NEW: 
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On October 13, 2007 the Mayor of the City of Brno Roman Onderka and the Czech ex-RAF pilot Emil Bocek unveiled in the city district of Slatina a memorial desk in the shape of aircraft wing to 2/Lt William L. Kiggins, who crashed near what is now the Brno International Airport on October 11, 1944. His P-51B Mustang was shot down by AA fire while strafing oil cars and a loco in the RR station.
As usual in case of such events, members of U. S. Army reenactment groups with their Jeeps and Dodges were present in the audience. Their "German" coutreparts brought even a 20-milimeter AA gun – presumably a weapon of this particular type caused the death of 2/Lt Kiggins... What surprised (and dissapointed) me was a representative of the U. S. Military Attache Office didn't show up...
The motor reducer which was found in April (besides some minor wrecks of the Mustang) has been on display in the exhibition on aviation history in the region, which was officially opened in the Village House.
A must-have book on the crash with high-quality images was published – it is (well, it was, as I am not sure whether there is a copy left:-) available free of charge. A detailed account of strafing attacks carried out by the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force on October 11, 1944 by the aviation enthusiast Jan Mahr and an anthropological analysis of human reimans that were also recovered at the site are included. The remains are still kept in the City Cemetery Administration to be transferred to the United States. The negotiation has not been finished yet.
Text in the memorial desk:
Lieutenant of U. S. Army Air Force
William L. Kiggins
born in 1923 in Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.
died on October 11, 1944
He laid down his life
for freedom of our country
in combat near Slatina
on strafing mission
in the cockpit of P-51B Mustnang
and until September 1946 he was buried
in the local cememetery.
German 20-milimeter light flak in front of the Village House
A squad of the Brno Municipal Shooting Corps fire a ceremonial salute
Some parts of 2/Lt Kiggins' Mustang found in April 2007
Motor reducer
"U. S. airman" during the event
Two men of those who were involved in the project of erecting the memorial: aviation enthusiast Jan Mahr (left) and the historian Jan Brecka of the Moravian Museum.
Little bit trashy, to be honest: Water melon with the nickname of 2/Lt Kiggins' Mustang: Miss Betty...
