Sheridan Memorial Park ceremony held on the 70th anniversary, March 12, 2013, at the exact site
of the B-17 crash near Sheridan, Ark. The airman to left of American flag is
holding a photo of co-pilot Lt. Robert Turchette of Nutley, N.J.
The Sheridan B-17 Memorial Park is located at the actual
crash site 5.8 miles north of Sheridan, Arkansas.
While the construction and ongoing upkeep of the Sheridan
B-17 Memorial Park is our primary mission, the secondary mission is to clear
the record of Pilot George Davis. Local Veterans and area residents believe that 2nd
Lieutenant George Davis should not have been held responsible for the loss of
his B-17F Flying Fortress and its crew. Rather, he should have been recognized
for his valiant efforts in keeping his Flying Fortress airborne while over the
Sheridan, Arkansas area. The actions of Pilot Davis and his crew in finding a
non-residential area on which to crash land possibly saved the lives of area
residents.
The most predominate feature of the park will
be a Memorial Wall 33′ wide X 8′ 6″ tall located 130′ from County Road 51 on the
east side. The Memorial Wall will have a
29′ wide X 4′ 6″ tall portion which will be inset in the center of the wall.
The inset will be black granite and will contain the names and information
about the nine airmen. There will be a 2′ white and grey mixed granite border
surrounding the inset. The Memorial Wall will be illuminated from dusk to dawn.
