S:Sgt Francis 'Bud' Owens was a waist gunner on B-17F 42-29928 when it was shot down over the Norman countryside in 1943.
The aircraft was part of 533rd Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group(H), and was taking part in a raid on the Gnome-Rhone plant in le Mans on July 4th when it was attacked by Messerschmitt Bf-109s and finally crashed near the small village of la Coulonche.
Three of the crew of ten perished when the 'plane hit the ground, two of those who baled out were quickly captured. With local help, the remaining five attempted to make their way down to neutral Spain with a view to re-joining the fight against Nazism.
Four of them made it to Spain but 'Bud' Owens, a man who on many occasions had put others before himself, was to die of exposure in the Pyrenees, aged just 21. He now rests in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium.
Please follow our project to honour and remember 'Bud' Owens and support it if you can. Thank you.

Sunday, 13 September 2015

Interview

A lot of work going on behind the scenes to help promote our great documentary project. Bud Owens great niece Hayley Hulbert was recently interviewed on NPR member station WITF-FM' s talk show "Small Talk" hosted by Scott Lamar. Click here to listen to Hayley relating her experience following her uncle Bud's footsteps and her powerful conclusion at the end...You can help support this great documentary- please click on the 'donate' button to the right. Thank you!

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Saturday, 29 August 2015

"Yankee Lady"

Last weekend Geert attended the D-Day Ohio event in Conneaut, OH to help promote our documentary project. As a treat he got to see "Yankee Lady" in action. This B-17G has been painted in the markings of Bud Owens' 381st Bomber Group. She is one of only about a dozen B-17s still airworthy. Quite the scene! Photos courtesy of Ginny Swartz Shinew.




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Tuesday, 28 July 2015

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

A great article about the recent journey to film our group in the footsteps of Bud Owens for our documentary appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette yesterday. This has been a very successful first stage of the project but a lot more work still needs to be done. Please consider making a donation via Paypal to help us make it all happen. Thank you!
 Click here to read the article.


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Friday, 17 July 2015

Local interest...

A recent article and video from the "Orne Combattante" about the ceremony at La Coulonche on 4 July 2015 in memory of Bud Owens and the 3 other members of his crew listed on the memorial there. A sincere thank you to the people of La Coulonche, Mr. Louise, Lecoq and Chochon, mayor and deputy mayors of the town, the flag bearers, the Messei band and all those present.


Click here to read the article,  and here to see a short video clip on You Tube.




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Sunday, 12 July 2015

Ardennes American Cemetery

Final day. We pay our respect at Bud Owens' grave at the Ardennes American Cemetery. No further comments necessary...

 



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Pont d'Arinsal

Today we mounted Port d'Arinsal. It was a very challenging hike (11 hours!) and one can easily understand why Bud Owens and two of his fellow evaders did not make it in 1943 seen the conditions they faced. Plenty of time for our group to contemplate and meditate before recieving a wonderful welcome by the people of La Massana (wich Arinsal is part of). Please support this great project by making a donation via Paypal.

Guide Paul Williams leading the way across the snow...


Arrival in Andorrra!
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Day six...

We discover the barn where Emile Delpy brought Bud Owens and the other evaders to spend their first night on their journey to Spain.



Our group, following in their footsteps, is doing well in spite of higher elevation and the added distance. Unlike the Owens party in 1943 we get lots of food and some sleep in before the third day of the hike.
Tomorrow the dreaded last day accross Port d'Arinsal (2739m/8985ft) into Andorra....Please help us fund this documentary project by making a donation if you can via Paypal. Thank you!
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