Memorial

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T/Sgt Russell H. Reimer was a metal worker before he volunteered for the U.S. Army in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on 11 April 1942.

Witness statement of Sgt Gerrit L. Cooper:
"When I first noticed that Yellow "J" was going down, it was to the right of our plane. The left wing tip was on fire. After watching it for a short time, the crew began to leave the plane. The first man to jump went out of sight but I did not see his chute open. The next two opened quite soon after bailing out. The next five men (which made a total of eight) all went out of sight before their shutes opened. We were flying at 23,000 feet and in all probility they were making delayed jumps. There was an undercast so I could not see them very far. This occured just after we were out of the flak area, over the south east part of Vienna."

Witness statement of Sgt George P. Cook:
"I saw Yellow "J", piloted by Lt Waldrow leave the formation just after bombs away. Th plane went into a sloping glide. I think it was hit near the #3 engine by flak. I saw eight men leave the plane. I saw two chutes open, but there was plenty of time for the other chutes to open. The plane disintergrated in the air some distance below us. We were flying at 23,000 feet at the time."

1st Lt Abrams was killed when the plane was hit. He was the only one who didn't bail out.
After the crash, the pilot, Lt Waldrow, was taken to the scene of the crash and stated that Lt Abrams body was in the vicinity of the wreckage.

Eight crew members were taken prisoner, Lt Abrams was killed in action and T/Sgt Russell H. Reimer died of wounds. He was already severely wounded in the head by flak and suffering from shock in the plane and was bailed out by the nose gunner. After the crew was captured, the navigator saw him in the hospital. He said he didn't had a chance to survive his injuries.

According to documents in the Missing in Action Crew Report, T/Sgt Reimer died in the hospital of Vienna on 19 October 1944.