Crashed near Muehlacker in P-51 #44-15720 on 15 Jan 45, Prisoner of War (POW).



78th FG 84th FS. 14th January 1945. “1st Lt Richard H. Spooner, 21, of Portland, Oregon, after shooting down an Me 109, ran out of ammunition chasing a FW 190, but sneaked so close that the Nazi flier banked into high tension wires and crashed. Lt Spooner was reported missing in action the day following his double victory. He was hit by light flak east of Bruchsal and his plane crashed into a tree. He was not seen to bail out.”



“While strafing in the vicinity of Bruchsal on 15th January, 1945, Lt R H Spooner and his flight were attacking a train about 1345 hours. On the second pass while he was firing, small arms fire was returned from the train. Black smoke and flames appeared under the left side of the engine. Lt Spooner pulled up and jettisoned his external tanks and canopy after being warned that his plane was burning. It appeared that he did not have sufficient altitude to bail out.



The plane went down, apparently under control, for an attempted forced landing. As he neared the ground, his right wing struck a tree, the ship broke up and burned. Circling aircraft could see no signs of life.”



Captured injured between Knittlingen and Bretten on 15th January 1945 at 1830 hours. Received first aid at Hospital in Bretten. Transferred to evaluation center on 17th January 1945. Transferred to Dulag Luft, Wetzlar on 26th January 1945.