North of Velehrad towards the hamlet of Salash. It was pouring cats and dogs, so we rushed to the small town of Slavicin.

 

We went on Eastward to the small town of Slavicin near the Moravian border  where 28 No 20 Sqn`s airmen had been laid to rest on  August 31, 1944 being killed two days ago and their colleague William J. Owsianik surviving the air battle of Aug 29, 1944 was to come and hold a discussion with the public in the premisses of the [Slavvicheen] Council Museum.
Two Owsianik`s crewmen were killed and burried at the village of Rudice. All the seven ships of No 20 Squadron – Nos 885, 056, 473, 048, 118, 359 and 159 – were downed by the Lufwaffe fighters, as well as the 429th Sqn`s No 915 and 49 th one No 369 B 17s.
The 20th Sqn of 2nd Bomber Group flew at the very tail of the huge bunch of B17 and B 24 heavy bombers heading for the the objectives of the Moravska Ostrava marshalling yard and the Privoser Refinery nearby.

The Mustangs escorting the bombers on their flight towards the objectives were instructed to leave the ships over the town of Trencin and fly ahead over Ostrava and sweep the area over both the objectives. Their role of the close escort should have been taken over by Lightning
two-engine fighter planes. But these ones had repelled the Luftwaffe fighters over Lake Balaton in Hungary and that reason for were not over Trencin in time.The job of these Luftwaffe Jagd Gruppen – Fighter Groups – to engage the P 39s here and prevent them from reaching the bunch of B17 s and B 24s over Trencin as intended – was done perfectly.
Messeschmitt 109s and Fockewulf 190s including armoured Fw 190 A8s struck instantly and the first No 473  B17  going down crashed even on the territory of Slovakia, the Nos 885 and 096 within a stone throw of the Moravian-Slovakian border. Nos 118 and 159`s crashsite was not far from the town of Slavicin. The attack was so fierce, that nine crewmen were killed in each of  Nos 096, 885 and 048. Only P 51D alarmed by No 20 Squadron to come back as soon as possible saved the bunch of heavier destruction.

Wiliamem Owsianik, who was shot down 29. 8. 1944 over Slavičín, attended at the reunion at Slavičín Muzeum 28. 8. 2005.

The Museum mentioned above is situated at the upper edge of  the main Slavicin Square at
15 Misarkova St.
Opening hours - Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and Sundays  2 – 5 p.m.
E-mail : kultura@mesto-slavicin.cz
After the discussion and signing, the No 15 USAAF veteran left the building using his walking frame. Spotting me in the courtyard sitting on my wheelchair, he grinned and asked me at once, if I had his signature. I had to bow to him.

The No 20 Sqn. Veteran set out to the village of Sanov, where some exhibits reminding this  event of Aug 29, 1944 are seen in the builing of the former nursery.
Going there, we passed the Wars Victims Memorial with the plaque of 2nd Lt Tayne L Thomas` nine crewmen. He was the only one who succeeded in surviving.
Contact : Museum Sanov [Shannov], Postal  Code 763 22 – P. O. Slavicin
Mr. Michal Zitnik [Zhitnyeek], Šanov 108
or E-mail : ousanov@volny.cz  = Local authority

The Slavicin Regin History Club Enthusiats have issued three times the booklet
"The Air Battle over Slavicin ". In Czech only.
Contact : Ing. Miroslav Kadlec – through the Slavicin muninicipality

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