B-25J, Serial No.43-27747, Nickname " Spider`s Frolic Pad ", 12th Airforce, 321th Bomb Group, 446th Squadron. California-based Canadian 1Lt. Hermann Everhart’s B-25 flew with five other crew members from Solenzara Base on Corsica to Campo di Treus in the Bozen province on Wednesday, March 21st, 1945, around midday. The purpose of the mission was to hit bridges and railway constructions in order to prevent provisions from getting to the Germans. After the attack was over and the bombs had been dropped, enemy flak hit the bomber’s right engine. 1Lt. Hermann Everhart, who had flown more than 60 missions, switched off the engine and then gradually began to make contact with the squadron, as well as r with a P47 "fighter" who tried to escort him but had to give up, due to fuel shortage. The plane was in descent as the crew began preparations for the parachute jump, while the pilot and the navigator tried to steer a course towards neutral Switzerland. After flying over the Brenta and Adamello, they arrived in Canton Grisons, Switzerland, where the tail gunner S/Sgt. Walter Springer and the radio operator S/Sgt. Albert Wilkins bailed out and landed in Vico Soprano. Shortly thereafter, the B25 flew over Lake Como, but later returned to Switzerland, looking for a way to make an emergency landing. Later, after they had dropped the machine guns and everything else they were able to, it was the Engineer S/Sgt. Elwin Scheetz and the Navigator 1 Lt. Jack Falk who jumped into the void. The two watched the plane move further and further down towards Malcantone and Italy. With only the pilot and co-pilot on board, the bomber was just above the city of Curio (Malcantone) when the pilot and co-pilot decided to bail out. Unfortunately F/O Charles Colloway's parachute did not open properly and the officer crashed onto a hill outside the village. On the other hand, 1Lt. Hermann Everhart's parachute opened without a problem and the wind blew him towards Tresa River bed. Officer 1Lt. Hermann Everhart might not have realized that he was circling right above the border between Switzerland and Italy, but shortly thereafter pulled the parachute cord and gave everyone watching him from the ground the clear impression that he had wanted to land on Swiss territory. In fact, many people had gathered on both sides of the Tresa by that time, being that a parachute jump in those areas must have been sensational, once-in-a-lifetime event back then. If he had landed on Swiss soil, there would have been a rescue, whereas in Italy he would have become the German soldiers’ prisoner, at best. The inhabitants of Ponte Tresa shouted at the young pilot, gesturing desperately for him to steer himself towards Switzerland, but pilot 1Lt. Hermann Everhart was now about to land on the Italian side of Ponte Tresa.Before he could land, a patrol shot at him, although he had spread his arms to show that he was unarmed. Pilot 1Lt. Hermann Everhart, dying by the time, was carried away by the silent consternation of the Italian population of Ponte Tresa and the insults of the inhabitants on the other side of Tresa, who were shouting "Assassins, assassins!” This was the only tragic episode that directly affected the population of Malcantone and Valmarchirolo. Today, the Italian authorities still commemorate the annual festival of the Armed Forces by laying a laurel wreath on the stele in Via Don Melli.
