My Grandpa's POW experience is a mystery, can anyone help?

[CplJegs1944]

My Grandpa (Joseph Stanley Jeglinski) served with the 30th division (Old Hickory), 117th Regiment, K Company during World War 2. I hired golden arrow research to find any information on his prisoner of war time. They found in his company reports that he was MIA on March 1st, 1945 in Lipp Germany. He was liberated on March 27th, 1945. The 30th just crossed the Roer River a couple days before his capture.

 

He rarely ever spoke about the war, but when his Son was sent to Korea in the late 1960's, he told him "never to volunteer for anything, the last time he volunteered in the Army", he became a Prisoner of War. My Aunts and Uncles remember him talking about being in a rail car and everyone pissing on the floor and getting de-liced after he was liberated.

 

Since he was captured so late in the war, do you think he was sent to a prison camp? Was he sent across the rhine river since the Americans were advancing? Did the Germans keep meticulous records this late in the war? Would he have his picture taken with a POW serial number?

 

I contacted the Archives of Germany to get any information, they stated it may take up to one year for a response. It's been a couple of months and I haven't heard anything.

 

Any information would be Greatly Appreciated! If anyone could give me some guidance as to finding information would be Great as well!!

 

Thanks SO Much in advance!!!!!!

 

Dave Jeglinski

[CplJegs1944]

Did he re-join the 30th after his capture? Golden Arrow Research has no record of that

[Government Issue]

Dave,

 

I'm no expert on this but here's some stuff you might try.

 

Sounds like he may have been in a POW camp on the basis of the rail car comment he made to your aunts and uncles. The Germans were still ferrying guys to POW camps that late in the war and it sounds like he was in one or loaded on a train to one at least. Since he was MIA in Lipp, you might try finding some maps of the area and see if you can find any rail lines around there. He probably wasn't loaded on the train there, but look east into Germany and see if there are any prominent tracks around. I have no idea whether there are maps of plotted German POW camps but see if you can make any connections with camps and rail lines.

 

That's an interesting question as to whether he went back to his unit, I'm assuming your meaning in a combat role, for the last month of the war in Europe. I would doubt he would have on the basis that most POWs as I understand it were taken behind the lines to get all their info, medical needs, and ect. taken care of, and then sent stateside to legitimate hospitals for recuperation. The army probably didn't distinguish between a POW who had been detained for a month from one who had been detained for a couple years. At that stage of the war the units were advancing so rapidly, too that it would be hard to determine if your Grandfather rejoined prior to the end of hostilities in Europe. I wouldn't rule it out, but It's more likely that if he did rejoin the 30th it would have been after the surrender if he had not already been sent stateside.

 

At that point in the war the Germans were more concerned with saving their own skins rather than keeping records on POWs so if nothing turns up on him by the way of German records don't be concerned.

 

You might contact KASTAUFFER here on the forum as his center of collecting and expertise is on POWs. Drop him a PM as he may be able to provide you with assistance.

[CplJegs1944]

Thanks So Much for your input! I was told by a buddy to contact KASTAUFFER as well. How do I private message him?

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

Ancestry.com has files for POW's held at camps and he is not in that.

[Bob Hudson]

I like the account of his service you posted at http://ww2il.com/VetStories/JeglinskiJosephS.pdf

[Terry K.]

Every vet I ever knew caught late in the war never made it to a major camp. Most were on the move a lot. In fact a couple said they never had POW dogtags made either.

[CplJegs1944]

I like the account of his service you posted at http://ww2il.com/VetStories/JeglinskiJosephS.pdf

Thanks Bob! I appreciate it!!!

[CplJegs1944]

Every vet I ever knew caught late in the war never made it to a major camp. Most were on the move a lot. In fact a couple said they never had POW dogtags made either.

Interesting Terry! Thanks for the info!

[KASTAUFFER]

Many of the POWs who were captured that late in the war (March and April) , especially ground troops, never made it to a permanent camp. Some airman did, but mostly the ones who ended up in Stalag Luft 1. I have a german POW ID card from Stalag Luft 1 from March 1945, and it does not have a photo on it, just his POW #.

 

Some of them were never even reported as POWs by the Germans. That's one of the reasons they are not on the "on-line" POW list from the Archives.

 

Kurt