Pomník ppor. Freda Clifgarda

The memorial to 2/Lt Fred Clifgard stands in Pouzdřany, a small wine village in South Moravia, and commemorates an American fighter pilot killed in the closing weeks of the Second World War during a strafing attack on a train near the village.

Where exactly is the memorial?

The monument stands in a small park on the main street of Pouzdřany, at the corner of Hlavní and Za Kostelem streets, right next to the local church. It's a quiet spot in the centre of a small wine-growing village at the foot of the Pálava hills, well off the region's main tourist routes.

Who was Fred Clifgard?

Fred Gabriel Clifgard was born on March 13, 1925, in Long Beach, California, the only son of Roy Alvin Clifgard, a pharmacist, and Hazel May Clifgard (née Hartfield), who worked as a sales clerk in the family pharmacy. The inscription on the memorial itself gives the years 1926-1945, which doesn't quite match this recorded birth date. He served as a young lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces and was flying missions over Europe in the final stage of the war, when Allied aircraft were carrying out intensive attacks on German transport infrastructure across occupied Moravia.

How did Lt Clifgard die?

Fred Clifgard was killed on March 1, 1945, during an attack on a train near Pouzdřany. He was piloting a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the twin-boom American fighter widely used by the USAAF for ground-attack missions, including strikes on rail transport supplying the German front. While flying low over the target, his aircraft struck power lines, crashed, and he was killed instantly.

When and why was the memorial unveiled?

The memorial was formally unveiled on September 22, 1991 - only after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia, when local communities began commemorating Allied airmen who had died over Moravia during the war more openly. The front of the pedestal bears the inscription "PPOR. FRED CLIFGARD 1926-1945," identifying the pilot by his military rank and the years given for his life and death.

What should visitors know before going?

The memorial stands right in the centre of Pouzdřany, so it's easy to combine a visit with a walk through the village, known for its vineyards and its proximity to the Pouzdřanská step nature reserve. It's a small, unassuming monument rather than a major tourist draw - one of many sites across Moravia that keep alive the memory of Allied airmen who lost their lives in the final months of the war.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Fred Clifgard? An American P-38 Lightning fighter pilot, born in 1925 in Long Beach, California, who was killed during an attack on a train near Pouzdřany in March 1945.

Where exactly does the memorial stand? In a small park at the corner of Hlavní and Za Kostelem streets in Pouzdřany, next to the local church.

How did Lt Clifgard die? On March 1, 1945, his P-38 Lightning struck power lines while attacking a train and crashed.

When was the memorial unveiled? On September 22, 1991.

What does the inscription on the memorial say? "PPOR. FRED CLIFGARD 1926-1945" - identifying the pilot by military rank and the years of his life and death given on the monument.