Ceremony October 20, 2009
65 years after the accident there was a memorial ceremony at the monument. Over 80 persons, including representatives from the organizations that helped in the night of the accident, such as the home guard, the police and the fire brigade, gathered to honor the six airmen who crashed here the night before October 20, 1944.
Members of Skepplanda home guard and cultural organization marched in the lead to the monument.
The music corps Kamraterna played an introduction march, the hymn "Klippa, du som brast" and the Air Force parade march during the ceremony and finished with the American taps.
Siv Persson and Magnus Löwenstein lit six candles for the victims.
Karl Allmenröder laid down a wreath with the American colors, red, blue and white on the upper half and the Swedish blue and yellow on the lower half.
Stefan Knutsson read a letter from Mary Johnston, the widow of Jim Johnston. In the letter, she thanked all who had come to honor her husband and his five colleagues.
Elver Jonsson, the mayor of Alingsås, gave a speech.
Vicar Lennart Johnsson from Östad also spoke, and concluded by reading from the hymn "Klippa, du som brast" that the music corps Kamraterna played earlier.
A memorial ceremony was also held in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, where, among others, Mary Johnston, the widow of Jim Johnston, participated.
Attendees at the ceremony in the U.S.: Jill Haubrick, Jim Tunall, Denise Boonie, Rhonda Walters, Mary Johnston and Janet Walker.
Copyright photos: © Jonna Freidlitz, Katarina Knutsson, Denise Boonie
