World War II Memorial Dedicated in Britain

The British Princess Royal, Princess Anne, dedicated a memorial in Greenham Common, Britain, to the US airmen and troops who were based in the area during World War II and died during the conflict. The princess dedicated three memorial stones at the Greenham Business Park during the Sept. 21 ceremony. One stone honors the 16 airmen who died when two B-17 bombers collided above the area on Dec. 15, 1944, according to a US Air Forces in Europe release. The second stone pays tribute to the 33 airmen who died three days earlier when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff from Greenham Common, states the release. The third stone remembers the American servicemen who were based there and lost their lives in the war. Greenham Common was one of the main staging points for US troops in the run-up to D-Day, according to the release. (Greenham Common report by SSgt. Brian Stives)