In the Press...

Mission accomplished-80 years later: A longtime Middletown resident, SSgt. Thomas P. Culkin, eighty years after his B-17 was shot down over Belgium, and he became a prisoner of war in World War II, is now honored, 37 years after his death, with not one, but two Purple Heart Medals.

On Monday at the Middletown headquarters of Congressman Chris Smith, a special ceremony was held with members of Culkin's family that included his children, a son-in-law, grandchildren, great-grand-children, and others, who gathered to accept on his behalf, the medals he was denied by the U.S. Defense Department, while he was alive. Before presenting the medals, Rep. Smith presented Culkin’s family members with a short video, taken from German war propaganda films, which shows the actual shoot down of SSgt. Culkin’s B-17. Two of the crew perished in the gunfire, but the others, including SSgt. Culkin, parachuted from the burning plane over Belgium and were captured.

Rep. Chris Smith is known for 'getting the job done', and according to the independent watchdog organization Govtrack, Rep. Smith ranks first among all 435 Members of the House in the number of laws authored. According to the official Congress.gov website run by the Library of Congress, Rep. Smith has authored 49 laws, of which 14 of them are enacted veterans laws.  Smith announced to the family of Culkin on Monday, that new legislation he is writing, in honor of, and named after SSgt. Culkin, will allow any POW who is injured in an escape, an attempted escape, or while on the run following an escape, to be entitled to the Purple Heart.

PHOTO: Late veteran SSgt. Thomas P. Culkin, (pictured above in his flight suit), was injured in the May 1943 B-17 shoot down and again in the Sept. 1943 POW camp escape.

“Eighty years is too long to wait,” Smith said. “I think the system failed a war hero. SSgt. Culkin believed he deserved this while he was alive, and he was right. I am introducing legislation to also right this wrong for other families of POWs who may have been injured in escape attempts.”

This legislation is important and meaningful to the family for many reasons and in particular because SSgt. Culkin after returning to the United States, dedicated many years to helping former POW's and their families, in his role of commander of the New Jersey Department of American Ex-Prisoners of War. Continuing his mission, now through legislation in his name, is a perfect way to honor and remember him. 

WATCH: Rep. Smith, along with Smith's District Director Jeff Sagnip, presented Culkin's daughters with the 2 Purple Heart Medals during Monday's ceremony: 

One Purple Heart Medal was presented for shrapnel injuries Culkin suffered, when his plane was shot down. The second Purple Heart Medal was awarded for broken bones he suffered from the beating from the Gestapo when he was recaptured.

Pictured above are two of Culkin's great-granddaughters admiring the Purple Heart Medals for the first time. 

Smith also presented the family with the Airman Medal, the POW Medal and other commendations. It was especially moving to see the great-grandchildren of Culkin (as seen in the photo below), admiring the medals honoring their great-grandfather who they never met.

In all, Rep. Smith presented the Culkin family with two Purple Heart Medals, an Air Medal, A POW Medal, The Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Medal,  Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation and an Honorable Service Lapel Pin. This made it easy for each great-grandchild to hold a special medal honoring their great-grandfather, SSgt. Culkin: 

“This is a proud day for the family, and their history,” said Congressman Smith, who had contacted the Army and the Air Force on behalf of Culkin’s daughters, both Monmouth County residents; Kathleen Maurer of Tinton Falls, and Joan Manley of Red Bank, and other family members, including Culkin's son-in-law. “Today, a wrong has been made right, even if it’s eight decades later.”

According to the Culkin family, SSgt Culkin attempted to get the medal himself, as did his wife, Ann. “We are so happy that my father’s wishes have come true. He really tried hard to get it himself,” said Kathy Maurer, mentioning that Rep. Smith met with her father more than 35 years ago about POW issues. 

Smith nodded his head and confirmed that indeed they had met. 

According to Smith's office, SSgt. Culkin was injured when the plane on which he served as a waist gunner was shot down on May 14, 1943. Two other gunners were killed. Shortly after bailing out, he was captured by the Germans.

However, Culkin and another POW escaped on September 19,1943, and for 23 nights tried to make their way toward Allied-controlled areas before they were re-captured. They were in very bad shape, nearly starved, and injured, they were then severely beaten by the Gestapo as punishment for escaping. While Culkin was on the run, he severely injured his back and leg after jumping off a moving train. It was in 1946, a year after the war, that Culkin tried to get the Purple Heart for the train injuries, but he was denied. The reason given was because the "Army did not consider Culkin's injuries as combat injuries".

In a renewed effort in 2023, Smith reached out directly to the Secretary of the Air Force (click here to read the letter to Secretary Kendall) and the Secretary of the Army (click here to read the letter to Secretary Wormuth), to ask them to help the family get SSgt. Culkin his rightful recognition. “I thank the Secretaries for their assistance in this sensitive matter,” Smith said. “For the family, it has made a huge difference....”
 
“No veteran—but especially an ex-prisoner of war who has paid an extraordinarily high price for his country—should have to go through this ordeal,” said Smith, a two-time chairman of the House Veterans’ Committee, and author of 14 laws to help veterans. “I’m sure SSgt. Culkin is smiling down on his family right now, but I would have loved to present these to him in person. I am sure his family would have loved to see him wear it, or display it.”
 
This article was published on June 24, 2023 and can be found at: