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happy new year from england,best wishes julie pendered and family and the gell family of riseley bedfordshire xx

This is my first post, so please don't be too tough on me. My uncle, T/Sgt Vaughn E. Bowers was KIA 14 Oct 1943. He was the Right Waist Gunner (RWG) aboard the subject aircraft. I have been able to confirm the final resting places of the  crew members, except James Giebel. of Pennsboro, WV. If anyone can help, please advise. Also, I have been able to discover that 654 was shot down by Leutnant Hans Reuter of 9/III./JG11, flying a Bf-109G-6 ( with a WGr21 unguided rocket. This was Ltn. Reuter's only recorded victory. Reuter was forced to bail out at least twice during the War, first from a Bf109G-6 (Serial No. 15613, ST+QP), in combat with a P-51 over Ornbeck at 1045 7/28/1943, after taking off from Oldenburg to intercept B-17's. He staid with his plane until he was over a more sparsely populated area before bailing.  Nevertheless his plane crashed directly into a family residence and catapulted over the house into an adjacent farm field. The inhabitants of the house had gone to the basement for shelter from the American air raid, except for the grandmother, who was on the first floor. Miraculously, she was unhurt. Hans Reuter came down nearby in his pararchute, only slightly injured. Reuter had to bail out again on 10/22/1944. This time from a Focke-Wulf FW-190A-8 (Serial No. 960213), "Blue 9", due to an engine failure. He was seriously injured and rushed to a field hospital (Reserve-Lazarett) in Salzwedel. The incident occurred at 0935 in Nierensen, 4KM east of Markt-Friedland. I have been unable to learn whether Ltn. Hans Reuter survived the War. The last surviving member of the 654 crew was Raphael Conrad Simeroth, the tail gunner I made contact with him just before his death in 2008. The best story I came across during my research, came from Viktor Jagodics, an SSMA member in Germany. Viktor is a wonderful resource and tireless historical researcher. The story is of the local farm lady who lived near Bischbrunn, where 654 was shot down. As the SS were rounding up the survivors of the two B-17's shot down in the immediate area, the woman, who was working in the field, witnessed the abuse and inhumane treatment of the men, some of whom were injured and/or in shock. She lit into the SS men with her hay rake, berating them and telling them that her son was a POW in America and was being treated well. Sorta gives you some hope for this troubled world in which we live. Wouldn't it be great to be able to find the descendants of that lady and say,"Thank you".  Thanks for that story Viktor. It was worth all the work.