41 replies to this topic

[Bob Hudson]

I have been photographing and posting stuff ( at http://www.usmilitar...showtopic=23762 ) from a huge grouping that belonged to a retired Air Force Col. who had been a senior POW in the West Compound of Stalag Luft 3 in World War II. Several pages of his wartime log (a sort of diary) were taken up with what seems to be a type of roster of fellow POW's. In terms of the number of POW's held there it's not huge, but it may be of some help to someone trying to research a WWII aviator who became a POW in Europe (and they are not all AAF: I saw one Navy name in there - John Dunn, one of if not the first American held at Stalag Luft III). There were 16 barracks in the West Compound and each could hold 100 men so I'm not sure what this directory represents, perhaps the residents of one barracks unit.

[Bob Hudson]

[Bob Hudson]

[Bob Hudson]

[Bob Hudson]

[disneydave]

There is a huge spiral bound book that was published, which lists all of the American POWs at Luft III: when and how they were shot down, interrogated, treatment, wounds, etc... I have a copy but it is in the bookcase in the bedroom and my wife is asleep. I'll post the details tomorrow. The book also lists service numbers, hometowns, and other info.

[Plant#4]

There is a huge spiral bound book that was published, which lists all of the American POWs at Luft III: when and how they were shot down, interrogated, treatment, wounds, etc... I have a copy but it is in the bookcase in the bedroom and my wife is asleep. I'll post the details tomorrow. The book also lists service numbers, hometowns, and other info.

Dave the book you are refering to is Behind the wire Stalag Luft 3 South Compound By Ewell Ross McCright. My question is, since this was a very limited production run, how rare is this book? It lists over 2100 airmen who were interned in the compound. The second question is, was it ever reprinted?
Thanks, Dave

[disneydave]

Can't really answer your questions too accurately...I just located my copy the other day after misplacing it. I am not sure if the book was ever reprinted. I saw a copy for sale a month or two ago and the asking price was $150 if I recall. My copy came from former Luft III POW Emmet Cook.

[KASTAUFFER]

Dave the book you are refering to is Behind the wire Stalag Luft 3 South Compound By Ewell Ross McCright. My question is, since this was a very limited production run, how rare is this book? It lists over 2100 airmen who were interned in the compound. The second question is, was it ever reprinted?
Thanks, Dave

I have a copy of the book as well. I found mine on Ebay. If you are patient, one will turn up . It has not been reprinted . Expect to pay $50-$100.

The roster does not include ALL Americans. It is only those in the South Compound.

Kurt

Edited by KASTAUFFER, 27 January 2009 - 07:29 PM.

[Plant#4]

http://www.usmilitar...tyle_emoticons/default/lol.gif Now thats really funny! The one I just found is signed in blue ink Emmet E. Cook KG 944 also! I wonder if he bought the balance of the printing lot and gave them away as gifts or something? Or maybe he had a hand with the printing process or something.
Where and when did you get yours?
I shall read mine this evening, to try to determine why there might be several with Emmet's name in it. http://www.usmilitar...tyle_emoticons/default/think.gif Dave

[disneydave]

Mine came from his widow after he passed away.

Emmet and I were good friends. I have several items he gave to me while he was still alive: the Luft III postcard with his hand drawn Donald Duck, all of the correspondence (letters and postcards) he sent home from Luft III that his mother kept and gave back to him when he returned home after the war, two b/w photos taken within the camp, the original art for a Christmas card he created while in the camp and some books published by former Luft III Kreigies in the mid-40s after the war. 944 was Emmet's Kreigie number.

[Plant#4]

Very nice! Here is a picture of the first page of the one I own. Since I purchased it at a used bookstore, prehaps he had 2 copies and the family disposed of it.... http://www.usmilitar...tyle_emoticons/default/think.gif Dave

Attached Images

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[ww2_1943]

Would you fellows mind looking up these names in your books?

David Westheimer
Col. James Luper

Thanks a million.

[Plant#4]

Would you fellows mind looking up these names in your books?

David Westheimer
Col. James Luper

Thanks a million.

sure,
1036. Westheimer, David 1LT 0434778 USAAF 127/12 Navigator
2213 Derrington St. B-24
Houston, Texas 2713 12-11-43
Poggio Mirteto Quarantine camp 3 Air SQ. -Chieti-
Sulmona- Stalag Luft 3 10-16-43
Shot down by Macchi 202. Crash landed 12 miles S.
Salerno, Ital. Capt IMM By Mil. Police.
Air Medal-DFC-S- H- 4-11-17 29 ?

2111. Luper, James R Col. 021240 USAAF 134/7 Gen. Pilot
ADJ. General Office,
Washington, D.C. 8432 B-17 10-9-44
Obersual 10-12 to 10-19 Stalag Luft 3 10-29-44
Hit by 155mm Flak over Stettin. Ship exploded. Ship
disintegrated except right wing panel. Bailed out-
Before explosion in setting bay, Germany. Cuts on
Forehead, cuts on hand Picked up by Germans in small
boat. Treated in Stalag Luft 3 Hosp. for wound in leg.
Oil Refinery, Stettin Germany
DSC-Purple Heart-Air Medal
M-P- 2-19-14 19

I copied these just as they are posted in this book, except the letters are all capital here.
Dave

[KASTAUFFER]

Westheimer is famous for writing the book “ VON RYANS’S EXPRESS” which is the book the movie with Sinatra in it was based after.

Luper was the CO of the 457th BG.

[ww2_1943]

Westheimer is famous for writing the book “ VON RYANS’S EXPRESS” which is the book the movie with Sinatra in it was based after.

Luper was the CO of the 457th BG.

Well I am about to make this more interesting for all of you.

In 2002 at the tender age of 16 I had found Mr. Westheimer's e-mail address. I had already read Von Ryan’s Express three times and the sequel Von Ryan’s return. To say I was obsessed with the book is an understatement. To my surprise Mr. Westheimer replied to my e-mail. We had several corresponds back and forth. I sent him my well-worn copy of Von Ryan’s Express with a letter asking if certain characters were based off of real people. I now wish I asked about more characters because he only told me about the ones I specifically asked for. Here is the text of the letter he sent to me.


Dear Guy:

Col. Ryan was based on a real person, Col James Luper. I first encountered him in 1941 at Maxwell Field, Alabama, when I was an aviation cadet. He was then a captain and Commandant of Cadets. We were all scared to death of him. Then, during World War II, he was flying a bomber that was shot down and he was sent to our prison camp, Stalag III. He was at that time well known in the Army Air Forces. We were told when he was being shipped to our camp with other prisoners, one of them said, "Col. Luper, we heard you were real tough." And he is supposed to have answered, "I was but I'm not any more."

Padre Costanzo is also based on a real person, Father Stanley Brach, who was in the Italian POW camp P.G. 21. What a great man.

Regards,
David W. (signed)

I tried to do some research on Stanley Branch. I think I traced him to a church n NJ. He passed away in the 80's. I have to see if I can find that information again.

[ww2_1943]

sure,
1036. Westheimer, David 1LT 0434778 USAAF 127/12 Navigator
2213 Derrington St. B-24
Houston, Texas 2713 12-11-43
Poggio Mirteto Quarantine camp 3 Air SQ. -Chieti-
Sulmona- Stalag Luft 3 10-16-43
Shot down by Macchi 202. Crash landed 12 miles S.
Salerno, Ital. Capt IMM By Mil. Police.
Air Medal-DFC-S- H- 4-11-17 29 ?

2111. Luper, James R Col. 021240 USAAF 134/7 Gen. Pilot
ADJ. General Office,
Washington, D.C. 8432 B-17 10-9-44
Obersual 10-12 to 10-19 Stalag Luft 3 10-29-44
Hit by 155mm Flak over Stettin. Ship exploded. Ship
disintegrated except right wing panel. Bailed out-
Before explosion in setting bay, Germany. Cuts on
Forehead, cuts on hand Picked up by Germans in small
boat. Treated in Stalag Luft 3 Hosp. for wound in leg.
Oil Refinery, Stettin Germany
DSC-Purple Heart-Air Medal
M-P- 2-19-14 19

I copied these just as they are posted in this book, except the letters are all capital here.
Dave

Dave,
Would I be asking too much for some translations of the abbreviated stuff and how this format is supposed to read? I understand most of it, but I am confused by the numbers at the end and the numbers after the names. I suppose the numbers before the names are their number in the book?

I can't thank you enough,
-Guy D.

[KASTAUFFER]

Dave,
Would I be asking too much for some translations of the abbreviated stuff and how this format is supposed to read? I understand most of it, but I am confused by the numbers at the end and the numbers after the names. I suppose the numbers before the names are their number in the book?

I can't thank you enough,
-Guy D.

The number before their name is the idex location in the book and the roster .

The number directly after their name is their US Army service number.

The number directly after their home address is their Stalag ID # .

Kurt

Edited by KASTAUFFER, 28 January 2009 - 01:02 PM.

[Duffy]

Fascinating topic here.....

I always enjoy reading up about the POW camps, I have in my personal collection.....a POW tag that still contains it's original cord. It's out of Stalag Luft II....which was located in Hammerstein, now it's part of Poland.

Cheers.
Duffy

[ww2_1943]

Here is a photo I found of Col. Luper

Attached Images

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[disneydave]

That is definitely Emmet's signature. He lived in El Paso and was very active with the Luft III reunions. One year he made "goon boxes," which were used as table centerpieces. I asked if he had any leftovers as I would have loved one for my collection, but alas he had given them all away at the reunions. At the air museum he volunteered at in El Paso he used to make bookends out of P-51 engine pistons that they sold in the gift shop.

[susank]

I am trying to find information re: my father-in-law, who was shot down on 7/29/1944, and sent to Luft III after he was captured. His name was Marvin Greenberg, from Milwaukee, WI. He was a B17 navigator. Could you please look for him in the book? Thanks! Diane

Diane,

I looked at all of the rosters of Stalag Luft III as printed by Arnold Wright - he transcribed Ewell McCright's log books and published a "Behind the Wire" for the north, south, center and west compounds. I have a few names from Belaria as well and I also checked the list I have of POWs at Stalag Luft IV. I do not see Marvin Greenberg listed on any of them!

Hope someone will have more info for you.

[bobgee]

Diane,

I looked at all of the rosters of Stalag Luft III as printed by Arnold Wright - he transcribed Ewell McCright's log books and published a "Behind the Wire" for the north, south, center and west compounds. I have a few names from Belaria as well and I also checked the list I have of POWs at Stalag Luft IV. I do not see Marvin Greenberg listed on any of them!

Hope someone will have more info for you.

Howdy - Could you please have a look to see if there's a listing for Donald W. Callahan? I know he was a 390th BG Navigator who went down on 10-10-43 at Munster. Any info will be helpful. Thanks......Bobgee

[Sgt. Boghots]

This is a fantastic thread !!

I don't have any of this material in my library. If someone gets a chance, I'd be curious if Bridenthal, Leslie J. is listed . . .

Pilot, B-17, crash landed his aircraft after the crew bailed out over Nantes, France. - 379th Bomb Group, Kimbolton, England.

Best regards,
Paul