Memorial

More information

Capt. Abrell attended Indiana University and Illinois Wesleyan University. He worked in an automobile factory.

He joined the U.S. Army Reserve Air Corps in Lafayette, Indiana, on 23 March 1942.

He piloted a pathfinder plane, whose duty it was to lead the formation of planes and drop flares to guide the work of the other bombers.

Weather was clear with no undercast as the bomb run was begun. At altitude, clouds were encountered as the bomb run progressed. Clouds became solid, so the group began to descend so as to get under them. Just as the group emerged from the upper clouds and leveled off, flying at 23,000 feet, the group was attacked by a close formation of about 40 enemy aircraft which were practically directly on top of the formation. Two passes were made on this group, both being head-on in close formation and well pressed. About 80 enemy aircraft were in the formation making the second attack. The B-17 of Capt Abrell was last observed in the target area and as it was flying in the deputy group lead position. It was subject to the brunt of the two enemy attacks. No other observation or information concerning this aircraft was available.

According to the Missing in Action Crew Report, #1 and #4 engines were lost due to flak and #2 was out by enemy fighter gun fire.

Capt. Abrell did not bail out, a 20 mm shell decapitated him. He crashed with the plane. The other crew members were able to bail out and were taken prisoner.