Connie Vogel served as a fighter pilot with the 357th Fighter Group, flying missions out of Leiston, England. On 18 March 1944, after being attacked by FW190s on an escort and support mission to Augsburg, Germany, he crashed SSW of Ehingen/Donau, at Dieterskirch (Bruehlwiesen plot # 119) near Uttenweiler, Germany. Vogel was seen exiting the aircraft but his parachute failed to open. His body was found by locals and buried in the cemetery nearby. Later, his body was repatriated to United States to be buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Longmont, CO.

Vogel had been flying P-51B 43-12442. The wreckage of the crashed P-51 was discovered on October 1, 1993!! In May 2017, three of Connie's nephews, Ken, Ron and Jim, flew to Germany and on 27 May met with local researcher Stefan Rasser and over 20 villagers to remember and honor their uncle's sacrifice. Stefan had arranged for them to visit the church cemetery where Father Tommy gave prayers in both English and German and the Mayor gave a short talk. They then drove to the area where the body was found and a Memorial cross was attached to a tree next to the road. They also drove to the field where the plane crashed and finally had lunch together at a restaurant in Oberwachingen. Jim Vogel called it 'a very special time'.