596th memorial plaque - Nice Airport (France)

Nice Airport

Memorial Plaque to the

596th Parachute Combat Engineering Company

    

    
    

     

    In memory of the brave paratroopers of the
596th Parachute 
    Engineer Company
517th Parachute 
    Regimental Combat Team
of the United 
    States Army
 
who parachuted 
    into the South of France on August 15, 1944,
took part in the 
    release of the town of Nice.
 
These valiant 
    parachutists sacrificed their lives in
de-mining the 
    airport of Nice so that it is usable for
the liberation of 
    France and it is for them that this plaque is dedicated:
 
Sergeant Wallace 
    P. Englert
PFC William F. 
    Boggan
PFC Herbert B. 
    McLamb
PFC Alois J. 
    Siewierski
Private Vestal A. 
    Lucas
Private Harold H. 
    Miller
 

    

  
  
     

    Thanks to its courageous resistance, 

    the town of Nice was liberated on August 28, 1944. 
    
The following day, 
    these valiant resistance fighters 
began the 
    de-mining of this airfield to allow its usage 
by the grateful 
    town of Nice.

Ben,

During a visit to Nice 2006, I visited the Nice Airport. I knew of plaque honoring the 596th for it's efforts in clearing the airport
of demolitions and mines in August 1944. During the clearing efforts, as we know, six members of the 596 were killed.

The airport is currently under construction and no one in the airport management or the police could remember where the plaque was
located - all remember seeing it, but due to the construction it was temporarily awol. After a dedicated search by all the plaque was
located at the proposed main entrance to the airport where it currently rests, and I am forwarding photo's of myself and airport
manager Michael.

Gene Frice, F Co.