Victor Leon Vogel was born on November 6, 1919 in Sterling, Rice County, Kansas, U.S.A. He was the youngest of 10 children born to Charles and Emma Vogel. He spent his youth in Sterling and attended Duke University in North Carolina for some time. He enlisted in the USAAF to be an aviation cadet on 13 January 1942 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In 1943 he spent some time at Millville Army Air Field in New Jersey as a 2Lt. with an Operational Training Unit on an Advanced Fighter Training Course. At the O.T.U. he practiced mostly gunnery on his P-47, prior to being sent to England.

In England, the by now 1st Lt. Vogel became a P-47 pilot with the 352 Fighter Squadron, 353 Fighter Group, stationed at  Army Air Force Station F-366 Metfield.

353 Fighter Group
352 Squadron

8th USAAF

Victor Vogel's family. Victor is the baby on his father's knee. (picture courtesy of
Mr. Nelson Russell)

Lt. Victor Vogel on the right with Major W. B. Bailey and Lt. Johnson on the left
(picture courtesy of Mr. Nelson Russell)

On January 11, 1944, 1st Lt. Vogel flew a P-47D (42-7904) usually flown by Lt. Clifford Armstrong, with aircraft code SX-F. The plane was named "8 Gun Melody", referring to the 8 .50 guns the plane had as armament.

The mission was Penetration Support, which meant escorting the B17 bombers into enemy territory, after which they handed the bombers over to another group of fighters who would cover them to and from target. A third group would then relieve the second and do withdrawal support.

1st Lt. Vogel's call sign today was Wakeford Red 4. Wakeford being the Squadron's call sign, Red 4 his position within the squadron (in this case 4th plane in Red flight). He was wingman to 1st Lt. Robert P. Geurtz. Lt. Geurtz later reported: "I was flying Wakeford Red 3 position with Lt. Vogel as my wingman, Red 4. We were on our way home and I would say about mid-channel. The time was approximately 1230 or 1235, our altitude was about 25,000 feet. Visibility was about 250 to 500 yards. Lt. Vogel called our leader and asked: " Can't we get below this stuff?" Our leader did not hear him and there was no reply. In a minute or so I looked back at my wingman and saw him make a shallow, diving turn 180 degrees to us. I called in and asked if he was OK. I received no answer. This was the last I saw of Lt. Vogel"

The leader of Wakeford Blue section (#1) witnessed a P-47 coming down through the clouds in a dive and disappearing in the clouds below them at their 9 o'clock position. He did not see him make any attempt to get out of the dive. Blue flight was flying at 9,000 feet.

 

Capt. Robertson took the 352nd squadron to the air at 1415 to search that part of the North Sea were Lt. Vogel was last seen. They looked for him till 1600, flying at 1000 feet, all 16 planes abreast with 100 yards between them, when they returned home without sighting anything.

(picture courtesy of Mr. Chuck Vogel)

1st Lt. Vogel is still Missing In Action. He is commemorated at the Cambridge American Cemetery Wall of the Missing.

After the war his brother Clark had this litho made in his honour.

(picture courtesy of Mr. Nelson Russell)

 

Acknowledgements:
Mr. Nelson Russell
Mr. Chuck Vogel

Sources:
MACR 2007

Updated 16 August 2005

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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