Memorial Ceremony

in Honour of Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews and the other Crewmembers and Passengers who died in the B-24D Liberator Bomber "Hot Stuff" Flight Accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland on 3 May 1943.
Andrews Theater, Asbru, Keflavik Airport, Iceland on 3 May 2013
Keilir Aviation Academy will organize on 3 May 2013 in the Andrews Theater in Asbru, Keflavik Airport a Memorial Ceremony in honour of Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews and the other Crewmembers and Passengers those who died in the B-24D Liberator Bomber "Hot Stuff" flight accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland on 3 May 1943. The Memorial Ceremony is organized in partnership with the US Embassy in Reykjavik, the US Air Force, The President of Iceland, the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Icelandic Ministry of Interior and Transport, the Civil Aviation Administration, the Icelandic Coast Guard, the Icelandic Rescue Forces, ISAVIA, Icelandair, KADECO and AirTransportNews.

Lt. Gen. Frank Maxwell Andrews, U.S. Army Air Corps (1884-1943) Commander of the European Theater of Operations

Commander of the European Theater of Operations

The names of the fifteen persons in the B24 flight accident 3 May 1943

Crewmembers: Capt. Robert H. Shine Shannon Pilot Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews Copilot (Commander of the European Theater of Operations) Capt. James E. Gott Navigator T/Sgt. Kenneth A. Jeffers - Radio Operator S/Sgt. Lloyd C. Weir Crew Chief S/Sgt. Paul H. McQueen - Gunner S/Sgt. George A. Eisel Tail Gunner (Survivor) Passangers: Civilian Adna W. Leonard - Methodist Bishop and Chairman of the Corps of Chaplains Col. Frank M. Miller - United States Army Chief of Chaplains Maj. Robert H. Humphrey - United States Army Chaplain Brig. Gen. Charles H. Barth - Gen. Andrews Chief of Staff Capt. Joseph T. Johnson - Gen. Andrews Aide Col. Morrow Krum Member of Gen. Andrews Staff Lt. Col. Fred L. Chapman - United States Army Maj. Theodore C. Tomad - United States Army

Interim Program

(Rev. 3.0)

Friday 3 May 2013 Meet at Andrews Theater in Asbru, Keflavik Airport 13.10 Bus Transport to the location of the Memorial Monument at the Mt. Fargardalsfjall in Grindavik Memorial Monument at the Mt. Fargradalsfjall in Grindavik 13.30 Welcome: Mrs. Brynds Gunnlaugsdttir, Chairman of the Town Council of Grindavik Inauguration of a Plaque interim to the Monument US Ambassador Luis Arreaga Jim Lux Thorsteinn Marteinsson Olafur Marteinsson The Diamond Airplanes of the Keilir Aviaition Academy will fly from Fagradalsfjall over the location of the Monument at the Ceremony. 14.15 Bus Transport back to Andrews Theater

Memorial Ceremony at the Andrews Theater in Asbru, Keflavik Airport The Memorial Ceremony will be broadcast on the Internet through the Keilir Network so all in service on US Army Bases and NAVY ships can watch and take part!. Friday 3 May 2013 14.30 Refreshments - Coffee 15.00 Welcome and Presentation of those who died in the flight accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall Hjalmar Arnason, Director of Keilir Atlantic Center of Excellence and Master of Ceremonies. 15.10 Memorial Service The Chorus of the Keflavik Church The Bishop of Iceland; Agnes M. Sigurardttir The Catholic Bishop of Reykjavik, Pierre Burcher

(to be confirmed) (to be confirmed)

15.30 In Memory of those who died in Iceland in Military Service in the Second World War The President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson (to be confirmed) The US Ambassador, Luis Arreaga (to be confirmed) 16.00 The B-24D Liberator Bomber "Hot Stuff" flight accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall on 3 May 1943. Frir Eydal, former Press Attache, US Air Force Base in Keflavik 16.15 Film - The B-24 Liberator "Hot Stuff, the first heavy bomber in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 missions in WWII (www.b24hotstuff.wikispaces.com) Jim Lux 16.30 Memorial Monument at the Mt. Fargradalsfjall in Grindavik Jim Lux, Thorsteinn Marteinsson and Olafur Marteinsson 16.40 Memorial Monument at Andrews Theater in Asbru in honour of all those who died in military service in Iceland in the Second World War as well as the Icelandic fishermen. Jon Hjaltalin Magnusson, Conference Manager, Keilir Insitute of Technology 16.50 The Friends of Keflavik - Former US Military Members who served on the Keflavik Base. Bryndis Hjalmarsdottir, Project Manager 17.00 Closing Ceremony Hjalmar Arnason, Director of Keilir Atlantic Center of Excellence President Obama address from the White House through Skype and/or Chief of Staff of the US Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh address from Pentagon (to be confirmed) (to be confirmed)

17.15 Reception by US Embassy at the Keilir Institute of Technology, the former US Base High School Keilir in Asbru transition from US Military Base to a University Town and Innovation Centre The US Ambassador, Luis Arreaga

A Memorial Monument Honoring the "Hot Stuff" Crew, Lt. Gen. Andrews and those killed in the Flight Accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall.
Two Icelanders Mr. Thorsteinn Marteinsson (doddimatt@simnet.is) and Mr. Olafur Marteinsson (olafurm@icelandair.is) have been instrumental in planning for a memorial monument honoring the "Hot Stuff" crew, Lt. Gen. Andrews and those killed in the flight accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjal. Mr. Jim Lux has supported the idea of a monument by his good Icelandic friends. Jim thought it was a good one so decided to try to make it happen. Jim retired from IBM Product Marketing and Development after 30 years of service, and as a history buff, he organized air shows for many years in San Marcos, Texas featuring the great airplanes of World War II. He spent the last several years researching and seeking long overdue recognition for the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, her crew, Lt. Gen. Andrews and those killed when Hot Stuff crashed into Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland. The Town Council of Grindavik where Mt. Fagradalsfjall is located has approved the site for the Monument which has been supported by US Ambassador Luis Arreaga.

Example of the monument design. The Hot Stuff story is on the left and the Gen. Andrews and those killed in the crash story listed is on the right. To the right is a leaflet issued for the fund rasing for the monument.

Mt. Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes peninsuls. (Photo by Ingi Stgsson)

Mt. Fagradalsfjall

Mt. Fagradalsfjall is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula where the cross is located in the middle of the map. Up to the left are the runways of the Keflavik International Airport (Meeks Field during World War II).
5

Frank Maxwell Andrews

Lieutenant General, United States Army courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery Website

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/fmandrew.htm
Commander of all Forces in Europe during the early stages of World War II, serving with General Dwight D. Eisenhower at times. He was an outspoken proponent of air power. He was born on February 3, 1884 in Nashville, Tennessee and was killed in an aircraft accident in Iceland on May 3, 1943. He was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery. Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland is named in his honor.

Lt. Gen. Frank Maxwell Andrews, U.S. Army Air Corps (1884-1943) Commander of the European Theater of Operations

Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews,Commander general officer in the United States Army of the European Theater of and one of the founding fathers of the United States Air Force. In leadership positions within the Army Air Operations Corps, he succeeded in advancing progress toward a separate and independent Air Force where predecessors and allies such as Billy Mitchell had failed. Andrews was the first head of a centralized American air force and the first air officer to serve on the Army's general staff. In early 1943, he took the place of Dwight D. Eisenhower as commander of all U.S. troops in the European Theater of Operations. After his death Lt. Gen. Eisenhower, who became the 34th President of the US 1953 to 1961, took again his place as the Commander of the European operation.
6

Lt. General Frank M. Andrews died in an aircraft accident at the Reykjanes peninsula on 3 May 1943. He was en route from Britain, together with fourteen members of his staff in a B24, when the aircraft encountered bad weather conditions and crashed into Mt. Fagradalsfjall on Reykjanes peninsula close to the town of Grindavik. Only one person, crew member Sergeant George Eisel, survived this tragic accident. Among the 14 men who lost their lives in the accident were officers of Frank M. Andrews' staff, a Bishop of the Methodist Church in the US, and, as stated above, all but one of the crew of the aircraft. The funeral services of the men who died took place at the Reykjavk Lutheran Cathedral and at the Landakot Catholic Cathedral, also in Reykjavk. American officials and commanding officers of the American Armed Forces in Iceland were Frank M. Andrews' pallbearers. All of the coffins were taken to the Fossvogur Cemetery in Reykjavk, where they were laid to rest with full military honors. Present at the funeral on behalf of Iceland, was the Governor of Iceland, Sveinn Bjrnsson, Icelandic ministers and the Bishop of the National Church of Iceland. In February 1947 all these 14 coffins together with some 200 coffins of other Americans, who lost their lives in Iceland during the Second World War, were transported to the US for burials in their respective hometowns. Lt. Gen. Andrews was laid to rest in the Arlington National Cemetery.

Photo from the Fossvogur Cemetery in Reykjavk, where the Lt. Gen. Andrews and his 13 fellow Americans were laid to rest with full military honors. Their bodies were moved to the US, together with some 212 others, after the war and laid to rest in their respective home towns.

Lt. General Frank Maxwell Andrews was the highest ranking U.S. officer to die in combat at the time, the first of three lieutenant generals to die in combat during the war. Joint Base Andrews in Maryland is named after him, as well as Andrews Barracks (a kaserne in Berlin, Germany), General Andrews Airport (demolished) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Andrews Avenue in Pasay City, Philippines. The doors of Andrews Theater on the Keflavik US Base in Iceland were opened in 1959 and the theater was in full operation for as long the American Armed Forces had a facility in Iceland until 2006. Andrews Theater is named in honor after Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews, general officer in the United States Army and one of the founding fathers of the United States Air Force.

From the book: Frank M. Andrews: Marshalls Airman by DeWitt S. Copp

Andrews had said that when the end came he hoped it would be in the cockpit, and he got his wish. Everyone else who knew him or served under him deeply mourned his loss. Marshall, who delivered the eulogy at the memorial service for Andrews in Washington, said of him that he was one of the Armys few great captains. To Johnny Andrews, Marshall had written: He was a great leader and in his post abroad was on his way to rendering a tremendous service to the Allied cause. History does not reveal its alternatives, and Andrewss sudden death leaves some haunting questions. Had he lived, would he have commanded the Normandy invasion, as so many of his contemporaries believed? Certainly Marshall had placed him in the position to oversee the buildup for that then unresolved strategy. And what then? Whatever his future might have been, Andrewss star was in swift ascendancy when it was snuffed out, and all the bright promise of tomorrow became reflections on the ordeals of yesterday, the yesterday of a military leader whose name will ever by joined with strategic air power and the fight for air independence.

"Hot Stuff"crewmembers First to complete 25 mission in the 8th Air Force in the Second World War

Capt. Robert H. Shine Shannon Pilot, Washington, Iowa 1st Lt. John H. Lentz Copilot, Chicago, IL. Capt. James E. Gott Navigator, Berea, KY 1st Lt. Robert T. Jacobson Bombardier, Cedars, MS S/Sgt. George A. Eisel Tail Gunner, Columbus, OH S/Sgt. George D. Farley Gunner, Wellsville, NY T/Sgt. Kenneth A. Jeffers Radio Operator, Oriskany Falls, NY S/Sgt. Joseph L. Craighead Engineer/Gunner, Bedford, VA S/Sgt. Grant C. Rondeau Engineer/Gunner, Racine, WI S/Sgt. Paul H. McQueen Gunner, Endwell, NJ

B-24 Hot Stuff on her third mission off the coast of France when this photograph was taken on Oct. 31, 1942

B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff. A Story of Triumph and Tragedy.

by Jim Lux
The B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff heavy bomber and her crew were the first in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 missions in World War II. Hot Stuff was ordered back to the United States to tour the country and help sell war bonds. Lt. General Frank M. Andrews, Commander of the European Theater of Operations, was ordered back to Washington, D. C. He contacted his friend Col. Ted Timberlake, Commander of the 93rd Bombardment Group, and requested to fly back to the United States with Capt. Robert Shine Shannon whom he also knew. Gen. Andrews was an experienced pilot and would take the copilots seat. Capt. Shannon was unaware until a short time before they were to leave for the United States that Gen. Andrews was also taking two members of his staff, a civilian Methodist Bishop who was also Chairman of the Corps of Chaplains, and two Army Chaplains. The B-24 was not designed to carry that many people so five Hot Stuff crewmembers were bumped from the flight. Hot Stuff took off from Bovington, Field in England for the United States with interim stops planned for Prestwick, Scotland and Reykjavik, Iceland. It was decided to bypass Prestwick so Hot Stuff continued on toward Iceland. The weather was good for most of the flight, but started to deteriorate about 60 nautical miles off the south coast of Iceland where they encountered low visibility, rain and snow. They circled above a British airfield at Kaldadarnes but high winds and heavy rain prevented them from landing. They continued west along the south coast about sixty feet above the water in sight of land and attempted to land at Meeks Field in Keflavik but the ceiling was so low they missed the airfield. They decided to return to The British Airfield at Kaldadarnes and climbed to an altitude of about 850 ft. but, because of poor visibility, high winds and rain they were off course and slammed into 1,100 ft. high Mt. Fagardalsfjall. All onboard were killed except the tail gunner, George Eisel. Although he was only slightly injured, his foot was caught in the tail section and he was unable to free himself. The plane caught fire and George thought he was going to burn to death or be killed by exploding ammunition, but a heavy rain put out the fire and help arrived about 24 hours after the crash. With the exception of Gen. Andrews, everyone onboard Hot Stuff was soon forgotten. Hot Stuff and the surviving crewmembers who were the first to complete 25 missions in the 8th Air Force were also forgotten. Gen. Jacob E. Smart, former USAF Chief of Staff and Aide to Gen. Hap Arnold during World War II, agreed that; Shannons Hot Stuff was the first in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 missions even though the heralded Memphis Belle, B-17 Flying Fortress, wears the label. Camp Springs Army Airfield, Maryland was renamed Andrews Field (now Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility) for Lt. Gen. Andrews on February 7, 1945. However, he too has lost his rightful place in history. Few people remember it was Gen. Andrews who advocated a separate Air Force. He outranked Gen. Eisenhower and replaced him as Commander of the European Theater of Operations and probably, according to Gen. Hap Arnold, would have been given the job of Supreme Allied Commander had he not been killed in the Flight Accident on May 3, 1943.
Jim Lux retired from IBM Product Marketing and Development after 30 years of service. A history buff, he organized air shows for many years in San Marcos, Texas featuring the great airplanes of World War II. He spent the last several years researching and seeking long overdue recognition for the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff, her crew, Lt. Gen. Andrews and those killed when Hot Stuff crashed into Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland. Jim has supported the idea of a monument by his good Icelandic friend Doddi Marteinsson. Jim thought it was a good one so decided to try to make it happen.

10

The B-24D Liberator Bomber "Hot Stuff" Flight Accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland on 3 May 1943.
Translated excerpt from the chapter Flight Accidents in the book: From World War to Defense Agreement, The Keflavik Base 1942 1951 by Fridthor Eydal
Flying the North Atlantic routes was difficult and often dangerous, especially in the early years when airfields and navigation and communications equipment were incomplete. Pilots were poorly trained for such long flights at high latitudes and reliable information about the ever-changing weather enroute was scarce. Conditions improved with time, however, but the risk remained significant and accidents could not be prevented. Fortunately, they were by no means as frequent as had been predicted at the opening of these pioneer routes. The costliest accidents in human lives in flights to and from Iceland occurred when a B-24 Liberator bomber with Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews and entourage onboard crashed and burned in poor weather on Mt Fagradalsfjall near Grindavik on 3 May 1943, and a C-54 Skymaster carrying 18 wounded soldiers from Britain and a crew of 6 disappeared on the way from Keflavik to Newfoundland on 26 July 1944. This was the only such accident to occur in the transportation of 20 thousand sick and wounded who went by air along this route. The B-24D Liberator bomber "Hot Stuff", as the crew called her, was on her way to Reykjavik with the newly appointed commander of all US forces in Europe, Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews, who planned to visit his forces in Iceland. Andrews was one of the pioneers in US Air Force history and prime advocate of the purchase of the famous Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber aircraft in large numbers just before the war. He was a friend of the Commanding General of the Iceland Base Command, Major General Charles H. Bonesteel, who was soon to be transferred to Washington. Andrews was also and a close advisor to General George C. Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff, who had appointed Andrews to take over as the Army commander in Europe to plan air strikes on Germany when General Eisenhower, later US President, took over command of all allied forces in Europe and the conduct of the war in North Africa. Andrews was a skilled pilot and chose to travel in an operational aircraft that he was qualified to fly even though it lacked all comforts of the passenger aircraft that flew this route regularly. With Andrews on the trip were his deputy and staff officers and Bishop Adna Wright Leonard of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States who was on a tour of overseas bases. "Hot Stuff" had completed the highest number of bomber missions over enemy territory in the 8th Air Force and Captain Robert H. Shannon had only one more attack mission to complete before returning to the United States. The flight started at Bovington Field in England with General Andrews flying as co-pilot. The B-24 had a normal crew of ten, but this time the copilot and three other crewmembers stayed behind to make room for the nine passengers on the trip. Air transport in the North Atlantic was controlled by the Prestwick Air Traffic Control Center in Scotland where all transiting aircraft were required to land to receive briefings on communications procedures, ship convoys and weather conditions on the planned route. No aircraft was to depart until the Royal Air Force air traffic control center at Reykjavk had given approval, but this could be delayed extensively due to weather or air traffic. General Andrews had had a bad experience with delays at Prestwick and was determined to avoid a stopover. Arrangements were made for the necessary flight information to be provided prior to the departure from Bovington, but these were not received in time. Flight approval was granted only to Prestwick as weather forecast was not available for Iceland. While flying over Scotland, a request was made from the aircraft for weather information from Iceland to be transmitted and it was clear that Andrews intended not to land at Prestwick. The weather was bad in Iceland, cloud ceiling at one thousand feet with visibility of only three and a half kilometers. For a while it seemed that the aircraft intended to land at Stornoway in Scotland, but radio conditions were poor. The aircraft was last heard trying to call a communications station in Iceland but on the wrong radio frequency. The weather was good on the way to Iceland, but started to deteriorate at about 50-60 nautical miles off the South Coast

11

where rain and low visibility was encountered. The aircraft was flown below the cloud ceiling and had descended to an altitude of 500 feet when landfall was made seven nautical miles east of Alvidruhamrar Point at 13:49 Greenwich time. The cloud ceiling remained extremely low as the aircraft headed west along the coast at only between 40 and 200 feet. About half an hour later the aircraft was sighted at RAF Station Kaldadarnes, near Selfoss, while circling at about 500 feet over the airfield in high winds and heavy driving rain. No radio contact was made with the aircraft but light signals were used to direct it for a landing. No such attempt was made, however, and the aircraft turned west and later north along the coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula at an altitude of only about 60 feet. The RAF Radio Direction Finding Station at Sandgerdi heard a brief transmission from the aircraft but contact was not established. Other radio stations attempted to contact but also but failed. It was now clear to Captain Shannon and General Andrews that a landing would not be made in Reykjavik (RAF Air Station) under these conditions as the runways were short and surrounded by built up areas. Instead, they decided to attempt a landing at the recently completed Meeks Field at Keflavik or return to RAF Kaldadarnes if unsuccessful. Air defense radars and radio stations in the region did not function well in the adverse weather conditions and the recently installed navigational beacon at Stafnes was also unreliable in such weather. Radar contact was lost when the bomber turned to the east in search of Meeks Field over Stafnes Point. When visual contact with the airfield was not made the Aircraft Commander informed his men that he intended to turn back to RAF Kaldadarnes the same way as they had come. The aircraft was flown very low and twisted and turned like in an air battle to avoid low cloud pockets and to keep the sea shore in sight. When approaching Festarfjall Hill east of Grindavik all visibility seems to have been suddenly lost and the pilots missed the coast where it turns sharply to the SE at the head of Hraunsvik Cove. The aircraft swayed to the north and moments later, at about 15:30, crashed and burned just below the crest of the Kast Ridge on the south west side of Mt Fagradalsfjall.1 Only one of the 15 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. The tail gunner Staff Sergeant George A. Eisel of Columbus, Ohio, remained wedged inside his buckled gun turret until freed by an Army search party that reached the crash site 27 hours later. He described the experience in an interview with the weekly newspaper of the Iceland Base Command, The White Falcon, and Icelandic newspapers: "We never knew what hit us. The Visibility was down to about 40 feet. We had passed one airport and headed for toward our pre-chosen landing field, but when the ceiling dropped we turned back and tried to locate the first airport. Apparently nobody was aware of our danger because I didnt hear any comment over the intra-plane phone before the crash. The others must have been killed instantly. I was conscious from the time we struck until the rescue party arrived, although pinned beneath the tail turret which folded back and I remained in that position for 27 hours. The plane went up in flames and ammunition started to go off on all sides of me. I thought I was a goner, but rain began to fall thank God for that! and soon the fire was extinguished. I couldnt see any of the others, but realized from the debris around me that there wasnt chance that they had escaped death. Sgt. Eisel was 33 years old and had 200 hours behind him on combat missions in North Africa and over Italy and France. He had also had a narrow escape before when his plane was shot down in North Africa, and added, I guess, Im the luckiest person this side of heaven. Eisel escaped remarkably well from the accident suffering only minor cuts, bruised ribs and vertebrae. He was released from military service after medical rehabilitation in Florida on 10th May 1944. Three detailed investigations were conducted to determine the cause of the accident, and the results were all as has been described. Investigators considered it possible - but not likely - that the aircraft had turned to the northwest to intercept the eastern approach leg of the navigation beacon at Meeks Field that passed over the town of Grindavik. Eisel believed that the pilot had lost sight of the shore. Photo: The tail section and wings remained the only large parts left of the aircraft after the crash and fire that wrecked the fuselage. (NARA 111-SC-169532) Photo: Soldiers of the Iceland Base Command carry bodies of the deceased from the wreck site. A Sgt. Eisel stated that he had recognized that Captain Shannon was at the controls by the way the aircraft was being flown, and not General Andrews who had had the helm at the beginning of the flight. General Andrews death gave the British and American Counter Intelligence services an opportunity to use it in their extensive web of deception that was being spun to mislead the Germans in preparation

12

for the invasion of continental Europe. A British-run double agent in Reykjavik, Ib Arnason Riis, sent the Germans false information that Andrews had been on his way to Iceland to inspect landing craft that were being readied for an invasion of Norway. The explanation of Andrews flight to Iceland that fateful day to th e effect that General George C. Marshall, who became US Secretary of State after the war and after whom the "Marshall" - program of European reconstruction was named, had recalled Andrews for consultations in Washington. Thus, Andrews and entourage supposedly were headed to the US at the time. It has also been maintained that the aircraft crew had already completed the desired number of combat missions and was on the way home. The accident reports, however, leave no doubt that the purpose and the details of the fateful flight were as described above. Funeral services for General Andrews and his entourage were held with full military honors at the Lutheran and Catholic cathedrals in Reykjavik followed by burial in the US military plot in the Fossvogur Cemetary in Reykjavik on 8 may 1943. The bodies together with the bodies of 212 other US personnel who perished in Iceland in WW II were exhumed and transported to the United States for final disposition in 1947.

From World War to Defense Agreement, The Keflavik Base 1942 1951 by Fridthor Eydal

13

Photos by the Icelandic and the US Base Rescue Team after the flight accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall on 4th May 1943

Photo: Investigators search the wreckage of Gen. Andrews Liberator aircraft at the crash s ite. In the distance is Meeks Field (Keflavik International Airport) and the town of Keflavik. (NARA 342-FH-79032AC)

14

Soldiers of the Iceland Base Command carry bodies of the deceased from the wreck site

15

Funeral services for Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews and the other Crewmember and Passangers who died in the B-24D Liberator Bomber "Hot Stuff" Flight Accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland on 3 May 1943.
Funeral services for General Andrews and his entourage were held with full military honors at the Domkirkjan Lutheran and the Landakot Catholic Cathedrals in Reykjavik followed by burial in the US military plot in the Fossvogur Cemetary in Reykjavik on 8 may 1943.

Photos from the Domkirkjan Lutheran and the Landakot Catholic Cathedrals in Reykjavik American officials and commanding officers of the American Armed Forces in Iceland were Frank M. Andrews' pallbearers. All of the coffins were taken to the Fossvogur Cemetery in Reykjavk, where they were laid to rest with full military honors. Present at the funeral on behalf of Iceland, was the Governor of Iceland, Sveinn Bjrnsson, Icelandic ministers and the Bishop of the National Church of Iceland. In February 1947 all these 14 coffins together with some 200 coffins of other Americans, who lost their life in Iceland during the second world war, were transported to the US for burials in the hometown of respective soldier. Lt. Capt. Andrews was laid again to rest in the Arlington National Cemetery.

Photo from the Fossvogur Cemetery in Reykjavk, where the Lt. Capt. Andrews and his thirteen US Citizens were laid to rest with full military honors.

16

News in the Icelandic Newspaper Morgunbladid from the flight accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall the death of Ltg. Gen. Andrews

17

News in the Icelandic Newspaper Morgunbladid Ltg. Gen. Andrews the US Commander of the European Theater of Operations had died in the flight accident.

News in the Icelandic Newspaper Morgunbladid from the Funeral services for General Andrews and his entourage were held with full military honors at the Domkirkjan Lutheran and the Landakot Catholic Cathedrals in Reykjavik followed by burial in the US military plot in the Fossvogur Cemetary in Reykjavik on 8 may 1943. 18

The Only Survivor of the B-24D Liberator Bomber "Hot Stuff" Flight Accident in Mt. Fagradalsfjall in Iceland on 3 May 1943.
Only one of the 15 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. The tail gunner Staff Sergeant George A. Eisel of Columbus, Ohio, remained wedged inside his buckled gun turret until freed by an Army search party that reached the crash site 27 hours later. He described the experience in an interview with the weekly newspaper of the Iceland Base Command, The White Falcon, and Icelandic newspapers: "We never knew what hit us. The Visibility was down to about 40 feet. We had passed one airport and headed for toward our pre-chosen landing field, but when the ceiling dropped we turned back and tried to locate the first airport. Apparently nobody was aware of our danger because I didnt hear any comment over the intra-plane phone before the crash. The others must have been killed instantly. I was conscious from the time we struck until the rescue party arrived, although pinned beneath the tail turret which folded back and I remained in that position for 27 hours. The plane went up in flames and ammunition started to go off on all sides of me. I thought I was a goner, but rain began to fall thank God for that! and soon the fire was extinguished. I couldnt see any of the others, but realized from the debris around me that there wasnt chance that they had escaped death. Sgt. Eisel was 33 years old and had 200 hours behind him on combat missions in North Africa and over Italy and France. He had also had a narrow escape before when his plane was shot down in North Africa, and added, I guess, Im the luckiest person this side of heaven. Eisel escaped remarkably well from the accident suffering only minor cuts, bruised ribs and vertebrae. He was released from military service after medical rehabilitation in Florida on 10th May 1944.

Photo: Icelandic journalists var Gumundsson,Hersteinn Plsson and Jn rarinsson interview the lone survivor, George A. Eisel, in his hospital bed at Helgafell General Hospital in Mosfellsbaer near Reykjavik. Eisel was 33 and had previously survived a plane crash in North Africa. He had flown numerous attack missions over enemy territory in Italy, France and Germany and was awarded for heroic action. (NARA 111-SC-171244)

19

. Phot: Sgt. George A. Eisel, who was the only survivor of the Iceland plane crash where Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews and 13 others met death, grins from his hospital bed in Iceland. The Columbus, Ohio soldier has survived another crash in North Africa that took the lives of three comrades. He holds the DFC, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Purple Heart. Credit: U.S. Army Signal Corps photo via OWI Radiophoto from Acme.

One survivor from the Flight Accident A news in an Icelandic newspaper Morgunbaldid on May 4, 1953 that Sgt. George Eisel had survived the crash and was placed in a Military Hosspital in Keflavik.
20

Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington

www.andrews.af.mil

Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington

Air Force District of Washington

Air Force One

SAM 28000, one of the two VC-25s used as Air Force One, above Mount Rushmore

US Navy aerial image - 16 May 2010

Camp Springs Army Airfield, Maryland was establishen in 1942. On Februray 7, 1945 it was renamed Andrews Field (now Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility) for Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews (18841943) former Commanding General of United States Forces in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. However, he too has lost his rightful place in history. Few people remember it was Gen. Andrews who advocated a separate Air Force. He outranked Gen. Eisenhower and replaced him as Commander of the European Theater of Operations and probably, according to Gen. Hap Arnold, would have been given the job of Supreme Allied Commander had he not been killed in the Flight Accident on May 3, 1943. Andrews is widely known for serving as the home base of operations for the aircraft that serves the President of the United States, Air Force One. The host unit at Andrews is the 11th Wing (11 WG), assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. A non-flying wing, the 11 WG is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs).

21

Andrews Theater at the Keilir Atlantic Center of Excellency

The doors of Andrews Theater were opened in 1959 and the theater was in full operation for as long the American Armed Forces had a facility in Iceland until 2006. Andrews Theater is named in honor after Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews, general officer in the United States Army and one of the founding fathers of the United States Air Force. The Andrews Theater was renewed in 2010 and has some 500 comfortable seats and excellent sound and film equipment for international conferences.

Keilir Conference on Eyjafjallajkull and Aviation September 15 - 16, 2010, Andrews Theater, Keflavik, Iceland
Keilir Aviation Academy organize in 2010 an International Conference on the effects of the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajkull in Iceland on aviation in cooperation with the President of Iceland, the Icelandic Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Administration, ISAVIA, the Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at University of Iceland, Icelandair, ICAO, IATA, ATA, AEA, the US Embassy in Iceland and the Russian Federations Embassy in Iceland. Some 350 delegates from 40 countries attended this Aviation Conference.

22

Keilir is an educational institution founded in 2007. The name Keilir, Atlantic Center of Excellence, symbolizes Iceland's position in the globalized world; with the goals of the institute being to build up knowledge, teaching and research at a university level within the international academic community. Keilir is building up an educational community on the site of the former US Military Air-Base in Keflavik now called sbr Enterprise Park and is a leader in rewriting the possibilities for Icelandic education through innovative approaches in bringing together businesses and academia, knowledge and finance on international base. The purpose of Keilir is to create and disseminate knowledge in an active partnership with domestic and international schools, companies and other economic partners. Values that guide Keilir, Atlantic Center of Excellence are: research and development, quality, results, knowledge and profits supported by the local community, Icelandic economy, Icelandic society, owners, students and staff. Major stakeholders in Keilir are the University of Iceland, Islandsbanki, Icelandair Group, HS Geothermal Power, Reykjavik Energy, Icelandic Geosurvey, Geysir Green Energy and others. Keilir consists of four different schools: Aviation Academy, Health Academy, Institute of Technology and a Preliminary Department where the main objective is to prepare students, who have a vocational training and/or sufficient practical experience in industry, with the knowledge and competency necessary for further studies at university level. Each School has its own aims, in accordance with Keilir's objectives, and builds on the importance of an International Airport and environmentally friendly resources besides collecting and using existing knowledge in the surrounding area.

Keilir Aviation Academy offers professional flight training, headed by highly experienced staff of airline pilots and instructors along with excellent affordable housing and brand new Diamond DA20, DA40 and DA42 aircraft. As a former NATO base in Iceland, Keflavik International Airport (BIKF) has two 3000m runways and is the Icelandic gateway between Europe and the United States. The international air traffic is an added bonus to the pilot training experience. Excellent airline connections from Keflavk to the U.K. give trainee pilots many daily options on flights to London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow.

Kadeco the Keflavik Development Company organizes the ASBRU Enterprise Park in the reinvented former NATO military base facilties next to the Keflavik Internation Airport. ASBRU offers ambitious academic programs at Keilir, a univeristy campus, a business incubator, as well as many other exciting projects such as a green energy reserach center, a health village and an International Data Center. Keilir Atlantic Center of Excellence Keilisbraut 775, IS 235, Asbru, Reykjanesbaer, Iceland Tel. +354 578 4000, hja@keilir.net, www.keilir.net

23