Camps
Held In: Campo 98 Sicily, Campo 59 Italy Stalag 4B, 2B, 3B, 3A
How
Long Interned: 851 days
Liberated
/ repatriated:liberated
Date
Liberated: 04/22/45
Age
at Capture: 21
Medals
Received: Prisoner of War, American Defense, Good Conduct, EAME
(2 stars,1 arrowhead),
Military
Job: Rifle Squad leader
Company:
Occupation
after War: BS-IE Syracuse Univ, (GI Bill)
Bio:
I enlisted in the US Army in December 1940 joining A Company, 18th Inf.
Regiment, 1st Inf. Division at Fort Hamilton, N.Y. During 1941 we
trained making landings on North Carolina and Virginia beaches. Went
overseas on the HMS Queen Mary on Aug. 2, 1942, landing in Scotland.
Hiked around southern England and returned to Scotland for a 22 day
voyage. Linked up with the 750 ship convoy making the invasion of North
Africa on Nov. 8, 1942. I came ashore in the first wave at 1 AM at Arzew
and engaged the Vichy French forces at Saint Cloud, Algeria for 3 days.
After motor patrols and a 600 mile truck ride across Algeria and Tunisia
our Battalion met the German 10th Panzer Division at Long Stop Hill,
near Medjez el Bab, Tunisia. We attacked at night, took the hill and
found our unit was isolated when dawn came. Though a Corporal, I was a
rifle squad leader due to the illness of our Sgt. After several hours of
rifle and grenade fire, low on ammunition and with several casualties,
we surrendered on December 23, 1942. We were made to leave our wounded
behind and instead made to carry German wounded to the rear. I was
interrogated in Tunis by a German who had been a butcher in Chicago and
returned to fight for the fatherland. In Tunis, on Christmas day, I was
put into the anchor chain locker of an Italian destroyer which made the
run to Palermo, Sicily. Spent a month at Campo 98, cold and with little
food. Moved to Campo 59, Servigliano, Italy. After 9 months Italy
capitulated on Sept.10,1943 and I was free 9 days. Recaptured by German
paratroopers.
The rail trip from Italy to Germany took 6 days due to the frequent
bombing of the rail yards. We were packed so tightly in the boxcar we
took turns laying down. We were given soup and bread once. Arrived at
Muhlberg, Stalag IV-B where my head was shaved, bathed, deloused &
dogtagged. Finally rid of the lice that had plagued us in Italy. Next
move was deluxe- a passenger train through Berlin (1943) to Stalag II-B
at Hammerstein. Again moved by train to Stalag III-B Furstenberg on Oder
for the next 14 months. In January 1945, to keep us out of the hands of
the attacking Russians, we were marched west in the snow and freezing
cold for 10 days. Some guards on horseback, others walking with dogs. A
few GI's who could not or would not go on when told, were shot. We were
in bad shape when we arrived at Stalag III-A at Luckenwalde. Russian
tanks liberated us April 22, 1945. Walked 3 days to get to the Elbe
River, was rowed across and met by GI trucks picking up "kriegies"
that were getting across.
Free after 28 months.
Four days later, May 7, 1945, the war in Europe is over.
