Around noon local time on Thursday, August 25th, 1977, an RF-4C from RAF Alconbury, serial number 66-0424, crashed into a field near Thuine, Germany, barely avoiding the village, farm houses, a hospital and convent. 

Flying at an altitude of 800 feet at over 400 knots, the crew experienced some sort of trouble and lost control. It was quite obvious to eye witnesses the air crew chose to stay with the plane rather than eject, thus sparing Thuine from certain disaster. 

After 20 years of wondering where Ken’s plane went down, the Seder family was contacted by the tiny town of Thuine, North Germany. The townspeople created a modest memorial site, to honor two men they saw as heroes – Capt Ken Seder and his navigator, Lt Alan Aertker. A year later, the community met face-to-face with both families, just feet away from the crash-site’s soil on Mühelstrasse, at a ceremony that celebrated their memories.

As Joachim Eichoff explained at the dedication of the memorial stone, on a certain August day around noon, two American Phantom jet fighters who flew at low altitude, forever changed the village of Thuine. People commented on how the stricken jet was seen smoking and shaking. For the two crew members it was high time to abandon the aircraft through their ejection seats in order to save their lives. They did not eject, as the aircraft headed into the middle of the village hospital and convent. The two pilots pulled the machine over the town, but could not escape from the out of control aircraft. They died in the ruins of their jet aircraft. The accompanying second Phantom returned to Alconbury in England from where both aircraft had begun their mission.

The almost inevitable catastrophe for Thuine was averted by the brave soldiers in service, remarked Eichoff, to the subdued gathering of people around the memorial. He said "I can still remember exactly how the aircraft flew over our house". "All of us would not be here today if it had plunged into the village, commented an older citizen".

The families have finally found closure and comfort and will forever hold Thuine close to their hearts.

Family members of the crewmen plan to return to Thuine in 2007 for the 30th anniversary of the crash.

In Memoriam

Captain Kenneth Seder und Captain Alan Aertker, 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing United States Air Force, die hier am 25. August 1977 mit ihrem Flugzeug in den Tod stürzten.

Sie gaben ihr Leben, um die Menschen von Thuine vor einer Katastrophe zu bewahren.

Die dankbaren Einwohner von Thuine."

In Memoriam

Captain Kenneth Seder and Captain Alan Aertker, 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing United States Air Force, who fell here on 25 August 1977 with their airplane unto death.

They gave their lives, in order to protect the people of Thuine from disaster.

The grateful inhabitants of Thuine."