Highclere Castle in Hampshire, England, is certainly recognizable to fans of the Emmy-winning drama series “Downton Abbey.”

But for Dana Arbaugh ’70 and his wife, Linda, their connection to the estate dates well before the television program — and soon-to-be movie — began filming there.

A native of Sheridan, Wyoming, Linda Ewan Arbaugh’s family was friends with then-U.S. Sen. Malcom Wallop and his sister, Jean Wallop.

Fast forward a few years, Wallop married the 7th Earl of Carnarvon, Henry Herbert. She would take on the title of Lady Jean Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon, and live at Highclere Castle.

So it was with great anticipation that the Arbaughs planned a visit to England and a stop at the now-famous castle.

George Herbert, is now the 8th Earl of Carnarvon. George’s wife, Lady Fiona Carnarvon, greeted the Arbaughs on their April 23 visit to Highclere Castle.

“The Earl’s wife was most pleasant and cordial towards us,” Dana reports.

According to Dana, Air Force Academy graduates will find it interesting that on May 5, 1945, just three days before VE-Day, a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber crashed in on the 6,000-acre estate of Highclere Castle, killing all but one of its crew members.

“During our visit of the castle and grounds, we were surprised to see an attractive memorial to both the RAF and U.S. Air Force of World War II on the estate grounds,” he writes. “A total of eight RAF and U.S. Air Force aircraft crashed on the Highclere estate during World War II.”

The current Lady Carnarvon told the Arbaughs that she is on a personal quest to identify and memorialize these crash sites. She also wants to invite the veterans, survivors and family members associated with the crashes to visit Highclere.

“The B-17G story is most poignant,” Dana says. “Of the seven crew members, all but one perished.”

TSgt Len Netti, the radio operator, survived the crash. He, his wife and five children visited Highclere and the crash site when he was 88 years old.

Arbaugh encouraged members of the U.S. Air Force family to visit "Downton Abbey" Highclere in the days ahead and to remember those who didn’t return home after World War II.