Memorial

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"I was leading Red flight on the mission of 1 December, and Lieutenant Pruden was flying on my wing. On the way back from Solingen, he called my attention to some enemy planes attacking a straggling bomber, and I gave him permission to make an attack on them. He went down after them while I and the two other planes of my flight gave him cover. His attack was unsuccessful, probably because of ice forming on his windscreen, and he broke it off at 22,000 feet and climbed back to our level. I called him and asked where he was, and he replied, 'I am now flying number 4.' I lost sight of him due to the fact that many other P-47s were in the neighborhood, and it is possible that he joined some other flight in error. I never saw him or heard him speak over the radio after that. This took place about 15 Miles west of Cologne at about 13:10 hours."
Wreckage was recovered by BAHAAT in July 2003.
This operation proved to be very successful. Parts of the armor plating were found first, under which the huge engine was hidden for so many years. All eight .50 were recovered as well. Other interesting parts were the pilot's gun sight, rudder pedals, the tail wheel, etc.
Believed shot down by Ofw Otto Schneider 6./JG 6