Memorial

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1st Lt Eugene J. Zakovec graduated from Fremont High school in 1939 and attended Midland College. He worked in an automobile factory.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Omaha, Nebraska on 17 June 1942.

The mission was to escort bombers. On the way back, the escort fighters had permission to attack targets of opportunity. When they spotted the airfield of Rheine, they went in for the attack.

Hereby is the statement of Major John H. Lowell, eyewitness:
“The number four man in my white flight was a flier from the 385th squadron by chance, after he found us on top of the overcast. The number four of this flight was returning to land so it left a spot for the 385th man. All was uneventful with big friends until I took the 385th to 14,000 feet looking for enemy airplanes. An airfield was sighted several miles ahead and a good attack was possible, so white flight attacked, covered by red and 2nd section. The attack was line abreast and good surprise was achieved. We could not come back up as a town was dead ahead. I called for a break to right 90 degrees. As we all did so, I saw number four man in a vertical turn. He gained approximately 100 feet in the turn, and I saw many tracers and puffs of flak around him. He did not recover from the vertical position, as a half-second later, I saw a belch of flames and smoke as the plane crashed and exploded. I am sure he had no chance to bail out. The rest of us were hit by ground fire, but not fatally, as I am sure Lt Zakovec was.”