 On February 4, 1945, near Colmar, Edmond Marin la Meslée was shot down during a strafing attack when his Republic P-47 Thunderbolt suffered a direct hit from a 40 mm anti-aircraft shell (German "Flak").His aircraft exploded in the crash but his body was nevertheless recovered by the Germans.He had received a piece of shrapnel in the head, and had probably died even before the crash.