Arthur Edwin Speer was born on June 29, 1920, in Runnels County, Texas. He was the son of William H. Speer and Emma Brooks Tyer Speer. He was married to Kathryn Yvonne "Kay" Lang Speer. He served in the 452nd Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator/ Bombardier of B-26B #41-17999 nicknamed ''Chickasaw Chief'' during World War II.

On the morning of 17 May 1943, eleven B-26 Marauder bombers of the 452nd Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group, departed RAF Rougham, England, on a low-level mission to attack power facilities at Velsen and IJmuiden in the German-occupied Netherlands. The objective was to disrupt the electrical infrastructure supporting the German war effort. Shortly after takeoff, one aircraft was forced to return because of mechanical problems, leaving ten bombers to continue the mission. As the formation crossed the Dutch coast, it was detected by German radar and came under heavy attack from anti-aircraft defenses and fighter aircraft. The mission soon turned tragic. Two Marauders were shot down near Maassluis and Rozenburg, and at approximately 11:58 a.m., two others, B-26B 41-18080 (DR-K) and B-26B 41-17991 (DR-S), collided in mid-air over the Noordzijderpolder north of Bodegraven. Both aircraft disintegrated and crashed into nearby fields, resulting in the deaths of eight airmen and serious injuries to four others. Nearby was B-26B 41-17999 "Chickasaw Chief." During the collision, debris from the two stricken bombers struck the aircraft, causing substantial damage. Despite the situation, pilot 1st Lt. David V. Wurst successfully maintained control of the crippled Marauder and guided it toward open farmland near the hamlet of De Meije. There, he carried out a successful forced landing, allowing all six crew members to escape the aircraft alive. Although the crew survived the emergency landing, they were soon captured by German authorities and taken prisoner. They remained prisoners of war until the end of World War II.

2Lt Speer was held at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan, Silesia, Bavaria. After the war, he returned to active duty, participating in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and ended his military service as a Lieutenant Colonel. He died on November 6, 2013, and is now buried in the Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, City and County of Denver, Colorado, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, en.wikipedia.org