Remains of the only US pilot killed in Brno in WWII handed over to US Ambassador
Eighty years ago, U.S. pilot William L. Kiggins was killed during a combat mission over Brno, becoming the only American soldier to die in the Moravian capital during World War II. On Wednesday, the American Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Bijan Sabet received the skeletal remains found at the crash site a few years ago, believed to belong to the pilot.
Second Lieutenant William L. Kiggins served in the US Army as a member of the 308th Fighter Squadron. His P-51 Mustang fighter plane was shot down on October 11, 1944, by German anti-aircraft artillery, crashing into a field in Slatiny in what was then the outskirts of Brno. Kiggins was only 21 years old when he died. The wreckage was promptly collected by Wehrmacht authorities, and his remains were buried at a local cemetery.
In 1946, Kiggins' remains were exhumed and transported to the U.S. cemetery of San Avalon in France, and then moved to Toledo, Ohio, three years later. In 2007, however, historians from the Moravian Museum in Brno revisited the crash site, discovering part of his aircraft buried two meters underground, along with some skeletal remains. Archaeologist Aleš Navrátil explains:
“There were historical records that the plane was shot down. In 2007, a team of researchers from the historical department of the Moravian Museum contacted a woman from Slatiny who had witnessed the incident as a child. Together, they identified the exact spot, despite significant changes to the landscape.”
Now, 80 years later, the remains of Mr. Kiggins will return to his hometown, where DNA analysis will confirm their authenticity. On Wednesday, they were handed over to the U.S. Ambassador to Czechia, Bijan Sabet, by representatives of the Brno City Museum. During the ceremony, Mr. Sabet emphasized the importance of honoring past sacrifices as well as current commitments to freedom:
“It is incredibly important to honor his sacrifice and the sacrifices of all those who served. This is still highly relevant today. Currently, we face similar issues here in Europe, with Russian aggression and the invasion of Ukraine. Together, the United States, the Czech Republic and other allies are working to protect Ukraine from this aggression.”
Brno, the Moravian capital, was liberated by Soviet and Romanian forces on April 26, 1945, while the U.S. Army, under Gen. George Patton, liberated the western city of Plzeň. So why was a U.S. soldier killed over Brno? Zdeněk Šolc, head of the Brno City Museum, explains:
“The U.S. Army bombed targets in Germany and the Protectorate, including a mission on October 11 targeting a military train carrying aviation gasoline. On the return journey, Kiggins’ plane veered over Brno, where it was shot down by German air defenses.”
As a tribute, the museum director presented the US ambassador with a model of the Mustang fighter jet in which Kiggins flew. The original plane had the nickname "Miss Betty" written on its nose, honoring the late pilot’s mother.
