On July 21, 1944 the 304th Bomb Wing of the 15th Air Force took the final approach to shortening the war. Their target was the 4th largest synfuel plant in the Third Reich — the Sudentenland Treibstoff Werke — located between Brux (Litvinov/Most) and Teplitz (Teplice) in the Sudentenland, now the Czech Republic.
During this raid several B-24 Liberators were shot down. One landed near Teplice and the crew all evacuated safely and were captured and sent to German POW. camps. A second, named "Final Approach" crashed near the farming hamlet of Mukov. Seven crewman parachuted to safety but were quickly captured and sent to German POW camps.
Three airman did not parachute out of "Final Approach" and were killed. Lt. Leon Polinski was killed when he was ejected from the aircraft's cockpit. Sgt's Robert D. Finley and Flight Engineer Teunis Gaalswyk were killed in the wreck.
The destruction of the synfuels plants was one of the key elements of the Allied strategic bombing campaign. Without the synfuels the Germans had to ground their advanced ME-262 fighters, without the synfuels only limit fuel was available to German panzers for the Ardennes offensive known as the battle of the Bulge. The panzers stopped within sight of their target, the Meuse River bridges because they had no more fuel. The destruction of the synfuels plants probably was the most efficient and effective thing the Allies could do to shorted the war.
It was an effort that was individual and then cumulative. Lt. Polinski, Sgt's Finley and Gaalswyk made the ultimate sacrifice and today, over a difference of 66 years we can say they made a difference.
On July 17, 2010 representatives of the United States Embassy, Prague, laid a wreath on a plaque in Mukov. The plaque commemorated the sacrifices of Leon, Robert and Teunis. The townspeople had erected the plaque in 1993. The representative stated that it was an honor to see that the sacrifices these men made was still celebrated in a small corner of a place so far away from their homes.
Who were these men? Teunis Gaalswyk is buried in Ft. McPherson, Nebraska, close to the banks of the Platte River. Did he have family? Did they know the details of his contribution and sacrifice and that these details are still remembered to this day by the freedom loving citizens of the Czech Republic?
Yes, we remember. Teunis was my Dad's first cousin. He was greatly missed and his sacrifice never forgotten. Today, we thank all those who serve and have served. You are not forgotten.
