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Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. |
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#1
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U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hello/Bonjour,
I received a handful of pictures from a place a U.S. airman has been imprisoned for several months during spring of 1944. He was there – in this building - for several months, questioned by the Gestapo, then, sent to a POW camp. According to its recollections it was a prison located in France but when I take a look at the pictures I received from his son (without other information) taken several years ago, the license plates of the parked cars show that it is in Germany; the license plate indicate the Wiesbaden or Rüdesheim areas, two cities not far from Frankfurt-am-Main. Somebody who is familiar with this type of building can perhaps help me? I would be very grateful. Best regards, Frederic |
#2
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Good evening
This looks like a normal procedure to allied aircrews those days. The German Interrogation Center for allied alied aircrews in the West was at Oberursel near Frankfurt am Main. Can you provide us with more details like the date of crash ?. I'm sure, more information will be gain. Best wishes ! Horst Weber |
#3
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hello Horst,
Here some details: This airman (Top Turret Gunner in a B-17 bomber) bailed out of its damaged plane on March 6, 1943 on the way back to Thurleigh (mission on German submarine pens at Lorient). He was hidden during 11 months in various French families of Brittany but he was captured by Gestapo at Quimper on January 20, 1944. The last family he was with, was active in a French resistance network (Gestapo was looking for them). Of course, when captured, this airman was dressed in civilian clothes. In a talk with its son, he told him that he had been in this civilian prison about six months - the Germans saying he was a spy. His army discharge (1945) mention also that fact - 6 months in civilian prison. It is the first time I have heard of this. As you write, captured airmen were sent to Oberursel...but that time, this airman was not dressed like a soldier. Best regards, Frederic |
#4
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hello,
There were only two B17's that had MACR reports for this date in the 8th AAF, a third did not. They were - MACR 15536 - 425262 303BG - pilot Plocher. 2 killed, 8 pow. One crewman of this crew was subject of a war crime report. MACR 15568 - 42-5130 306 BG - pilot Ryan 1 killed, 1 evader, 8 pow. The other was 42-5378 - 306 BG. pilot Tunnel. 3 killed, 1 evader, 6 pow. Hope this is of some use Alex |
#5
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hi Alex,
It is serial-number 42-5130 belonging to 306 BG. Another airman escaped along with Capt. Ryan, but - after 11 months - he was captured... and sent for 6 months in this building/jail (see the attached pictures). Best regards, Frederic |
#6
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hi Frederic
The third picture depicts the ancient court house of Wiesbaden (altes Gericht, ancien tribunal). The two others are depicting the ancien prison, also of Wiesbaden, demolished 1996. Some links : https://www.deutsche-digitale-biblio...4QN72ELGOOQWYE and https://sensor-wiesbaden.de/app/uplo...5/DSC_4387.jpg Have a nice day. Bonne journée ! J Schreiber |
#7
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hi Jschreiber,
Great! Thanks you for the links and these explanations. By chance, on one picture (not shown on the forum) I was lucky to decipher two license plates, which limited the searching area. Once again, merci beaucoup! Frederic |
#8
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
Hello,
According to the crew listed in 8&9th AAF losses book the TopTurret Gunner was - T/Sgt. Charles E. PERRY. Alex |
#9
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
No matter where and who he was ...fact is, he was a lucky SOB because once
an Allied airmen was "upgraded" to the spy status by the Gestapo while was caught in civilian clothes in most of the cases they were executed . |
#10
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Re: U.S. POW- Assistance to locate a building in West Germany.
I fully agree.
Odd that NARA Has this for him though ? https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...t=12873,102724 The Pilot, Ryan evaded and was returned to UK by Lysander in April 43. CoPilot, Simmons was shot immediately after the crash. Eight of the crew are listed in the NARA POW lists, with the 6 March 43 date. Perhaps it was another crewman after all ? Last edited by Alex Smart; 26th March 2018 at 23:08. |
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