Robert J. Joyce                                                                                        Updated:  30 OCT 2014

Airman: o888126.htm Surname: Joyce Init: R J Rank: S/Sgt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 335

P_link: p273.htm Plane: B17 42-31561 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Near Øster Højst

Crash_d: d240244 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

 Den korte version: ”Efter et bombetogt til Poznan i Polen nødlandede kl. 16.20 24. februar 1944 et B-17 fly (Flyvende Fæstning) ved Øster Højst, syd for Løgumkloster. 2 omkomne besætningsmedlemmer, C.D. Sahner og G.F. Pechachek, blev begravet den 2. marts 1944 i Aabenraa.

Resten af besætningen, 8 mand, overlevede i mere eller mindre såret tilstand. Værnemagten forhindrede i flere timer, at selv hårdt sårede flyvere kunne komme under lægebehandling.” (FAF) Se den lange version. Uddrag, her om S/Sgt (Ball Turret Gunner) Robert J. Joyce:     (Se besætningen på en B-17)

I mellemtiden kom den alvorligt sårede bombeskytte Skoug kravlende fra forpartiet. Han udtrykte angst for at springe og stivnede i døren. Joyce fortæller, at de måtte skubbe ham ud, efter at de havde givet ham udløsersnoren i hånden. McCulloch fulgte efter, og Joyce selv lukkede øjnene og sprang. Hans faldskærm nåede at folde sig ud få sekunder før han ramte jorden.

Joyce og Seelig forsøgte at flygte. De overnattede i en halmstak, men de frøs meget den nat. Næste morgen kom de til en vej, og de kom med en vogn med tyske arbejdere til Tønder, hvor de blev afleveret til politistationen. Opholdet her i 2 dage stod i skærende kontrast til opholdet i de forskellige fangelejre, som udgjorde deres hjem de næste 16 måneder.

Kish, Hays og Joyce har mange år efter krigen besøgt mindelunden i Øster Højst.

Nødlandingen med denne B-17 Flyvende Fæstning var her - set fra større højde her.
Se tegning af besætningen på en B-17,  Foto af en B-17 + B-17 i airmen.dk samt B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition og Ball Turret Gunner.
Se monument for alle 10 flyvere fra B17 42-31561  rejst her i mindelunden ved Øster Højst Forsamlingshus. 10 flyvere.        

The short version: ”After a bombing raid to Poznan in Poland a B-17 (Flying Fortress) crash landed at 16.20 on 24 February, 1944 at Øster Højst, south of Løgumkloster. 2 perished members of the crew, C.D. Sahner and G.F. Pechachek, were buried on 2 March, 1944 in Aabenraa.

The rest of the crew, 8 men, survived in a condition more or less wounded. The Wehrmacht for several hours prevented that even severely wounded airmen could get medical treatment.” (FAF) See the long version. Excerpts, here about S/Sgt (Ball Turret Gunner) Robert J. Joyce,      (See the crew of a B-17)

In the meantime the severely wounded Bombardier Skoug came crawling from the front end. He expressed his fear of bailing out and stiffened in the doorway. Joyce relates that they had to push him out, when they had put the rip cord in his hand. McCulloch was next and Joyce himself closed his eyes and bailed out. His parachute managed to unfold a few seconds before he hit the ground.

Joyce and Seelig tried to evade. They spent the night in a stack of straw, but they had a very cold night. Next morning they came to a road, and they came with a carriage with workers to Tønder, where they were handed over to the police station. The 2-day stay here formed a glaring contrast to the stay in the German POW camps where they spent the following 16 months.

Kish, Hays and Joyce have visited the memorial grove in Øster Højst many years after the war.

The crash landing with this B-17 Flying Fortress was here - seen from a greater altitude here.
See Drawing of the crew of a B-17, Photo of  a B-17 + B-17s in airmen.dk and B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition and the story of a Ball Turret Gunner.
See monument to all 10 airmen from B17 42-31561 erected here in the memorial grove at Øster Højst Village Hall.

This B-17 belonged to 335th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bombardment Group, 13th Combat Bombardment Wing, 3rd Bombardment Division, 8th Air Force, USAAF.
See 335 BS *  95th Bomb Group Horham * 95th Bomb Group (H) Memorials Foundation  10 airmen.