Riverside in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The sculpture at the top of the monument
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025
1. The sculpture at the top of the monument Marker
On 23 June 1944 Captain Raymond M. Walsh and his wing man 1st. Lieutenant Willie L. Whitman of the 513th Fighter Squadron attacked a German truck convoy retreating behind the Normandy beachhead. Both pilots scored rocket hits on the convoy and Lieutenant Whitman's gun camera captured this scene of captain Walsh's P-47 Thunderbolt silhouetted against the tremendous explosion of ammunition trucks set off by their marksmanship.
The pilots flew their aircraft unscathed through the fireball and the dramatic film record of their attack appeared frequently after the war as an historic example of the United States Army Air Force in action.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Arts, Letters, Music • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is June 23, 1944.
Location. 39° 46.797′ N, 84° 6.719′ W. Memorial is in Riverside, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is at the intersection of Spaatz Circle and Bong Street, on the right when traveling south on Spaatz
this page online
Regionally, this memorial is in Ohio’s Dayton Metro and in the Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 406th Fighter Group (here, next to this marker); Pilot Training Class "52 Charlie" (here, next to this marker); 380th Bomb Group (H) (here, next to this marker); 417th Night Fighter Squadron (a few steps from this marker); 9th Troop Carrier Command - 435th Troop Carrier Group (a few steps from this marker); 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) (a few steps from this marker); Lt. Col. Francis S. Hapner (a few steps from this marker); 352nd Fighter Group (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025
2. The sculpture at the top of the monument Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025
3. The sculpture at the top of the monument
Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 81 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 16, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
