Memorial

More information

S/Sgt Jerauld I. Cutts joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Portland, Oregon on 17 September 1942.

The initial destination was changed to Landing Zone O. This area was originally designated and used as Drop Zone O.

The airplane carried five crew members towed a glider with personnel of C Company or HQ Company of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment.

The airplane was hit under the left wing just before the turn point at the Initial Point, west of Schijndel when it flew through intensive ground fire. A heavy black trail of smoke of oil was emitted from his left engine.

The glider on tow was set free in flight and landed behind enemy lines. Bailing out was out of the question because the plane was to low and losing altitude fast so the pilot decided to make a controlled crash landing.

During the ground fire S/Sgt Cutts was severely wounded to the head by flak while being in the navigator compartment. During the rough crash-landing on the belly of the plane he suffered more internal injuries because he was unable to brace himself and was therefore helpless at impact.

Some farmers and civilians tried to help but when the German Wehrmacht was approaching there was panic all over and everybody that was near the aircraft took a run for it away from the aircraft. The Germans reacted and started shooting on the crew hereby hitting S/Sgt Cutts fatally while he was beside the aircraft.

A few days later his body was removed from the site by the German authorities and initially buried on the cemetery of St. Petrus Banden in Oisterwijk.