The Fliegerdenkmal in the Fockenbachtal is a commemorative plaque in honor of the Oberfeldwebel Friedrich Bruchlos, who died there in 1945, from the eighth season / third group of Kampfgeschwaders KG (J).
On March 7, 1945, a small advance guard of the ninth US Armored Division succeeded in conquering the Remagen Bridge (Ludendorff Bridge). German ground forces failed two blast attempts. The bridge was the only intact Rhine bridge in the area of the Middle Rhine. It finally came to the bridge conquest by the US Army. Nevertheless, the German Air Force received the order to destroy the bridge. Americans protected the Drake-Remagen bridge with the US Air Force and anti-aircraft guns (Flak). Despite heavy losses attacked on 7 and 8 March 1945, the German aircraft to the US ground forces. The mission of Bruchlos was to use his bombs to destroy the Remagen Bridge, occupied two days earlier by Americans.
His plane, a jet-propelled bomber Arado Ar 234 with the identification FI + AS, was then the most modern jet aircraft. If, however, the glass cockpit of the front-seated pilot penetrated, there was no chance of survival for the inmate. Bruchless's machine was hit by an anti-aircraft missile. He managed to pull the machine to the height of the Wiedtal, so as not to hit any densely populated places with its bomb load. Finally he crashed in the Fockenbachtal.
The Wiedtal was conquered in the following days by American tanks and the crashed machine fell into oblivion. Only 30 years later, Neuwieder Hans Bröker found metal castings. The remains of the German aircraft were dug up. A part can be visited in the village museum Niederbreitbach. Two cypress trees frame the memorial, a plaque with life data of the aviator reminds him.
(Kuladig.de)