Robert A. Reed served in the 552nd Bomber Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, Medium, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on the B-26 Marauder #41-31586 RG*U during World War II.

On March 3, 1944, their plane took off from Station 164 at Great Dunmow (Little Easton), England on a mission to attack the base of V1 planes in Marquenneville, France. While returning from the mission at 5:45PM, the plane was hit by flak and ignited. The pilot ordered the evacuation from the aircraft and four of them succesfully bailed out. The navigator attempted to force land but the aircraft spinned and crashed at Buigny-Lès-Gamaches - 12 km southeast of Le Tréport, France, killing the Pilot and the Navigator. 2Lt Reed had his hands and face burnt and was taken as prisoner in Tilloy-Floriville, then to Abbeville hospital on March 6, then to Holemark Hospital in Frankfurt (Germany) and finally to Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan (Żagań, Poland).

B-26 Marauder #43-34318 crew members:
1Lt Jesse Carl Higgins, Jr. - Pilot
1Lt James Henry Croggon 'Pete' Solley - Bombardier/Navigator
2Lt Robert A. Reed - CoPilot
S/Sgt Richard Henry Green - Machine Gunner
S/Sgt Emanuel Bernard Spero - Radio Operator
S/Sgt Roland Arthur Graton - Engineer

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net,