2Lt. Harker was flying as wingman for Capt. Clayton K. Gross who was leading 'Red Flight' on an armed reconnaissance mission in the area of Wernigerode, Germany. They were strafing trucks from across an open field to a road paralleling a wooded area. Capt. Gross estimated the trees to be about 30 feet tall. Lt. Harker was following in string pattern about 500 yards behind. After several passes, Lt. Harker's P-51 Mustang failed to clear the trees, crashed and burned in the woods.