Gordon H. Cullings

GORDON H. CULLINGS

Gordon H. Cullings, 94, highly decorated WWII Army veteran passed away Friday, October 16, 2020, at the Church of God Home, Carlisle.
    Born April 25, 1926, in Brandstville, PA he was the son of the late Pearl (Hoover) Cullings.
. Bud attended Mechanicsburg High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army where he proudly served his country. He entered active service in October 1943 with the 69th Infantry Division. He volunteered for the Airborne division and became a combat medic attached to "C" Company, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne.
   Bud jumped into Holland in Operation Market Garden and fought through the Battle of the Bulge and Rhineland Campaigns. He was awarded the Combat Medics Badge, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster for wounds received in combat. He also was awarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star Medals for Valor.
   Following his honorable discharge, he was employed at the Naval Supply Depot, then in January 1955 he enlisted in the USAF and served as Staff Sergeant in charge of Maintenance of Bomb Navigation Systems. He was honorably discharged in August of 1958 when he returned to the Naval Supply Depot.
   In later life he enjoyed their family farm in Latimore Township. He is survived by a daughter, Donna L. Miller of Carlisle; a step-daughter, Sandra W. Hoath of N. Fort Myers, FL; four grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren/
. Services will be held Friday, October 23, 2020 at 12 noon in the Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc., 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg.
    A viewing will be held from 11:00 am - 12 noon at the funeral home. Private burial with full military honors will be held at the Dillsburg Cemetery-Mountain Road.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Due to covid-19 the funeral home will be following the CDC guidelines of wearing masks and practicing social distancing. An Online guestbook can be signed at www.cocklinfuneralhome.com. www.pennlive.com/obits

[Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, from Oct. 18 to Oct. 20, 2020]

Gordon's draft registration record in Carlisle, PA is dated 3 January 1946, clearly a post-war update.

Pfc Cullings was transferred from the 82nd Airborne Division HQ to the medical detachment, 508th PIR on 23 July 1944.

Pfc Cullins, serving as a medic in the field, was wounded on 7 January 1945 while administering care to three wounded men. He refused to care for his own wound until the other three were taken care of. His was later awarded the Silver Star. [read the citation]

His own account of being shot was, "… something hit me in the back and shoulder, knocking me forward on my face. I had been shot by a German sniper."

He rejoined the company on 6 March 1945.

His military decorations include not only the Silver Star but also the Purple Heart and the Bronze Service Arrowhead device awarded for the Normandy Campaign from 6 June 1944.

Gordon submitted this application for the Pennsylvania WWII Veterans Bonus. He was credited with 9 months of domestic duty and 18 months of foreign service which generated a $360 bonus award.