French Erect Monument to Tampa Flier
Dublin Core
Title
French Erect Monument to Tampa Flier
Subject
World War II, 1939-1945
Veterans--Florida
Description
A newspaper article reporting the construction of a memorial for Lt. Connie O. Walker and his crew. The article discusses the crash that killed Walker, efforts to save the sole survivor of the mission, and French success towards the memorial’s creation. Russell Brooks, an American diplomat, shows his gratitude towards the French people near the end of the article.
2nd Lieutenant Connie O. Walker (1920-1944) was born and raised in Waycross, Georgia. He registered in the Young Men’s Draft in February 1942, and later applied for the United States Air Force’s Aviation Cadet training program. After earning his wings, Walker married Lucille Parks and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Army assigned Walker to the 492nd Bombardment Group, sent to Europe in June 1944. On a mission airdropping supplies to French Resistance fighters, Walker’s aircraft crashed into a hill due to dark, dangerous conditions. Walker was killed on impact and buried in the nearby village of St. Martin-en-Haut. After the war, Walker was reburied in the Rhône American Cemetery and Memorial in Draguignan, France.
The Florida-France Soldier Stories project seeks to tell the stories of the Florida soldiers buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France. Our goal is to honor and commemorate the brave individuals who gave their lives supporting the Allied forces, liberating France, and defeating Germany in the Second World War. Simultaneously, our goal is to teach the students who participate in this research project about the history of France and Florida during World War II, about the history of individual servicemen, and about how to implement historical research methods in their work.
2nd Lieutenant Connie O. Walker (1920-1944) was born and raised in Waycross, Georgia. He registered in the Young Men’s Draft in February 1942, and later applied for the United States Air Force’s Aviation Cadet training program. After earning his wings, Walker married Lucille Parks and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Army assigned Walker to the 492nd Bombardment Group, sent to Europe in June 1944. On a mission airdropping supplies to French Resistance fighters, Walker’s aircraft crashed into a hill due to dark, dangerous conditions. Walker was killed on impact and buried in the nearby village of St. Martin-en-Haut. After the war, Walker was reburied in the Rhône American Cemetery and Memorial in Draguignan, France.
The Florida-France Soldier Stories project seeks to tell the stories of the Florida soldiers buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France. Our goal is to honor and commemorate the brave individuals who gave their lives supporting the Allied forces, liberating France, and defeating Germany in the Second World War. Simultaneously, our goal is to teach the students who participate in this research project about the history of France and Florida during World War II, about the history of individual servicemen, and about how to implement historical research methods in their work.
Creator
The Tampa Tribune
Source
Photocopy of original newspaper article, March 1946: Digitized by Newspapers.com.
Publisher
The Tampa Tribune
Date Created
1946-03-21
Date Copyrighted
1946-03-21
Date Issued
1946-03-21
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of photocopied newspaper article, March 1946.
Is Part Of
Format
Image/jpg
Extent
7.83 MB
Medium
1 newspaper article
Language
eng
Type
Text
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History teacher
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by The Tampa Tribune and is provided here by RICHES for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Florida-France Soldier Stories Project
Curator
Nystrom, Brett
External Reference
“2Lt Connie O’Donald Walker Jr.” Find A Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56511412/connie-o'donald-walker
“French Erect Monument to Tampa Flier.” The Tampa Tribute. March 21, 1946. https://www.newspapers.com/image/327911952/?terms=French%20Erect%20Monument%20To%20Tampa%20Flier&match=1
"Florida-France Solider Stories Memorializes Veteran Experiences." CAH News, June 21, 2023. https://news.cah.ucf.edu/news/florida-france-soldier-stories-memorializes-veteran-experiences/
Citation
The Tampa Tribune, “French Erect Monument to Tampa Flier,” RICHES, accessed April 27, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/11217.