It all started with the Fall 06 issue of Splasher Six and the following item in Notes and Quotes:  Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, First I would like to tell you, that you have a fantastic Website of the 100 BG. I am from Germany, and my name is Werner Oeltjebruns. I am involved in the WWII air history over northern Germany.  My friends and I found several crash sites of American, English and German aircraft. In this way I found the crash site of 2nd Lt. Waldo Oldham’s B-17 in the area of Eichholz (south east of Hamburg). We also found a few remains of the B-17, and I spoke to an eyewitness who saw the air combat, probably with ME- 262 Fighters.  We would be delighted to be in contact with the crew, and ask your help. Thank you. Yours sincerely, Werner Oeltjebruns / Germany

 This notice was seen by Howard R. Leach, the bombardier on Dixie’s Delight, who notified the other two remaining crew members, Ralph Kalberloh, tail gunner, and Tom Ramsey, waist gunner.  The gentlemen quickly began a dialogue with Mr. Oeltjebruns, sending emails back and forth as they got to know each other.

 Ralph and his wife, Barbara, returned to German in 2000 and visited all the cities where he was held prisoner.  So now they began planning a trip to visit the crash site. Following is his account of the trip.

 When I told Werner I was coming to Brussels, and if he was agreeable I would meet him at Luneberg, he was delighted. He should receive a lot of credit, because it was his detective work that provided proof in identifying our plane.

 I was excited, apprehensive, and concerned about what kind of reception I would get when I met Werner and Egon Detloff, who saw our plane crash as a 14 year old.  We fought the Germans, and our bombers destroyed much of their cities, factories and infrastructure.  Werner and Thorston met us at the train station, since we had not met I told him I would be wearing a black hat, pants and white shirt with a black sleeveless sweater.

 They greeted us with open arms.  He had driven over 250 Kilometers to meet us, in a little car that only had 2 seats. Barb and I got a taxi and Werner told the driver (did not speak English) where we were going, and we followed Werner to Egon's farm. They knew the time of arrival of my train, and so Egon and Sarah Essing (German newspaper reporter) were waiting for us out in front.  Egon could not speak or understand English, Sarah could, and we stood in the yard and talked.  Egon was very excited, he had a folder with a picture of a B-17, a local map on parchment like paper, where he marked the spot of the crash.

 Sarah had her own car, with two wheels in the back seat mounted with snow tires, so there was no room to ride with her.  Egon became our chauffeur, on the way we stopped at the neighbor’s farm and picked Martin Barz, who could speak both English and German.  He was a great guy, very funny. He brought put a huge basket loaded with four or five kinds of German Beer.

 Egon then drove a short distance to a small gravel road that ended at a small bridge, which had barbed wire stung on it so no one could use it. On the other side of the bridge in a wooded area I could see one of the propellers from our plane "Dixie's Delight". What a moment that was! The men began taking the wire off the bridge, and when done, we walked across.  A man came out of the farm house and began yelling and shaking his fist.  Egon and Martin told him who I was and why we were there, and he immediately became apologetic and friendly.

 Our plane had crashed about 100 yards from Martin's house, Thank God, it did not hit anybody nor did it cause much property damage.  We went to the area where the plane crashed and burned.  All four engines were buried and most of the plane had burned. The remains had been moved from the field to a brushy area next to the small creek and bridge.  You could see the sunken areas where the engines went into the ground. Werner and Egon had used a backhoe to dig up one of the engines.  Werner used the parts he found to ID the plane. He confirmed with the German Military anti-aircraft records that they had shot down a bomber @ 12:45 p.m. on Feb. 3, 1945. He used 100th Bomb Group records to identify the plane and pilot.  An article in Splasher Six asked any living crew members contact him and that's how we got together.

 After picture taking and viewing the remains, Reinhold Porth, the farmer, took the dining room table out of his house, including table cloth and chairs, and we sat around and drank that good German Beer.  We had to catch an overnight train back to Brussels from Luneburg via Hamburg, so it was necessary that we leave.  They begged us to stay longer, and I became even more proud of my German heritage (my paternal grandfather came to the USA in 1884 from Essen, Germany. Before we came home we went to Essen and walked through the train station that he walked through in 1884), when I saw their neat farms and homes.  We did what our government asked us to do in the war, and their government required the same of them.  When we met we were friends and not enemies.

 Seeing the crash site of Dixie’s Delight was a thrilling moment!  However, the most memorable moment and the greatest day of the my life, was when Gen. George Patton (after defeating the German and SS troops the night before) rode into Stalag Luft 7A at Mooseberg with a tank in front of his jeep and a tank behind him.  He was standing and saluting us.  I still tear up every time I write or remember it.

 The End

 Ralph Kalberloh continues to stay busy and often does public speaking on WWII.

 Warner Oeltijbruns is still excavating crash sites.  To date he has located over 100 German, English, and American crash sites, and located the remains of 19 MIA.

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