Warbird Information Exchange

All most didn't post this one; because i want to be respectful. I thought about it and i think posting this is a tribute to him and his fellow servicemen. So often we just hide this stuff.

Mr Cruikshank has dementia ec. Just two hours after being placed in a care center; he was arrested.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/ ... -810290359


My respect to Mr Cruikshank and his fellow servicemen.
You can't stop a patriotic American!

You are right, It is a tough thing to deal with and a lot of us would probably rather not even think about it. My grandfather, who we lost this summer, was starting to drift into dementia after slowly losing his memories over the last few years. It is a tough thing to watch happen to a loved one. At least he did not get violent.

A vet who has been through a POW experience may have deep underlying PTSD issues that might come bubbling up when thrown into a strange environment. Sounds like the staff did not handle the situation well and then once the police were called things snowballed out of control. Was he a danger to himself and others? Probably. Could the whole thing have been handled differently? That is the big question. At least the police didn't shoot him.

Sad story, hopefully the staff can learn from this and try to head off this type of situation.

My girlfriend is a nurse in a nursing home, and has dealt with a couple of veterans having flashbacks. This story totally enraged her. How in the world could someone be admitted to a dimentia ward with a knife? The situation was totally mishandled beginning to end. At the very least, they'd better drop the charges..this guy is the very opposite of a criminal. He's a hero who's suffering the continuing scars of his service to our country.

I'm printing out the article..my girlfreind wants to show it to her co-workers. If for no other reason than to prevent something like that from happening here.


SN

Possibly also or more so from the shot down. I knew a fellow here in Salem who was a B-24 pilot with severe PTSD. The nose gunner of his B-24 couldn't baill out because the turret was jammed hard over and he couldn't get out of it. They all had to leave him screaming and wailing has the rest of the crew bailed out. He said that he never could get the screaming out of his head:cry:

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Capt. Charles B. Cruikshank was a distinguished pilot with the 100th Bombardment Group (H).

He was flying his 21st mission when he and his crew were shot down over Munster, Germany on 10 October, 1943. 2 KIA. The rest POW.

Crew #31 418th Sqdn.
M. A. C. R.#1028
Mission: Munster
Aircraft #42-30725 -- AW-R-GO
Time: 1500/1530
A/C last seen: Munster
Cause:EAC

This is a very sad story. Our Veterans deserve better.

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Dave

I was chatting with a 100th BG veteran under the wing of Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby the other day..really cool guy, flew 30 missions as a tail gunner. We were talking about restored B-17s, and I asked if he'd ever taken a ride. He emphatically said "No! Been there, done that..besides, do you realize how old those planes are?"

I didn't catch his name, but he let me snap a picture.

SN

That's sad. A hero to us. Probably just another crazy old guy to the staff there apparently.

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

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I have a special place in my heart for these guys, here is a little more----------FROM

http://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/crews/crews6/cruikshank_cb.htmCapt. Charles B. "Crankshaft" Cruikshank
Additional Cruikshank Info




Capt. Charles B. (Crankshaft) Cruikshank
Crew #31 418th Sqdn.
M. A. C. R.#1028
Mission: Munster
Aircraft #42-30725 -- AW-R-GO Date: 10 Oct. 1943
Time: 1500/1530
A/C last seen: Munster
Cause:EAC

Crew aboard:
Capt Charles B. Cruikshank P POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
1st Lt. Glenn E. Graham CP POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
Capt Frank D. Murphy NAV POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
1st Lt August H. Gaspar BOM POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
T/Sgt Orlando E. Vincenti ROG KIA 10 Oct 43 Munster
T/Sgt.Leonard R. Weeks TTE POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
S/Sgt.Robert L. Bixler BTG POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
S/Sgt James M. Johnson WG POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
S/Sgt Donald B. Garrison WG POW 10 Oct 43 Munster
Sgt Charles A. Clark TG KIA 10 Oct 43 Munster

Crew on 21st mission. Weeks said that Vincenti bailed out of bomb-bay with chute afire. Had been fighting fire in radio room.

Garrison saw both James Johnson & Robert Bixler wounded and in waist of plane. Plane blew up and Garrison blown out. Ship had dropped bombs on target.

Weeks said; "Germans said Vincenti's chute had burned in the descent and that he was dead before hitting the ground. Bixler said Germans had shown him Vincenti's dog tags and told him that he was dead. "

Johnson said he was blown out of ship and his chute opened at about 5, 000 ft. Clark couldn't seem to get his escape hatch open and was probably killed when plane blow up. Fighter attack caused fire in ship.

German Records show :Sgt. Charles A. Clark interred on 11 Oct 1943 at Lienen Cemetery/Wesph. Northwestern third of cemetery, southern grave. O. E. Vincenti northern grave (probably entirely burned since Id tag was found burned, too. )

Mrs. Agnes Clark 603 Laurel Ave. Highland Park, Ill.

Mission Log of Charles B."Crankshaft" Cruikshank:
Date Target Time
26-Jun-43 Le Harve, France 4:45
28-Jun-43 St.Nazaire, France 10:00
29-Jun-43 Le Mans, France 5:20
4-Jul-43 La Pallice, France 11:00
17-Jul-43 Hamburg, Germany 5:50
24-Jul-43 Trondheim, Norway 12:00
26-Jul-43 German Convoy 6:15
29-Jul-43 Warnemunde, Germany 11:15
7-Aug-43 Kassel, Germany 6:20
15-Aug-43 Lille, France 4:15
17-Aug-43 Regensburg (Landed Bertreau, Algeria) 11:30
27-Aug-43 St.Omer, France 3:30
31-Aug-43 Paris, France 5:40
7-Sep-43 Watten, France 3:50
10-Sep-43 Lille, France 4:30
23-Sep-43 Vannes, France 5:00
26-Sep-43 Paris, France 4:30
1-Oct-43 Emden, Germany 6:35
4-Oct-43 Hanau, Germany 7:00
9-Oct-43 Danzig (Marienburg), Germany 11:15
10-Oct-43 Munster, Germany (Shot Down - POW)
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God Bless Them All

Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!