POW Reminiscences of WWII

The Northern Kentucky University Military History Lecture Series presented the stories of four WWII Prisoners of War at its lecture on Tuesday, October 23, 2001, on the NKU campus. More than 475 people attended. According to Dr. Michael Adams, Director of the NKU Military History Program, “These POWs’ stories are ones of endurance, determination, and belief in a potential future. Like all combat veterans, the POW must deal with the memories of a traumatic experience that affects the lives of not only the individuals, but their family members as well. These experiences are often a neglected facet of human exposure to war.” 

Frank F. Bates, who currently lives in Hamilton, Ohio, served with the 422nd Inf. Reg. of the 106th Inf. Div. in WWII. The Germans captured Corporal Bates on Dec. 16, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge. Soldiers of General George Patton’s 3rd Army liberated him on April 23, 1945. 

James Blake, who currently lives in Fairfield, Ohio, was eighteen years old when the 29th Infantry landed in the first wave onto Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. He was captured three weeks later and taken to a work camp in the Sudenland. As the Americans began to approach the wool factory to which he was assigned, Blake  and a fellow prisoner fled and survived by living with the Czech underground for two weeks. He was liberated on April 23, 1945. 

Lewis G. Grivetti, who currently lives in Latonia, Kentucky, entered the Army at age eighteen and was assigned to the 423rd Inf. Reg. of the 106th Div.  During the Battle of the Bulge, the division was spread over many miles of terrain. Grivetti was captured and was a POW at Stalag 4B at a camp in Dresden, also known as Slaughterhouse Five. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. later popularized this camp, in his 1969 novel. Staff Sergeant Grivetti was liberated in May 1945. 

Louis Kolger, who currently lives in Cherry Grove, Ohio, was in the 27th BG of the AAC. His unit was sent to the Philippines on Thanksgiving Day. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, the unit’s planes were diverted to Australia and the men fought as Infantry. Sgt. Kolger was captured on May 20, 1942. He was on two prison ships, both of which were sunk. He knew men who were on the Bataan Death March. Mr. Kolger was liberated on Sept. 15, 1945. 

After the program, many of the audience members remained to talk with the speakers personally. Adams added, “The audience recognized these men, who gave so much, with a standing ovation. It was an honor and a privilege to have them share their experiences with our students, our faculty, other veterans and members of the community.”

L/R: Louis Grivetti, Frank Bates, Louis Kolger, James Blake