Leamon E. McCulloch                                                                              Updated:  30 OCT 2014

Airman: o888129.htm Surname: McCulloch Init: L E 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 (Left Waist Gunner) Leamon E. McCulloch:    (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.

Både Skoug og McCulloch, der landede tæt ved hinanden, kørtes på Christian Toft´s landbrugsvogn til Alslev Skole under provokerende eskorte af tysk mandskab, husker Marius. Herfra telefonerede de til læge Højholdt. Tyskerne ville overvære behandlingen af de sårede, men Højholdt forlangte at arbejde uden tysk bevogtning, og det endte med, at vagterne gik ud igen. De sårede kørtes derfra til Løgumkloster Sygehus.

De 4 første, der sprang ud fra flyet, kørtes alle til Løgumkloster Sygehus. Dr. Højholdt diskuterede meget kraftigt med den tyske underofficer, som krævede bevæbnede vagter i både røntgenafdelingen og i operationsstuen. Selv efter at have talt med Hauptmann Hansen fra et tyske hovedkvarter i Århus nægtede underofficeren at tage mod ordrer fra fremmede officerer. Han nægtede også at lade de sårede få andet tøj på, at få noget at spise og drikke samt hindrede operative indgreb. Det gav 2 timers forsinkelse til en tysk militærperson fra Tønder ankom! Så kunne de 4 komme videre til Tønder Sygehus!

Næste dag på Tønder Sygehus fortalte overlægen Costales, at to af hans kammerater var døde, men resten af mandskabet overlevede. Skoug, Kish og McCulloch skulle transporteres til et hospital i Slesvig, og Hays, Joyce, Seelig og Carnie skulle sendes til forhørscentret i Frankfurt. Nogle måneder senere kom Costales også til Frankfurt. Det var hårdt at være krigsfange!

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 (Left Waist Gunner) Leamon E. McCulloch,      (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.

Both Skoug and McCulloch, who landed close to each other, were taken to Alslev School in Christian Toft´s carriage with a provoking German escort, Marius recalls. From here they made a telephone call to Doctor Højholdt. The Germans wanted to witness the treatment of the wounded, but Højholdt demanded to work without German guards, and finally the guards went out again. From there the wounded were driven to Løgumkloster Hospital.

The first 4 who bailed out from the plane were all driven to Løgumkloster Hospital. Doctor Højholdt had a heavy discussion with the German noncommissioned officer, who demanded armed guards in both the X-ray department and in the operation room. Even after he had talked to Hauptmann Hansen from the German HQ in Århus, the noncommissioned officer refused to take orders from officers unknown to him. He also prevented the wounded from getting other clothes, something to eat and drink and from surgical operations. This meant a delay of 2 hours till a German military person from Tønder arrived! Then the 4 could get on to Tønder Hospital.

Next day at Tønder Hospital the consultant told Costales that two of his mates were dead, but that the rest of the crew would survive. Skoug, Kish and McCulloch were to be taken to a hospital in Schleswig, and Hays, Joyce, Seelig and Carnie were to be sent to the interrogation centre in Frankfurt. Some months later Costales too came to Frankfurt. It was hard to be a prisoner of 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.