Crew Roster · Personal File
Neil R. Reed
Radio Operator · 330th Squadron
T/Sgt Neil R. Reed served as radio operator aboard B-24J 42-50829. Rather than taking his ditching station prior to impact, he was treating Lt. Blankenship's leg wound. His first name appears as 'Hell' and 'Emil' in OCR-corrupted copies; 'Neil' is the correct reading from the clearest copy (page 5).
Reed did not survive the ditching and was reported missing in action.
Missing in Action
Sortie Log
1 CATALOGUED SORTIE
18 SEP 1944
18 SEP 1944
The sorties below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
8AF Mission
Date
Target
Aircraft
№ 639
18 SEP 1944
Eindhoven
B-24J serial 42-50829, nicknamed 'Sweet Chariot,' was on a supply mission to Eindhoven on 18 September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden. The aircraft departed Hardwick and flew at a maximum altitude of 1,800 feet. Four minutes before reaching the IP, No. 2 engine was knocked out by small arms fire and feathered. After dropping supplies, No. 3 engine began smoking and another engine was feathered due to further small arms damage. No. 1 engine subsequently lost power. The nose turret, elevator trim tabs, and the airframe generally were shot up. Unable to maintain altitude, the crew jettisoned loose equipment and ditched in the North Sea at approximately 5157N 0233E. The impact was extremely violent. Two Royal Navy surface craft that had received Major Segars' radio distress calls arrived almost immediately and recovered three survivors: 2nd Lt. Karian, T/Sgt Lamoureux, and S/Sgt Sciegaj.
Sweet Chariot42-50829