Memorial

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Statement from 1st Lt Eugene M. Van Antwerp:
"We were going to the target on a 360 degrees heading, bomb-bay doors open, when the pathfinder nosed into a snow storm. We continued flying approximately three minutes until the E.T.A. of the target was passed. The box leader made a left turn to approximately a 270 degrees heading. After we had straightened out on the new course the leader gave the signal to close the bomb doors. I was flying in the fourth flight, first box, on Capt. Walkers wing, number three position. Directly after I closed my bomb-bay doors I looked up and to the right. At that time I saw Lt. Lubbens ship hesitate momentarily and then go into approximately an 80 degrees dive. At the time I watched him, his ship was diving with his wings level in a diving position."

A year later, all three of the crewmen were declared dead by the military. In 1975, a German company discovered the grave of three men, who had been buried by locals. The remains could not be properly identified at that time, and all three were buried in the Ardennes American Military Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium. In 2003, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command exhumed the grave and the crew was positively identified in 2008. Sgt Spiegel was brought home and buried in April of 2008 at Arlington, along with two other crew members, 2nd Lt. John F. Ludden and Sgt. Albert A. Forgue.

Sgt Charles L. Spiegel is remembered at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.