Historic
The Carlton family from Utah/USA visited Höchst last week to follow in the footsteps of their father and grandfather, Leo Carlton. He was co-pilot of the B-24 “Cherry II” bomber, which had to make an emergency landing at Höchst in June 1944.
7/1/2023 19.19
Online since today, 7:19 pm
During World War II, Europe was bombed. During an attack on Munich on June 9, 1944, an American B-24 bomber was damaged by anti-aircraft fire. The crew then attempted to escape to neutral Switzerland with the damaged bomber. But instead of Altenrhein, the machine accidentally lands at Höchst Airport. As a result, the crew was taken as a prisoner of war by the Germans for the rest of the war. Including co-pilot Leo Carlton.
Photo series with 5 photos
The search for the past
79 years later, 18 descendants of co-pilot Leo Carlton visited the original site in Höchst last week. Eric Jaeger, a member of a volunteer group that cares for cultural assets and historical memories in Höchst, got in touch with the Carlton family in Utah. He was able to contact the family through a Facebook page of the bomber unit, which was carrying out airstrikes against Nazi Germany from southern Italy.
A warm welcome in Höchst
The Utah guests were received at Höchst, in contrast to June 1944. The POWs were then interrogated at Höchst and taken to Bavarian camps the next day. All survived the end of the war and were liberated in 1945 by the troops of the American General Patton.