The Rusty Nut

In the Summer of 1981,Bill Kelly(my father in law), his sons Billy and Danny and myself began a climb from the Gleniff Horseshoe, Co. Sligo to an area near the top of Truskmore Mountain where we had heard an American airplane crashed during the Second World War. It was a beautiful Summer's day. We had been told the plane crashed above an area that was described as the "black face of the mountain". It was a longer, steeper climb than we expected and we stopped at intervals to rest and take in the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. When we reached the summit I remember being surprised at the vast flat area of very thick heather and thinking we will never find the crash site. We set off looking and to my amazement we came across some of the remains of the ill fated Boeing plane. This rusty nut is a small remnant of the plane and a reminder of one of the many happy days I spent with Bill Kelly.

The following is a short extract taken from a report of the crash compiled by Dennis P. Burke in 2009:

On the afternoon of 9th December, 1943, the slopes above Ballintrillick in County Sligo were shattered by the crash of an American bomber.
The aircraft, a Boeing B-17G-15-BO Flying Fortress was being flown on a ferry flight, from Goose Bay to Prestwick in Scotland. On board the aircraft that afternoon were ten young airmen of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

2/Lt Richard C WALCH O-745025 - Pilot
2/Lt William M GRIM O-751123 - Co-Pilot
2/Lt Richard E FOX O-685794 - Bombardier
2/Lt William F WALLACE O-1573651 - Navigator
S/Sgt Moss L MENDOZA 11114403 - Engineer
S/Sgt Robert A SMITH 18192259 - Radio Operator
Sgt Adam J LATECKI 16144885 - Gunner
Sgt Wilfred N G VINCENT 34150978 - Gunner
Sgt Emil C DRAKE 15325547 - Gunner
Sgt Carl W WILLIAMSON 18162726 - Gunner

Following the crash, the pilots 2/Lt.’s Walch and Grim walked down the mountain to seek help. 2/Lt’s Fox and Wallace were to die in the crash of the aircraft while Sgt. Latecki would succumb to his injuries four days later in hospital. The surviving crew men suffered serious injuries. Local people from the homes below the mountain hurried to the crash to provide assistance to the

aircraft crew, being joined later by members of the local military. After many hours of struggling the six injured men were removed down the mountain and brought to Sligo County Hospital. All survivors were later taken across to Northern Ireland.