Leon S Liscomb

– Birthplace: Saranac Lake, New York
– ASN: 32940809
– Birthdate: 3 July 1923
– Position in plane: Left Waist Gunner
– Rank: S/ Sgt
– DOW: (death of wounds) january 2nd 1945, Bitburg/ Germany
– Burial: First in Mötsch/ Germany, Hamm/ Luxembourg and now in Woodlawn National Cemetery Elmira, Chemung County, New York
– Medals: air medal and three oak leaf clusters

Storyline:
Leon Liscomb was probably the first one who got out of the plane, maybe with the help of John Tiedemann. As soon as he hit the ground, Leon got caught by German troops. Because he was wounded, he was brought to the vicinity of the Clemens August hospital in Bitburg. According to Stephan Garcon he was brought next to the hospital, where former Wehrmacht barracks were.
On january 2nd 1945 the barracks were  bombed by Allied planes and Leon got killed. Together with American and Germand soldiers he was buried in the hamlet of Mötsch, wich lies next to Bitburg.

On january 13th 1945 the family of Leon is notified that their son is MIA since 25th december 1945.
Page 37 of his IDPF* shows a report of the death of Leon, who was a “Amerikanischer Kriegsgefangene”, dated december 29th 1944 and who was in the “Kranken Sammelstelle Bittburg, F.P. 28158” and who died “durch USA terrorbomben”

On 21st januari 1945 a “grabmeldung” (Grave message) was made by the stabsofficier fur Wehrmachtverlustwesen, about the death of Leon. On april 28th 1945 there already is a conformation that Leon died in Bitburg Germany. (p18)
Leon was identiefied by the Graves Registration Service, because he was still wearing a dogtag around his neck.
On februari 27th 1946 he was disinterred and reburied at Hamm cemetery in Luxembourg. (Plot GG, Row 1, Grave 3). On may 5th 1948 he was disinterred again and transported back to the US, via the port of Antwerp.
Leon was finally laid to rest at the Woodlawn National Cemetery, Elmira New York.

On september 5th 1945 Leons father is writing a letter to the Brigadier General with the questions what happend to his son Leon and where he was during the time of december 25th and january 1945. With all the information we have now, we were able to make the above story.

Leon was buried in Mötsch, together with the following soldiers:
– Fred J. Abbonizio, T5/ 33450748: 44th Engineer Combat Batt.; died jan 2nd 1945 (was later identiefied and got an X number in the IDPF. (more info)
– Theodore C. Devoll, 1stLt, o-1032427; died as POW on dec 30th 1944/ 28 rcn trp, 28thID. (was later identified and got an X number in the IDPF. (More info here and here)
– Thomas J. Farrell. Pvt, 42060192: 109th infantry regiment, 26th infantry division; died jan 2nd 1945. (More information)
– Bronislaw F. Nowicki, T5, 36148363, Engineer Combat Batt; died jan 2nd 1945. (more information)
– Morriss L Mengel, 3349011 (no further information available)

*Individual Deceased Personnel File

Pictures of Bitburg and Mötsch. (Special thanks to Stephan Garcon from Bitburg Photo Archiv)