Yesterday was my day to meet with my Men's Group at a local assisted living facility. As I wrote in a previous blog (June 16th), all the men in this group are WWII vets. A new resident joined the group yesterday and he, too, was a foot soldier in WWII. But this story isn't about him. This story is about Verne. Verne was a tail gunner in a bomber. His plane was shot down on his third mission in 1944. He spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp. He told me that as the war drew to a close and the allies were closing in on the Germans, it got especially difficult. The particular camp he was in was in the eastern part of Germany. As the Russian army advanced further and further into Germany, he was often moved from one camp to another deeper within Germany. He said these moves were very hard because they were done by foot in the winter time. He told me it wasn't unusual to have to walk as much as 600 miles at a time! Many men died along these moves from exposure, starvation and disease. He, himself, is partially disabled. Liberation finally came in April, 1945, when on yet another forced march they heard the advancing U.S. 8th Army. He told me when the German guards spotted the advancing troops, trucks and tanks way off in the distance they simply laid down their arms and surrendered on the spot. Thus the captors became POWs and vice versa but they were too sick and exhausted to do much of anything except wait so there they were, two opposing groups of soldier & airmen, sitting quietly, waiting. Incredible, isn't it? Verne spent the next several weeks recovering at a coastal hospital in France. Then he came home. Verne is 92 now and moving very slowly these days but he's enjoying life and carrying on. Everyone sat very quietly and listened as I asked questions and he told his story. Next week, we'll hear from others so stay tuned.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
A Word from a World War II POW
Yesterday was my day to meet with my Men's Group at a local assisted living facility. As I wrote in a previous blog (June 16th), all the men in this group are WWII vets. A new resident joined the group yesterday and he, too, was a foot soldier in WWII. But this story isn't about him. This story is about Verne. Verne was a tail gunner in a bomber. His plane was shot down on his third mission in 1944. He spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp. He told me that as the war drew to a close and the allies were closing in on the Germans, it got especially difficult. The particular camp he was in was in the eastern part of Germany. As the Russian army advanced further and further into Germany, he was often moved from one camp to another deeper within Germany. He said these moves were very hard because they were done by foot in the winter time. He told me it wasn't unusual to have to walk as much as 600 miles at a time! Many men died along these moves from exposure, starvation and disease. He, himself, is partially disabled. Liberation finally came in April, 1945, when on yet another forced march they heard the advancing U.S. 8th Army. He told me when the German guards spotted the advancing troops, trucks and tanks way off in the distance they simply laid down their arms and surrendered on the spot. Thus the captors became POWs and vice versa but they were too sick and exhausted to do much of anything except wait so there they were, two opposing groups of soldier & airmen, sitting quietly, waiting. Incredible, isn't it? Verne spent the next several weeks recovering at a coastal hospital in France. Then he came home. Verne is 92 now and moving very slowly these days but he's enjoying life and carrying on. Everyone sat very quietly and listened as I asked questions and he told his story. Next week, we'll hear from others so stay tuned.
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1 comment:
Amazing story! These are the heroes worthy of adulation! We are losing these WWII vets and forgetting about the horrors of that war and the sacrifices made. Why am I thinking our priorities are out of whack as I watch the news today?
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