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Capito Honors WW II Soldiers Lost at Bakers Creek at Ceremony on National Mall

Date: June 14, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Military Personnel


Capito Honors WW II Soldiers Lost at Bakers Creek at Ceremony on National Mall
6/14/2005

WASHINGTON, DC Sixty-two years to the day after an airplane crash that killed 40 U.S. Soldiers, including Corporal Edward Tenney of Buckhannon, aboard a C-17 flying near Bakers Creek Australia, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) joined family members at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall to honor the sacrifice and service of the lost servicemen. The Congresswoman gave the following remarks:

"Here at this memorial we honor the brave Americans who fought in World War II. Their bravery and heroism will always be with us their sacrifice never distant from our thoughts. Today, we are gathered to honor the service and sacrifice of forty American soldiers killed in a terrible airplane accident over Bakers Creek, Australia.

"It was sixty-two years ago today, June 14, 1943 their B-17C Flying Fortress crashed just after take off from Mackay Airport killing all but one of the soldiers aboard. The incident proved to be the worst aviation disaster of the Southwest pacific theater during World War II.

"West Virginia lost three native sons that day-- Corporal Edward Tenney of Buckhannon, West Virginia was one of them. I am proud to represent his family in Congress and to have introduced legislation calling for a permanent marker at Arlington National Cemetery recognizing his sacrifice and the loss of each servicemen lost that day.

"Only recently has the Air Force officially recognized this WW II tragedy. To date, the Bakers Creek Memorial Association has located the families of 36 of the 40 casualties. They continue to search for relatives of the remaining four soldiers to notify them of the specifics surrounding their loved ones deaths.

"I applaud the members of the Bakers Creek Memorial Association, including family relatives of the casualties, for undertaking this and other initiatives which keep the memory of the fallen heroes of Bakers Creek alive and well. As long as there are Americans that will step forward to defend our freedom there will be an America where we will all be free."

http://capito.house.gov/press_office/detail-page.aspx?id=83&whichone=pr

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