Memorial

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2nd Fredric T. Neel Jr. attended Schreiner Institute at Kerrville and the University of Texas and worked on the family farm before he joined the Air Corps of the National Guard in Houston, Texas on 25 November 1940.

1st Lt Walter R. Langford:
Aircraft B-17G, 42-107178, could have been hit by flak or fighters as it left the formation about 8 minutes after target had been reached. Aircraft was under control, was not on fire, and had no engines knocked out. It went down to about 8,000 feet and flew along below and behind the formation for about ten minutes before disappearing from view. This aircraft was seen to have fighter escort when last observed. No parachutes were seen.

1st Lt Richard Markley:
I was told by American Legation officer that he was found near pilot seat, dead. That was when the ship was raised from bottom of Baltic Sea.

He attempted to land the aircraft in a meadow. To prevent the plane from crashing into a house, he made an evasive maneuver, after which the bomber stalled and plunged into the sea a few hundred meters from the beach. He did not survive the impact.