Local war victims and fallen American pilots commemorated in Křimice

Dozens of people in the Pilsen district of Křimice today commemorated the victims of two world wars from among local citizens and also the memory of American pilots who died in the vicinity of Křimice during the large bombing of the Pilsen Škoda plants in April 1945. The memorial services were held on the newly renovated Křimice Square, to the center of which the city had all three memorials to war victims moved. “We remember the history more than 80 and more than 100 years away from the world wars, and at the same time we watch the constant fanatical struggle in Eastern Europe and the Middle East every day. I firmly believe that the human reason of the current world leaders will surpass their pursuit of ego, expansionism and power,” said Vít Mojžíš, the mayor of Křimice, in his speech. He commemorated local citizens who fought in World War I as legionnaires, alongside the Allies or in Czechoslovakia as partisans.

Three memorials in Křimice commemorate the victims of World War I, World War II and downed American pilots. 38 local residents died in the world wars. Ten American pilots died in two planes shot down during the bombing of Škodovka on April 25, 1945, which landed near Křimice.

Škodovka was the last major German arms factory in the final phase of the war. Almost 300 bombers took part in the largest raid on April 25. Seven of them were shot down, four landed in the immediate vicinity of Pilsen, near Křimice and Vejprnice and further near Čemín and Litice. 22 American soldiers died in them. The monument in Křimice is dedicated to ten pilots from two Boeing B-17s, nicknamed the Flying Fortress. The first bomber crashed between Skvrňany and Křimice after being hit by German anti-aircraft defenses, the second fell towards Vejprnice.

The accompanying program and commemoration were closed by the legendary P-51D Mustang fighter aircraft, which was often used to escort American bombers in World War II due to its long range.