George F. Pechacek   Photo: AS 25 MAY 2015  Updated:  18 JUN 2015                 1948 -           Ardennes, BELGIUM                  

Airman: u113153.htm Surname: Pechacek Init: G F Rank: T/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: b020344 C_link: c113.htm At_Next: Aabenraa

 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 T/Sgt (Top Turret Gunner) George F. Pechacek:    
(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. Det nåede faldskærmen desværre ikke for Pechachek, der døde ved sammenstødet.

400-500 m fra flyet fandt landbetjenten en flyver, som han med sikkerhed kunne sige var død.
Det var Pechachek, hvis faldskærm kun delvist havde nået at udfolde sig.

George F. Pechacek blev begravet i Aabenraa den 2. marts 1944.
Efter krigen blev hans lig gravet op og ført til Belgien, hvor han blev begravet på
Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot B Row 39 Grave 14. Han kom i tjeneste fra Wisconsin. Hæderstegn: Air Medal med Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart. (Kilde: ABMC)

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 T/Sgt (Top Turret Gunner) George F. Pechacek,    (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 for 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. Unfortunately Pechachek’s parachute did not do that, so he was killed on impact.

400-500 m from the plane the village constable found an airman that he with certainty could declare dead. That was Pechachek, whose parachute only partly had
managed to unfold before he hit the ground.

George F. Pechacek was buried in Aabenraa on 2 March 1944.

Like all other American airmen buried in Aabenraa he was taken to Ardennes American Cemetery in BELGIUM after the war.
He still rests there. He entered the Service from: Wisconsin.
Buried at: Plot B Row 39 Grave 14. Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart. (Source: ABMC)

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.