The following is from a conversation between Cowboy Roane and Paul West in 1991…Cowboy's remarks are from notes:

"I was with them at Paris and saw King's plane hit amidships by flak. It pitched up in and extreme nose high attitude and struck the tail section of Alvin's (Barker) plane. It seemed like slow motion, or maybe that is just my memory but they seemed to hang there for a time and then Richard (King) went straight down and Alvin (Barker) just exploded then and there. It was and still is a sad day for me, I had been Richard's (King) co-pilot in the states, the entire crews were my close friends. I also knew Alvin (Barker) from back in the states where we were squadron mates as well. "

Crash Information: FROM LT KING CASUALTY REPORT:
The third aircraft to be involved in a massive mid-air collision in the Paris, France area. A salvoed bomb (from the high group) hit the No# 3 engine of aircraft 42-30059 piloted by 1/Lt Charles Floyd, which collided with aircraft 42-5865 piloted by Lt Victor Fienup, resulting in loss of control. The aircraft piloted by Lt. Richard King received a direct flak burst amidships and sudden moved upward striking aircraft piloted by Lt Charles Floyd, this aircraft exploded.

When Al Barker, regular pilot of this crew, was made Squadron Operations officer, Charles Floyd moved from the co-pilots to the pilots’ seat and Jack Boyd, who had flown overseas with the 100th unassigned to a crew, became the new co-pilot. Earl Griggs and Dale Huffer were flying in place of regular crewmen, Willis Stroud and Robyn Fulton, while Lt. Peter Theodore flew this mission in place of Edwin Morgan.

Lt. Theodore, Assistant Station Gunnery officer and a very early member of the 100th, was under no duty or obligation to fly combat missions but he firmly believed that only by knowing at first hand the problems encountered by combat crew gunners could he be of help to them and gain their trust and respect. This was the fourth mission he had flown and he had demonstrated great coolness and courage in action.

Of interest in this regard is the following statement given by Robert Rosenberg many months after the event:

"The target, the Renault Works at Paris, was hidden by cloud when our group reached the target area. Flak was relatively heavy and fairly accurate. Our Group commander was knocked out of the formation and during the ensuing period in which the deputy commander moved into the group lead our plane was hit in the number three engine. Through skillful flying, Lts. Floyd and Boyd were able to keep control and maintain our position, No. 3, low squadron, low group. As we proceeded away from the target area to the secondary target at Evreux, German fighters joined the attack. We reached Paris at 0845 but did not leave until almost 0900. The fighters succeeded in sending many bullets through the plane without causing any injury to any crew members or any material damage to the plane.

"At about 0920 I began re loading the nose guns from the ammunition case on which I was sitting while the bombardier kept a sharp lookout. I had finished loading two of the guns when the pilot began to say something over the intercom. Before he could finish speaking, he, the co pilot and bombardier apparently saw German fighters reforming to renew the attack. I began firing the right nose gun at an incoming fighter and while so engaged felt the plane jump violently. Observers whom I met later tell me that a plane salvoed its bombs from the high squadron just before it blew up. One of the bombs hit our already damaged and feathered #3 engine and caused our plane to maneuver into the plane of the flight leader (m is was Lt. V. Fienup Crew #21), from which plane, already on fire, the crew members were bailing out. Our plane was now out of formation with the left wing tip and right mid wing section ablaze. The pilot and copilot were still fighting and managing to retain a modicum of control. German fighters were closing in on us and everybody was concentrating on returning the fire of these oncoming ships. Word came across
the intercom to abandon ship but before I could make a move, the ship seemingly exploded. I recovered
consciousness four days later. We were not permitted any freedom while in the hospital at Paris but from what little I could learn, the bombardier, Frank C. Coon, and I were the only survivors. All the while we were imprisoned; we fruitlessly sought to learn of some small word of the fate of the rest of the crew. "

Frank Cocn was also blown from the ship but recovered in time to pull the ripcord.
John M. Neal is commemorated on The Wall of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery.
Dale Huffer is commemorated on The Wall of the Missing at The Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France.

LT CHARLES W. FLOYD BURIED: AMERICAN MILITARY CEMETERY AT OMAHA BEACH GRAVE D-7-40