Charles Frederic Spear Jr. was born on October 11, 1919, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Charles Frederic Spear and Dorothea Lovina Kincaid Spear. He was married to Priscilla Frances Alden Spear. He served in the 601st Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Sergeant and Radio Operator in B-17G #43-37889 nicknamed ''Black Widow” during World War II.

On January 20, 1945, the B-17G “Black Widow” departed Nuthampstead, England, for a mission into the Rhine valley. The day’s target was the bridge between Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, an important industrial and transportation link across the Rhine. The aircraft was hit by heavy flak before reaching the target, but remained steady long enough to release its bombs. Afterward, the bomber caught fire, fell out of formation, and came under attack from a German fighter before crashing near Mechtersheim in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Out of the nine crew members, two were killed in action, while the other seven parachuted to safety but were captured and spent the rest of the war as prisoners.

Sgt Spear was captured and imprisoned at Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria. After being freed, he returned to duty and ended his military service as a Staff Sergeant. He died on June 27, 1977, and is now buried in the South Hampton Cemetery, South Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.ig-heimatforschung.de