Key fragment of the Fyrtle Myrtle recovered by the Salerno Air Finders.

Last Flight of the Fyrtle Myrtle

Research into the crash by the Salerno Air Finders

The Salerno Air Finders is a group of volunteers from the Italian organization Salerno 1943 who are dedicated to investigation of crashes in Campania and neighboring regions of Italy during WW II, and preservation of the memory of the airmen who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Many thanks to Matteo Pierro for allowing me post a translation of the report on the Fyrtle Myrtle from the Salerno 1943 site on the Camp 59 Survivors site.

Here is the report:

Plane: Bomber B-24, No. 44,
The Fyrtle Myrtle (Army Air Force serial number 42-40236)

Nationality: U.S.A.

Date of crash: July 16, 1943

Location: 94 km east from Salerno

Remarks: Identification confirmed

Ordine di local. 19°

On the morning of Friday, July 16, 1943 a formation of B-24 bombers took off from Berka, near Benghazi, Libya. They belonged to the 513th Bomb Squadron of the 376th Heavy Bombardment Group of the United States Air Force.

Among the planes was one called the Fyrtle Myrtle by members of its crew. Unfortunately, this was to be its last mission.

The objective of the big bombers was the airport facilities at Bari. Allies had landed in Sicily. Now they aimed to destroy the attacking potential of the Axis forces and to prevent the Axis planes leaving Puglia airports that could cause damage to Operation Husky. After dropping their bombs the planes headed back, but they were attacked by Italian and German fighter planes that had risen from nearby airports.

What happened to the Myrtle Fyrtle is clear from the testimony given by airmen from the returning bombers who returned to the base and from the records of the crewmembers who survived. This information is contained in the Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) procured by indefatigable aviation archaeologist Dino Pagano.

The MACR reports indicates the squadron was subjected to fierce attacks by numerous German fighters and the Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica). One in particular targeted bomber 44 of the squadron, firing several shots toward engine number 3, which caught fire after a few moments. At this point the plane’s commander, Charlie G. Hinson, began to lose speed and altitude. The plane, in leaving the formation, became the target of other fighters who, noticing its distress, rushed against it.

The first to be hit was Patrick F. Shea, the dorsal turret gunner. The shots also caused a fire in the fuselage. The flames engulfed the parachute of radioman Lloyd E Kile, rendering it useless. The situation became untenable, and the captain gave the order to abandon the aircraft. Only three men managed to do so, while others could not as they were injured or trapped by the flames in the front of the aircraft. Flight engineer Cyrus F. Johnson Jr., side gunner Robert E. Dulac, and tail gunner Edward T. Dzierzynski jumped. Remaining on board, in addition to pilot Charlie G. Hinson, the dorsal turret gunner, and the radio operator, were co-pilot Orval H. Jorgensen, navigator Richard P. Greenawalt, bombardier Joseph M. Prendergast, and observer Don R. Willey.

The last attack on the aircraft was by Heinrich Steis, an ace of the Luftwaffe, in his Messerschmitt Bf 109G. In the end, the Fyrtle Myrtle began to spiral and it exploded just before touching ground.

Michael Power, then a child in Pietragalla, was an eyewitness to the air combat. That morning he was participating with his family and other children in the procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Hearing the sound of gunfire, Michael looked to the sky and saw the big plane in flames explode in the air and fall a few meters from the village. One of the airmen who lost his life fell on his father’s land. That episode so deeply impressed young Michael, that since childhood he had wanted to bring the tragic event to light and learn about its unfortunate crew.

Almost 70 years since that tragic Friday, Michael learned of Salerno Air Finders. We promptly organized a survey of the point of impact. Daniel Jewel along with Michael and two of his friends—Michael Favullo and Clement Fratusco—who had also witnessed the event, visited the area of the crash with us. There we recovered fragments of the aircraft.

The pieces we found confirmed that it was indeed the crash site of the B-24. In fact, several labeled fragments bear the prefix 32, indication of precisely this type of aircraft in the U.S. Army Air Force numbering system of the time.

Of special note, Daniel found a fragment of a leather glove used by American airmen—a solemn testimony to those who lost their lives that day.

Research in the United States archives has revealed that four members of the crew are buried in a common grave in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. They are Greenawalt, Hinson, Prendergast, and Shea. Evidently, their remains could not be identified. Lloyd E. Kile, who was 24 years old, is buried in Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Wellington, Kansas. Orval H. Jorgensen is buried in the American cemetery at Nettuno, Italy.

More information was available on Don Ray Willey. He was born on October 29, 1920 in Brookings, South Dakota, to Lloyd and Pearl Willey. After graduating from Brookings High School, he was preparing to enter college when the Second World War began. Since the U.S. was not yet involved in the conflict, Don joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in June 1941. He was transferred in the U.S. Army Air Force on May 26, 1942 and assigned as a lieutenant in the 513th Bomb Squadron. He is buried at the American cemetery at Nettuno. When communicating news of his death to family members, Don’s commander, Frederick W. Nesbilt Jr., wrote, “Your son has been a member of this organization for four months and was respected and loved by all those with whom he came in contact. My entire command joins me in extending our most heartfelt closeness at this time.”

Edward T. Dzierzynski died on April 19, 1966 at the age of 50 years. It buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Connecticut. Cyrus F. Johnson Jr. passed away on April 19, 1985 at the age of 73. His grave is located at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. [Actually, Cyrus died at the age of 62—he was born June 6, 1922.]

We hope to reconstruct the stories of all crewmembers and perhaps, in tracing their families, offer them a few fragments of the plane on which their loved ones flew.

Michael hopes that one day a monument in Pietragalla will serve as a reminder of that tragic day during the war and of those who lost their lives.

Participants in this research:

Michele Favullo
Clement Fratusco
Daniel Jewel
Matteo Pierro
Michael Power

Crew of the Fyrtle Myrtle

Charlie G. Hinson, 0-791107, 1st lieutenant, pilot kia
Orval H. Jorgensen, 0-675350, 2nd lieutenant, co-pilot kia
Richard P. Greenawalt, 0-730258, 2nd lieutenant, navigator kia
Joseph M. Prendergast, 0-730818, 2nd lieutenant, bombardier kia
Don R. Willey, 0-664357, 1st lieutenant, observer kia
Cyrus F. Johnson Jr., 19013120, staff sergeant, engineer rtd
Lloyd E. Kile, 37146695, technical sergeant, radio operator kia
Patrick F. Shea, 11053556, staff sergeant, waist gunner kia
Robert E. Dulac, 39181897, staff sergeant, waist gunner rmc
Edward T. Dzierzynski, 31140926, staff sergeant, tail gunner, rtd

kia—killed in action, rtd—returned to duty, rmc—returned to military control

Additional Details from the MACR

Cyrus Johnson’s son Ron Johnson shared a copy of the Missing Air Crew Report with me. In the MACR, Edward Dzierzynski and Cyrus F. Johnson Jr. filled out casual questionnaires regarding the crash and fate of the comrades.

In describing the crash, Edward noted the plane was at 23,000 feet and “lagging far behind” when it left formation. Concerning his bail out, he wrote, “I was thrown clear after the plane exploded.”

After his listing of seven crewmembers who, he said, “were supposed to have gone down with the plane, Edward was asked, “When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not described above?” His reply was, “S/Sgt. R.E. Dulac—at a hospital in Potenza, Italy—was badly injured about the eyes – head. S/Sgt. C. F. Johnson at Potenza, Italy. We there boarded the same train for P.O.W. camp. Johnson was in good condition.”

Cyrus Johnson also recorded the plane was at 23,000 feet, and that it was struck at “2 o’clock afternoon.” He said navigator Richard Greenawalt announced, “We have been hit” before the plane “blew up in mid air.” He reported, “I saw other chutes of the other two on my crew.”

Also contained in the MACR are two eyewitness accounts of the crash:

“Just before making turn on target, ship No. 44 was attacked by one fighter coming out of the sun.
Ship was hit but stayed in formation for short distance, then peeled off to right with No. 3 engine on fire. When losing altitude I saw one parachute open and followed a short time later by another.”

—S/Sgt. S. O. Skrovig

“As section was making turn to go on target, I saw ship No. 44 with No. 3 engine on fire. It started losing altitude, leveling off twice but finally went into slow spin and exploded. During all this time, top and rear turrets were firing at fighters. Just before going into spin, saw three parachutes open.”

—S/Sgt. Richard Lipps

The Three Survivors

Last December I heard from Ron Johnson, who is one of Cyrus Johnson’s two sons.

Ron wrote, “Upon reading the names in Simmons’ address book, I ran across my father, Cyrus F. Johnson of Denver, Colorado. I have very limited knowledge about him, as my parents divorced and I left Denver when I was about 2.5 years of age.”

Ron directed me to the crash report on the Salerno 1943 website. He also introduced me to Salerno 1943 researcher Matteo Pierro.

Interestingly, the MACR includes the dates the three survivors were reunited with Allied forces:

Cyrus F. Johnson Jr., returned to duty, June 28, 1944

Edward T. Dzierzynski, returned to duty, June 28, 1944

Robert E. Dulac, returned to military control, April 29, 1945 (the date The U.S. 14th Armored Division liberated Stalag VII-A, the camp Robert had apparently been moved to from Stalag Luft III)

Referring again to Edward’s statement in the MACR, “S/Sgt. R.E. Dulac—at a hospital in Potenza, Italy—was badly injured about the eyes – head. S/Sgt. C. F. Johnson at Potenza, Italy. We there boarded the same train for P.O.W. camp. Johnson was in good condition.”

The POW database of the U.S. National Archives indicated Robert Dulac was “returned to military control, liberated, or repatriated” from Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11.

The database indicates Edward returned from CC 59 Ascoli Picenzo Italy 43-13. Cyrus is included in the POW database, but no camp is listed on his record.

That the dates for Cyrus and Edward returning to Allied forces are identical suggests they escaped from Camp 59 hid out together during the winter, and in the spring found a way to reach the Allies.

We may never have the full picture, but I am glad to have so many pieces to this incomplete puzzle.

Cyrus Johnson with his sisters. Ron Johnson believes this photo was taken 10 or 15 years after the war. Cyrus died in 1985.

The above list, typed for me by Camp 59 ex-prisoner Neil Torssell on an old manual typewriter, is a a record of men he knew in the camp.

Thirteen of these men are new to my list of Camp 59 prisoners. They are noted below as “first reference.”

Men who were prisoners of war at Camp 59, Servigliano, Italy, September 1944

Note: Neil must have meant September 1943, the month he and the other prisoners escaped.

Joseph W. Mack
R #1
Nowata, Oklahoma (deceased)
First reference

There is no reference for Joseph W. Mack in the U.S. National Archives database of WW II POWs.

William M. Wilson
Fox Hall Plains
Dover, Delaware
or
2100 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
First reference

William M. Wilson
Serial Number—15042897
Sergeant

U.S. Army, Infantry—Armored Force

State of Residence—unlisted
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS [USA] #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14)

Leonard Rock
7220 Stevens Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
First reference

Leonard N. Rock
Serial Number—20707130
Sergeant

U.S. Army, Infantry—Rifle

State of Residence—Minnesota
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS [USA] #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14)

Laverne Sparks
Corydon, Kentucky

Listed in the U.S. National Archives database as having escaped from Camp 59. See the Prisoner List.

Claude A. Peters
Chuctry, Tennessee
First reference

Claude A. Peters
Serial Number—34288586
Private

U.S. Army, Infantry—Rifle

State of Residence—Tennessee
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated—no camp listed)

Edward T. Dzierzynski
20 Crown Street
New Briton, Connecticut

Listed in the U.S. National Archives database as having escaped from Camp 59. See the Prisoner List.

Jimmy Sorrentino
40 Powell Street
Brooklyn, New York
First reference

Agostino J. Sorrentino (serial number 32220859)
Enlistment records indicate residence is Kings County, New York, which is where Brooklyn is located.

A. J. Sorrentino
Serial Number—32220859
Sergeant

U.S. Army, Coast Artillery Corps—Automatic Weapons, Anti-Aircraft Semi-Mobile
State of Residence—Unlisted
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS [USA] #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14)

Johnnie C. Moore
Utica, Mississippi
First reference

Johnnie C. Moore
Serial Number— 14031503
Sergeant

U.S. Army, Infantry
State of Residence—Mississippi
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated Transit Camp Feld Post #319797 Location Unknown)

Larry D. Barlow
Burke, South Dakota (deceased)
First reference

No records for Larry Barlow in the U.S. National Archives enlistment or POW databases.

Martin Majeski
605 Landford Street
Anerson, South Carolina
(Germans shot him on the Osso River near San Vittoria, Italy, March 9 or 10, 1944)

Listed in the U.S. National Archives database as having died as a POW of Camp 59. See Prisoner List.
Other sources—Robert A. Newton and Filippo Ieranò

Warren C. Lowry
542 Cottage Grove
South Bend, Indiana
First reference

Warren C. Lowry
Serial Number—37170166
Sergeant

U.S. Army, Air Corps—Transport or Transport Command
State of Residence—Minnesota [this may be an error, or perhaps Warren was stationed in Minnesota before going overseas]
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated—no camp listed)

J. B. Withrow
R #4
Grand Junction, Colorado
First reference

John B. Withrow, Jr.
Serial Number—18046617
Technical Sergeant

U.S. Army, Air Corps—Bombardment, Medium
State of Residence—unlisted
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16)

Albert W. Sorce
1364 Denniston Street
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
First reference

Albert W. Sorce
Serial Number—13038386
Technical Sergeant

U.S. Army, Air Corps—Bombardment, Medium
State of Residence—Pennsylvania
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16)

William Jackson
Dunbar, Oklahoma
First reference

There are 16 William Jacksons listed in the U.S. National Archives POW database (all active in the North African or European theatres). I cross-referencing them with online enlistment records, but I could not identify a William Jackson who was from Oklahoma.

Virgil Jarvis Jr.
523 N. Third Street
Central City, Kentucky

Listed in the U.S. National Archives database as having escaped from Camp 59. See the Prisoner List.
Other source—Luther Shields’ deck of card address system

Charles R. Martin
c/o Martub Funeral Home
Lake City, Tennessee
Other source—Luther Shields’ deck of card address system (address listed c/o Martin Funeral Home in Lake City, Tennessee)

Earl Johnson
712 E. Market Street
Louisville, Kentucky
First reference

There are two possibilities for Earl Johnson:

1) Earl Johnson
Serial Number—6839131
Sergeant

U.S. Army, Infantry—Armored Forces
State of Residence—Unlisted [However the state of residence for this Earl Johnson (SN 6839131) is listed as Jefferson County, Kentucky in the U.S. National Archives enlistment records, and Louisville is in Jefferson County]
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12 (Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011, Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11)

2) Earl E. Johnson
Serial Number— 35795204
Private

U.S. Army, Infantry
State of Residence—Kentucky
Source: U.S. National Archives, World War II Prisoners of War Data Files, documenting the period December 7, 1941–November 19, 1946 (Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated from Stalag 2B Hammerstein (99 work camps in vicinity of Koslin & Stolp) West Prussia 53-17)

Tim Timer
R #5
Grand Junction, Colorado
First reference

There is no reference to Tim or Timothy Timer in the U.S. National Archives database of WW II POWs.

Charles H. McLaughlin
19601 W. Warren Avenue
Detroit, Michigan

Claude H. McLaughlin (resident of Michigan is listed in the U.S. National Archives database as having escaped from Camp 59. It seems possible this is the same person. See the Prisoner List.

Frederick W. Solberg
34 Vine Street
Medford, Massachusetts

Listed in the U.S. National Archives database as having escaped from Camp 59. See the Prisoner List.
Other source—Frederick’s son Andrew Solberg

I have been in touch recently with Mario and Tony Vacca, two of Phil’s three sons. They’ve sent me a wealth of material that I will divide into separate posts.

This first post concerns Tony’s contact with the Virgili family and his first visit to Camp 59. That visit occurred in 1968, 25 years after Phil and his companions escaped from the camp.

Sergio Virgili at the gate to Camp 59 in Servigliano, 1968

While stationed in Pisa during the 1960s, Tony made contact with members of the Virgili family of Monte San Martino in the Marche—Sergio Virgili, and his sisters Luigia and Elena—who assisted his father during the war.

Tony explains, “It was on my second visit to the Virgili’s that I went to see the prison camp at Servigliano and to take photos for my father, per his request.

“Sergio Virgili guided me to the camp. It was a cloudy, dreary day. As we drove through Servigliano, I got an eerie feeling, as I could hear someone playing ‘Taps’ on the trumpet.

“Sergio took me straight to the main gate of the camp and we parked.

“That’s where I took the picture of Sergio standing at the front gate.

“It was like stepping into a ‘ghost town.’ It was very quiet—just Sergio and me – it was like the world stood frozen in time without occupants. The buildings showed signs of deterioration and were locked to prevent anyone from trying to live in them. As I walked around taking photos, I could not help but wonder what the living conditions would have been like for the prisoners. My father made very little mention of his experiences there.

“The only building that was pointed out to me was the guard shack by the gate. At the time I only speculated which buildings were the barracks.

“There were rectangular stone islands of sorts outside, located between buildings. They looked like some sort of outdoor wash stations.

“We also visited the train station across from the camp, which my father had told me about.

As a matter of fact, I have a small book, Il Campo Di Servigliano, 1915–1955, published by Casa della Memoria, which contains a map of the camp, with building locations, and some photos. The map layout is pretty much as I remember the building positions.”

See note after the photos.

Two views of the huts. A stone foundation is all that remains of a one hut that was razed—or possibly destroyed by fire.

A latrine between two huts.

The northwest wall of the camp.

A water source, possibly used for outdoor bathing.

Another view of the huts. Note the pigs in the foreground.

A brick structure, probably the camp infirmary.

Two views of buildings adjacent to the main gate, probably the command offices and guard barracks just inside the camp walls.

An open soccer field, probably in the area outside the camp that was section B during WW II (see the diagram below).

Pictured above is the page from Il Campo di Servigliano, 1915–1955 that Tony mentioned.

The diagram, from the state archives at Fermo, Italy, is a plan of the command offices, guard barracks, and the layout of the camp, as designed by engineer Eugenio Fagiuoli in 1915 to house prisoners during World War I.

Although the camp had two sections (A and B on the plan) in WW I, during the Second World War only section A was used to house prisoners (click on the image above to enlarge the diagram). The area in gray indicates the confines of the camp during WW II.

Several camp buildings outside the camp walls were used for guard’s barracks, offices, the commandant’s quarters, and storehouses. Inside the camp, there were 16 barracks, which were called huts, and eight latrines—one for each pair of huts. There was also a brick infirmary, two cookhouses, and at least one area for bathing.

Here is a translation of the diagram terminology:

Pianta—plan
Prospetto—prospectus
Corpo di guardia—guardhouse
Casamatta—blockhouse
Infermeria—infirmary
Bagno—bath
Latrina—latrine
Cucina—kitchen, or cookhouse
Settore—sector
Ingresso—entrance
Pozzo—well
Ferrovia—railroad (arrows on the diagram indicate the track directions to Fermo and Amandola)

Stanley Ernest Taylor

In June 2012, while my partner and I were traveling in England, I had the pleasure of meeting with Stanley Taylor’s daughter, Barbara Chapman. My first contact with her had been in April. When she heard we would be in the Cotswolds, she wrote back to say, “You’ll be on my doorstep when you are in Cheltenham.”

The day we arrived, Barbara met us at the train station and took us to our hotel, where we enjoyed a visit over afternoon tea. Barbara brought a envelope full of pictures, which I photographed. I am pleased to share them here.

Additional photos are on a previous post, “Stanley Taylor in Switzerland.” Also, read about Stanley on “Stanley Ernest Taylor.”

Meeting with Barbara in Cheltenham, England.

Stanley is standing third from left in this photo of British soldier in battle dress.

Stanley at ease

Stanley, most likely in Libya

Stanley (standing) and a friend.
An inscription on the back of the photo reads, “To My Darling Wife.”

On back of this photo is written, MR. SCOTT – T.H.Q. PERSONAL”
T.H.Q. is most likely Territorial Headquarters in North Africa. Perhaps “personal” meant to be “personnel.”

An inscription on this photo of Mary Taylor reads, “To My Darling Husband/Love Mary”

Wife and husband. On the back of Mary’s photo is the inscription, “TO L/BDR [lance-bombardier]. S.E. TAYLOR.” It was evidently a photo she sent to him while he was in the service.

Stanley carried this postcard of the S.S. Meroë while he was a POW. According to www.wrecksite.eu, the Meroë, on a voyage during WW I from Alexandria to Liverpool, was sunk in October 1916 by the German submarine U-63 (Otto Schultze), 70 miles from Cape Trafalgar.

On the back of the S.S. Meroë card are letters of the alphabet within four grids that seems be to a word game of sorts. (An additional two grids are not filled in.) Some of the letters spell words horizontally or vertically (zebra, stile, seeds) but other letters do not. On the opposite end of the card are written the date 13 MAR FRIDAY 42 (two days after Stanley’s arrival in Camp 59) and a list of foods and their weights:

Bread 200 Grammes
Mac or Rice 66
Meat 2 week 120
Dried Beans 30
Coffee 7
Sugar 15
Fat or Oil 13
Tomatoes 15
Grated Cheese 10
Cheese 5 week 40

28.352 Gms 1 oz.

These foods are likely the contents of Red Cross parcels.

On the back of this photo the following numbers are recorded, the meaning of which is unclear to me.

1-17-6
1-5-0
17-6
________

4-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
1-0-0
________

COL 2-0-0
COOP 1-0-0
IN 16-0
SG 1-17-6
MC 1-10-0
BC 12-6
________

16-15-0

2-3
11 1/2
2-8
1-3
1-6
1-0
11 1/2
1-6
4
________

12-50

2-5
6-4
________

8-9

I received a note this morning from Roy Grillo, who, in conducting online research about his father, Peter Grillo, discovered his name on Clifford Houben’s Address List of POWs.

Peter’s name and address are also recorded in Charles Simmons’ address book.

Peter passed away in 2002.

“I remember my dad told me once that he and some of the other men ate rat and dog because of very small meals that were made available to them,” Roy said.

“I think the greatest gift my father left me was his talk about death and fear just before I left for Vietnam. It had a profound impact on me when our convoy came under attack (ambush), and it was his words that got me through those tough times.”

Roy shared a letter with me that was sent by the U.S. War Department to his mother during Peter’s captivity.

Here is the text of that letter:

WAR DEPARTMENT
SERVICES OF SUPPLY
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL
WASHINGTON

24 July 1943

Mrs. Peter Grillo,
Leomnister Road,
Lunenburg, Massachusetts.

Dear Mrs. Grillo:

The Provost Marshall General directs me to reply to your letter of July 20, 1943, regarding your husband, Private Peter Grillo.

The records in this office indicate that your husband is still interned at Camp 59, Military Post 3300, Italy. It is located in the vicinity of Ascol-Piceno [Ascoli Piceno] near the east coast in central Italy.

No further information has been received concerning your husband since our letter of July 15, 1943.

Sincerely yours,

Howard F. Bresee
Colonel, C.M.P.,
Bhief, Information Bureau.

According to Stanley Taylor’s daughter, Barbara Chapman, after his escape from captivity, Stanley made his way to Switzerland. His records state he was there by November 2, 1944.

Barbara writes: “Father lefthand side, back row, assuming by snow to be St. Gallen, but I could be wrong.”

This photo of Stanley (standing at right) and two companions was evidently taken in Switzerland. On the back of the photo is Stanley’s home address (Mrs. M. Taylor, 81 Astbury Road, S.E. 15, London, England) and the address of his camp in Switzerland:

L/BDR [Lance Bombadier], TAYLOR S.E. 1555827.
CAMP D, INTERNEMENT MILITAIRE
DEGERSHEIM
ST GALLEN
SUISSE

Of this photo of a young man, Barbara says, “I understand this to be a Swiss national.” The back side of the photo bears a stamp: Photo Hege, E5594, St. Gallen, Vadienstr. [Vadienstrasse] and a handwritten message in German or Swiss German.

The certificate below was printed in Bern, Switzerland as a means of honoring the Swiss, who cared for the escaped prisoners who managed to cross the border from Italy into Switzerland.

Barbara wrote, “Here is the certificate I mentioned. I have Googled the two officers whose signatures are on it. They were both in Campo PG12 Vincigliata known as Castello di Vincigliata. As you probably know, this camp was for officers, so why my father should have a copy of this I do not know. In fact, my Godmother also had one.”

Here is the text of the certificate:

British Legation Berne

Adorned with the royal coat of arms a border of oak leaves, the certificate bears a color reproduction of a lithograph by seventeenth-century Bern artists Sigmund Freudenberger entitled The Return of the Soldier.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=3315269&partid=1&output=People%2F!!%2FOR%2F!!%2F124567%2F!%2F124567-2-23%2F!%2FAfter+Sigmund+Freudenberger%2F!%2F%2F!!%2F%2F!!!%2F&orig=%2Fresearch%2Fsearch_the_collection_database%2Fadvanced_search.aspx&currentPage=6&numpages=10

The certificate reads:

During this the Second World War of our generation over five thousand British officers and men, escaped prisoners of war sought sanctuary in Switzerland whilst awaiting the opportunity to rejoin their forces. Many of these men had suffered severe hardships and privations and were in need of all those things necessary to restore them to a full state of mental and physical fitness – above all they required a welcome, kindness and companionship. It is to all those individuals in Switzerland, who have done so much to show us hospitality and kindness, that this card is sent as a token of our gratitude and remembrance.

The British Empire, which, in the cause of Liberty, has fought on from a time of weakness and great peril to supreme strength and final victory, must owe a debt of gratitude to those who have helped our Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen.

The Senior British Officer and all ranks convey to you their sincere gratitude and very best wishes for the years to come

G. H. Fanshaw, Colonel
Deputy Senior British Officer

G. Younghusband, Colonel
The Senior British Officer

1944

Printed by Büchler & Co., Berne

T. J. Ager, after war and imprisonment, looking “rather the worse for wear”

On February 9, I received a note from Gillian Pink of Suffolk, England.

Her father, Thomas John Ager, who served in the Essex Regiment, was captured at Deir el Shein during the first battle of El Alamein. He was sent to Camp 82 at Laterina, Italy.

After the capitulation of Italy in September 1943, Tom and the other prisoners of the camp found themselves free of prison, but behind enemy lines.

“My father’s letters from Camp 82 stop in August of 1943,” Gill explained. “There is one dated July 1944 from the Red Cross to my mother saying he had been sent to a transit camp (Feldpost 31979), and another from the Red Cross dated August 1944 saying he was in Stalag VII-A. Shortly after, he was transferred to Stalag VIII-B, where they all seemed to end up.

“The first letter from Stalag VII-A is dated 16 July 1944. It says ‘The life that I am leading now is not quite so hectic as I have been used to for the last ten months. So I am having a little rest.’ I’m sure his time on the run is what he’s referring to, though my mother may not have known that. I can’t imagine an account of it would have been allowed past the censor.

“It seems the Germans clamped down on letters in and out, as well as Red Cross parcels, from around that date. Then of course the Russians started to advance, and the rest is history.

“I was interested to find some correspondence from the Vatican amongst the papers. It seems there was a Papal ‘go-between’ who facilitated communications between POWs in Italian camps and their families.

“In my burrowings, I discovered a letter dated 5 November 1944 to my mother from a Victor Parkin, asking if my father had arrived home safely. He said he was with my father at first, but then they separated—so he might have been the friend my father mentions in his account. It seems he got away while my father was recaptured. His address was 15 Pendennis Road, Staple Hill, Bristol.”

Although Tom was not in Camp 59, his story of survival in the Italian countryside is typical of the Camp 59 escapees’ experiences.

On his return to England, Tom married his fiancee, Gladys Wash. The two had known each other since childhood and were married for 54 years. They were married by special licence a few days after Tom was repatriated, though he had to return a few weeks later to a transit camp in Oxfordshire, where he helped repatriate Polish servicemen. He was finally demobbed in May 1946.

Tom and Gladys had two children.

“My father’s account is somewhat garbled,” Gill explained, “as by the time I persuaded him to record his experiences, he was dying.” Tom died in 1999.

“His time at large in Italy was really the only part of his war he would talk about when I was young,” Gill said. “I don’t think it was a bad time for him. He always longed to go back to see if he could find the people who helped him, but sadly he never managed the journey.

“I have all the letters my mother received from him while he was a prisoner (though probably not all he wrote), so I know pretty well where he was at any given time. Unfortunately, they don’t say much of interest, partly due to censorship and partly because he wanted to reassure my mother at length that his feelings hadn’t changed.

“I volunteer at a rural life museum and annually we hold a ‘Countryside at War’ day, when some of the letters are displayed together with other relevant documents (my mother, bless her, never threw anything away). Last year, one woman carefully read through the whole ‘story’ and anxiously asked me ‘And did he get home safely, do you know?’ I was pleased to be able to say he did, and produced me two years later!”

Tom Ager at the start of the war

Gill wrote, “I am sending two photos of my father: one at the start of the war, and one after a time as a prisoner, where he looks rather the worse for wear.”

Tom Ager’s Escape Story

“….I think there must have been about twenty of us; they put the main party to work cutting terraces on the side of a hill—the terraces to put the grapevines in—that was the only way you could do it in those hilly countries. I don’t know how much work they did, or how much sitting down. Jock Wilson and myself were left behind as camp cooks. You didn’t need to be very expert to cook macaroni, as long as we kept them supplied with hot water for the coffee and tea. First thing in the morning it meant getting up very early—chopping wood and lighting a fire—but we managed. The weather was fine. We stayed there for a time and life wasn’t too bad—we managed to keep going, with the odd letter here and there.

“Then in ’43, towards September, the Italians decided they’d had enough fighting—I don’t think they’d wanted to start in the first place—they said ‘Oh well, I think we’ve had enough fighting’, and packed it in. That was when all the trouble started. Before we knew where we were, all the Italian guards disappeared, demobbed themselves—gone home! There wasn’t much else we could do—we weren’t going to stop there and we decided to turn it in as well. Three of us left one night and struck north. Our idea was to get to the Swiss border. But we got into all sorts of difficulties on the way and we never reached the Swiss border—I don’t think we stood much chance at all. Our Italian wasn’t very good and we looked what we were—we hadn’t got wise to it—we turned round—lost one of the blokes, he was picked up. Poor kid—he was lost from the start; we had to mother him. I think he was a Scot—he was a good lad, a tea taster in Glasgow.

“The two of us got on quite nicely together; we wandered along until we met up with some other people and off we went together. We were on the way back by then—on the way back past Florence. Our idea then was to go to the east coast and try and get picked up, because we’d heard rumours that every now and then someone would arrive and pick up people—but how true it was I have absolutely no idea. But we never reached it—it was too heavily fortified. By that time my friend had gone off and I was alone. But by that time I was a bit wiser and managed to disguise myself as a travelling shepherd. I had a big stick and a cloak and a sheepskin. Whether or not I looked like a shepherd I don’t know—I hadn’t got any sheep—I hadn’t even got a sheepdog! But I managed to keep out of trouble, travelling alone was the best way of doing it. When you had friends with you, you spoke English; when you were moving alone, you had to speak the language, and I picked up quite a bit. People I met used to think I was a forestieri, which in Italian is a foreigner from another village, and the dialect used to alter from village to village in those days.

“It was getting on for winter and it was a very bad, snowy winter. I spent one night in a shepherd’s hut, way up in the hills, and there I made myself a meal—somebody, at some time, had left a lump of fat pork up there and I managed to get a fire going. Next morning there was only one thing to do—make for the lower slopes, and then on the way down I slipped and fell into a snow hole. I don’t really know how I got out; I think the only thing that saved me was my big old shepherd’s cloak. I remember being able to fling it out and it gave me a bit of purchase. By that time I was frozen with cold and soaking wet and I went down to a village, a little place I think was called Marucci which is not far from Pizzoli. I remember Pizzoli well. I’d just come down from the hills above Marucci, which was on the slopes of the Apennines not far from the Gran Sasso. I’d been trapped in the snow and I was cold, soaking wet, and the ladies of the village took me in, put me to bed and I finished up with double pneumonia and pleurisy, but they were very kind.

“The people of that village were very strong, including the old parish priest; and they put me to bed, kept me warm and got a doctor and when you hear people standing behind you who can’t make up their mind what to do with you when you pop off it’s a bit disconcerting! They didn’t know whether to take me back up the hills and leave me as if I’d died of exposure or whether to bury me in the churchyard, which I don’t think the priest was very happy with, or just to hand me over to the Germans who were left. But I fooled them—I got better! And they were most kind—they looked after me, fed me and kept very quiet. The men of that village weren’t bad, but a lot of them were deserters who’d hopped it when Italy packed up, so they were half hiding as well, because if the Germans got hold of them they would have taken them back into the army again—and I don’t think they were very keen on that.

“I stayed there for some time building myself up, wandering about, hiding away, doing a little work helping them plant a few potatoes and odds and ends; trying to earn my keep. I gave them one of my photos—of myself and Gladys—where it is now, who knows! Tucked away in somebody’s bits and pieces, no doubt.

“Then after a time summer came, the weather was fine and we heard that the Yanks were on the point of entering Rome, so I thought it was about time that I made a move; so without saying anything to the people, which I suppose was pretty rotten, I wandered off in what I thought was the direction of Rome. Luckily, I seemed to be on the right road. I was getting quite close to Rome; my plan would have been to enter Rome and try and get into the Vatican because once you’d got in there, you were in a different country and you were quite safe. But unfortunately on the track I met up with two Italian yobbos who walked along with me and talked—of course they knew who I was and it was no good trying to hide. Next thing I knew one of them had dropped back—said something about going somewhere. I ought to have done the other one in and scarpered, I suppose, but then again that’s not me. Next thing I knew, waiting for us along the road was a German patrol full of guns, all looking fierce, just to catch one poor old English prisoner who’d had a lot of luck—and now his luck had run out.

“They stuck me on a truck and took me back to Aquila. And I’d been so close! Another hour or so and I’d have made the outskirts of Rome and could have hidden myself away. But it wasn’t to be. In Aquila they questioned me and stripped me—I hadn’t got anything with me—no incriminating evidence, absolutely nothing at all. The only book I’d got with me was a small Bible and they went through that like I don’t know what—I don’t know what they expected to find!—but they didn’t find anything at all.

“Next thing I knew I was on another truck going back up north again to our old camp at Laterina which had altered quite a bit since I was there—they’d put buildings up and it was quite smart. Then we were all rounded up, lined up, and put onto cattle wagons and taken up into Germany into another camp, at Moosberg, which I don’t think is very far from Munich. We didn’t stay there very long. We then moved on up to another camp in Poland, Silesia or somewhere—a huge camp, Stalag 8B—Lamsdorf, I think it was called. I was there for some time, bored stiff, ill-fed—the camp was rife with blokes on the fiddle all the while—blokes who’d been there since 1940 and made it their home. I don’t know what they did when they got home! They must have been completely disorientated.”

Gill says of the image above, “There is a bit of a mystery about this last photo. It was amongst the letters, and has a name and address on the back. As far as I can read it: Maglioni (and I cannot read the other name, something like Oronuoso) No 1, Via Roma H10 Premilcuore Forli Italia. I wonder if it was someone who helped him when he was on the run.”

“There is a scrap of paper with it in a different hand,” Gill adds, “which says—as far as I can make out—‘Colgo l’occasione per farti gli auguri della J. Pasquas. Spero con ausia la vostra gratitudine, R. Giuseppe’.”

Telegram to Tom’s fiancée Gladys, announcing “Tom safe prisoner of war in Italy”

Address panel from letter to Gladys, showing Tom Ager’s Camp 82 address

Ray Kestner’s granddaughter, Jessica Kestner McMahon, calls the little book that Ray brought home from prison camp the “Christmas book.”

Entitled Christmas 1942, the calendar booklets were a gift of Pope Pius XII to the Allied prisoners.

The booklets consist of 48 pages and a cover. They have calendar pages for January–December 1943, as well as a “memorandum” page for each month (pages 2–25); the rest (pages 26–48) is comprised of hymns and Christmas carols.

Camp 59 prisoner Charles Simmons also owned one of these booklets, described in “Charles Simmons’ Calendar and Address Book.”

Most of the addresses throughout Ray’s booklet are penciled in his own very legible handwriting. A few are written in other penmanship—presumably by the prisoners themselves.

Aside from the address of Italian Virgilio Orazi (above) and one Englishman—Bob Johnson of Leeds in West Yorkshire—the names and addresses are those of Americans.

Of her grandfather’s booklet, Jessica wrote, “The address book was more than likely started before he got to Camp 59, so not all the names are necessarily from that camp.”

It seems likely that the Christmas/address books were distributed near the end of 1942, before Ray was moved to Camp 59.

Ray was captured on December 6, 1942. He arrived at Ospedale Militare di Caserta (a hospital in Caserta, north of Naples) on December 10, where he received care for a bullet wound.

On February 6, 1943, Ray was transferred to Camp 66 (Capua), and on March 1 he arrived in Camp 59. It seems likely Ray was given the Christmas book while at the hospital in Caserta, so it may contain names of prisoners Ray met in Caserta and Capua.

Interestingly, Charles Simmons was also in Camp 66. In his calendar, Charles documents arrival in Capua on February 15, departure for “new camp” on February 28, and arrival in “new home Camp 59″ on March 1, the same date as Ray’s arrival.

Jessica continued, “I’m most interested in the one Italian address—Santa Vittoria in Matenano, which is south of the camp, so maybe that is where he was hiding?” The address is:

Orazi Virgilio [or Virgilio Orazi]
S: Vittoria [Santa Vittoria]
In Matenano
Provincia Ascoli Piceno
Marche

A number of the addresses in Ray’s “Christmas Book” are rural addresses. The abbreviations can be confusing. Country addresses are listed as Rte. (Route), R.R. (Rural Route), R.F.D. (Rural Free Delivery), R.D. (Rural Delivery), General Delivery, or simply Box.

Some of the men in the list, such as McKinley Blair, are in the National Archives online enlistment records, but not the POW records. I’m not sure what to make of that.

By cross-referencing with other records, I can confirm that nine of the men listed below were in Camp 59. Their names have asterisks before them. Others may have been interned in the camp, but I have no evidence of that as yet.

Here are the soldiers’ addresses in the booklet:

Bob Johnson
31 Lower Brunswick Street—off North Street
Leeds. 2. Yorkshire
England

*Clarence Horton
Bangs, Texas

Gerald Smith
411 Simpson Street
Clarksburg
West Virginia

Joseph Badgerow
2010 20th Avenue
Port Huron
Michigan
Route 4, Box 86

Joe Kuderski
104 E. 7th Steet
New York
New York

*Luther C. Vaughn
Route 3
Clay
Kentucky

Bernard Klotz
962 E. 172th Street
Bronx
New York

William A. Byrd
R.F.D. #2
Jefferson
South Carolina

Richard Lucas
318 Canda Street
Ishpeming
Michigan

Alexander Hiscock
33 Lakeview Avenue
Yonkers
New York

Gail Wall
Rural Route 9, Box 512
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma

Steve Baran
7606 W. 64th Street
Argo
Illinois

*Clovis G. Amos
607 6th Street
Bristol
Tennessee

William L. Kieff
R.D. #1
Rexville
New York

Stanley Delikate
1700 Belmont Avenue
Toledo
Ohio

Ray White
Dorothy
West Virginia

Lee Gettleman
Route 4, Box 319
West Allis
Wisconsin
S. 92nd W. Layton
[S. 92nd Street and W. Layton Avenue is an intersection in Milwaukee just south West Allis. Why this intersection recorded with this address is a mystery.]

Forrest Perry
Joy
North Carolina

Glen Schroeder
2328 Avondale Avenue
Toledo
Ohio

Lenzy Webb
32 Hill Street
Richwood
West Virginia

Thomas Gillespie
534 Jersey Street
Boyne City
Michigan

Glendon McCutchen
Main Street, Box 34
Stratton
Maine

Leland Taylor
Loveland
Ohio

Leonard Meddings
Missouri Branch
West Virginia

Charles L. Berger
RFD 3,
Lehighton
Pennsylvania

John K. Sisson
Dewar
Oklahoma

Joseph Willshire
Redwood Falls
Minnesota

Joe Woltering
310 S. 1st Street
Bause
Illinois
[I cannot find a town name by this name in Illinois.]

Arnold Williamson
2356 Hampton Avenue
St. Paul
Minnesota

John B. Black
1624 5th Avenue South
Columbus
Mississippi

John J. Boyle
532 Spring Street
Hawley
Pennsylvania

John Slifko [or John Slifka]
211 Spruce Street
Byesville
Ohio

Floyd H. Stanger
RR 1
Indianola
Iowa

*Sal Trischitta
1836 Fowler Avenue
Bronx
New York

W. D. Christenson
96 Gleneden Avenue
Oakland
California

Thomas Bainbridge
923 N. 101st Street
Seattle
Washington

Harold Dolezal
Belleville
Kansas

M. L. Matthews
1829 College Street
Springfield
Missouri

Ernest S. Taylor
133 Chestnut Street
Williamson
West Virginia

Donald Terrien
Detroit
Michigan

Myron Carter
736 W. 3rd Street
Port Clinton
Ohio

Sy Sobotka
1613 Burnet Avenue
Syracuse
New York

Harold Kettle
Box 21
Lawtons
New York

Jimmy Mitchell
1580 W. 18th Street
Idaho Falls
Idaho

Earl M. Road [or Rood]
137 Forest Avenue
Buffalo
New York

Jack Kearns
655 New York Avenue
Union City
New Jersey

H. T. Marcus
5660 Phillips Avenue
Pittsburg
Pennsylvania

Andrew Marek
Route 4
Granger
Texas

Claude French
General Delivery
Baxter Springs
Kansas

Calvin E. Sizemore
Alpoca
West Virginia

McKinley Blair
Leitchfield
Kentucky

James Austin
1300 Belmont Street, NW
Washington, D.C.

Lea [or Leo] Whittington
R.R. #2
Tampico
Illinois

*George Mickus
391 Grand Street
Brooklyn
New York

*Marshall Brekke
1724 South 88th Street
West Allis
Wisconsin

*James Tasiopulos
459 South Rowan Avenue
Los Angeles
California

Demas L. Torres
Rte. 4, Box 37
Anaheim
California

William Bohlander
1622 Dhonan Street
Cincinnati
Ohio

Warren E. Lowry
752 Cottage Grove
South Bend
Indiana

John Lipka
510 S. Van Buren Street
Wilmington
Delaware

*Wesley Goettel
420 E. 5th Street
Blue Earth
Minnesota

Glen D. Taylor
Wileyville
West Virginia

Hardie Schweigen
Kanopolis
Kansas

Sam Abruzzo
9024 Flatlands Avenue
Brooklyn
New York

*Al Buttacavoli
1540 Cropsey Avenue
Brooklyn
New York

Ernest Bartholomew
Devault
Pennsylvania
[This may be Enos Bartholomew, who enlisted at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in September 1942.]

John R. Battiste
650 Beaver Road
Ambridge
Pennsylvania

Ray Kestner (left) with a buddy

Raymond Kestner with family

The letters in this post, saved by Ray Kestner’s sister, are posted here courtesy of Ray’s granddaughter Jessica Kestner McMahon.

In one of his letters, Marshall Wells makes reference to Ray’s wounded arm. Ray had been shot in the left arm before capture and was treated by the Italians.

The sensitive correspondence between strangers in this post calls to my mind the sharing of news concerning Albert Rosenblum’s capture described in “Kind Strangers—Relays from Radio Rome” and the news of Willman King recorded in “Heard over Shortwave.”

For more on Ray Kestner, see “Local News Articles—Raymond Kestner” and “Ray Kestner—Letters and Postcards.“

[Written on United States Army Air Forces stationery]

January 27, 1944

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kestner,

If this address reaches you please write to me as I may be able to tell you something about your son Raymond.

I was with him in the P.O.W. camp in Italy. I traveled with him for ten days after our release. We got out of the camp the nite of Sept. 14th and Ray and I parted the 24th. He and another lad from Illinois were together and I traveled with another chap from Texas.

I got back to Allied troops in November and now I’m here in the States.

Raymond was in fine health when we parted and I don’t think you need to worry about his welfare now. The Italian farmers were very nice to us. Plenty of food & everything.

Raymond didn’t like to walk and his idea was to wait for the Allies.

If you receive this letter I do wish you’d write as Raymond & I were very good friends.

I’m sure he is fine and will be back before too long.

Sincerely,
Marshall C. Wells

Note that Mrs. G. E. Lowry’s letter is simply addressed to: “Next of Kin, of, Kestner/Prisoner of War in Italy” in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.

Okawville, Ill. [Illinois] Jan-30-44

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kestner,

I am Mrs. G. E. Lowry of Okawville, Ill., and I have a won Warren Lowry who has been a prisoner of war in Italy since December, 1942. At the time of the Italian surrender, Sept.-43, he was at Camp 59, M.P. 3300. Naturally we have been very anxious as to his whereabouts since that time.

Late in December I received a letter from Marshall C. Wells, who was a member of the same crew of a group carrier transport as our son. He was taken prisoner at the same time as our son and they have been together in a military hospital and prisoner camps in Italy.

He told us in this letter that he arrived home about a week before Christmas. He said that he (Wells), our son Warren and two other prisoners traveled together for the first ten days after they got out of the prison camp. Then they divided in their opinion as to the best way to reach the Allied lines. Wells and one lad started walking south and after walking about 130 miles reached the Allied lines and reached home late in Dec. Our son and the other young fellow decided to remain where they were. They were being cared for by three friendly Italian farmer families; plenty, and more than they needed to eat and also shelter.

I answered his letter, asking him among other things the name of the young fellow who remained with our son. I rec’d a letter yesterday saying that his name is Kestner from Sleepy Eye, Minn. [Minnesota] and that I might write to you if I cared to do so.

While what I have told you is not much, I am passing it on to you, hoping that it may help to relieve your anxiety as it has done for us.

The address of Wells is Lt. Marshall C. Wells AAF [Army Air Forces] Redistribution Station No. 3, Santa Monica Calif. [California] His Home address is Dodson, Mont. [Montana] I have had several letters from his mother and I feel that the information from him is authentic If you wish to inquire about your son you could write to him.

I hope I have made no mistake in writing to you. I appreciate so much hearing any little thing about our son.

Most Sincerely,
Mrs. G. E. Lowry
Okawville, Ill.

AAFRS #3
Squadron S
Santa Monica, Calif.
February 9, 1944

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kestner,

Arrived at this station yesterday and your letter was waiting for me.

I’m awfully glad that you received word about Ray as he was my best friend in camp. I wasn’t at all sure of your address but evidently it was O.K.

I left Ray about 60 miles north of where the Allies are now. He was well & happy, doing nothing but sleeping and eating.

As for his wounded arm, it is as good as ever. It never did bother him a great deal.

He was with another fellow from Ill., neither one were over energetic and were living the life of Riley. They were being fed by three different Italian families, all the macaroni they could consume. Also plenty of wine.

I don’t think you need worry about him he’ll be there when the Allies reach that point. In the meantime you can rest assured that he is enjoying his freedom.

I will close for now. if I hear any more of Ray I’ll write you immediately.

Sincerely,
Marshall C. Wells

July 7, 1943 [The year is incorrect—the letter’s envelope is postmarked July 8, 1944.]
Okawville, Ill.

Dear Mrs. Kestner,

I arrived home today and after seeing how much my mother has worried I write news of Raymond. I last saw Raymond on last May 11th. We had been caught together on the previous day by German troops. The truck in which we were being transported to a camp in Italy was “strafed” by four British planes. Ray escaped the German hands at that time and if you have not heard from him by now you should soon. I did not escape until several days later. As the area in which we were staying is now in Allied hands I think that Ray should be on way home now. At least I hope so. Tell Ray to write me soon as possible.

Sincerely
W. C. Lowry
Okawville, Ill.

A page from Raymond’s Roman Catholic “Christmas book,” as Jessica Kestner McMahon refers to it—since it contains both Christmas carols as well as calendar pages.

On this page Raymond recorded key dates concerning his capture, interment, and escape:

Captured Dec. 6, 1942 around Tunis
Jan. 31 plaster [cast] removed [from left arm]
Dec. 10 arrived in Naples Di Caserta hospital
Febr 6 – Camp 66 (Capura) 1943
March 1 – Camp 59 (SERVIGLIANO) 1943
Sept. 14 – released from Camp 59 behind Jerry lines
Oct 24. Attempted boat scheme.
May 10 recaptured by Jerry 1944
May 12 escaped when planes strafed truck
June 21. allied troops arrived (Sarnano)

Above: American soldier Willman King superimposed against a page of his address list.

Like Clifford Houben, Charles Simmons, and many other POWs, Willman King kept a list of men he met while a prisoner.

Like Clifford Houben, Willman recorded his addresses on traced dog tags.

Because there are no notations in this list and because Willman was recaptured after escape from Camp 59 and sent to Germany, we can’t be sure which names and addresses were gathered in Camp 59 and which were collected later.

All the same, it’s good to have this document for future cross reference. Thanks to Willman’s son Joseph King for sharing this list.

R. B. Lipps
410 Ninth St. [street address is unclear]
Marshalltown
Iowa

Ernest Kimbrel
6252 South Spalding
Chicago
Illinois

Eugene Hockenbery
RR #1
Waynesboro
Pennsylvania

Roy Anderson
503 So. Fremont Ave.
Alhambra
California

Toivo Alder
R.F.D. 1 Box 142
Clatskanie
Oregon

George A. Brooks
4427 N. Rockwell St.
Chicago
Illinois
Juniper 0859

Kenneth Hegman
Box 14
Winton
Minnesota

Gordon Holland
Central City
Kentucky

George Mickus
391 Grand Ave.
Brklyn [probably Brooklyn]
New York

Al Hiscock [or A. L. Hiscock]
33 Lake Ave.
Yonkers
New York

Joe Kearns
655 New York Avenue
Union City
New York

Harry Van Arsdale
Box 48
Ames
New York

Bernnie Klotz
962 E. 172 St.
Bronx
New York

Saldi Pinto
75 Clark Street
New Britain
Connecticut

Tony Stabile
585 Elderts Lane
Brooklyn
New York

Pasquale A. Demeo
719 Broadway
Schenectady
New York

Richard Hill
1989 Morris Ave.
Bronx
New York

Steve Baran
7606 64th St.
Argo
Illinois

Delvaughn Elliott
Proctorville
Ohio

Bill Kivlehan
312 Haven Ave.
New York
New York

Richard Hanson
4046 Keystone Ave.
Chicago
Illinois

Emil Keller
26 Leonard St.
Jersey City
New Jersey

Ed Schwartz
32 Cosmo St.
Lancaster
New York

Leo Keating
Durham Rd.
Dover
New Hampshire

Joe Kuderski
99 East 7th St.
New York
New York

R. G. T. Carter
5 East St.
Weymouth
Dorset
England

R. G. T. Carter
I. A. Haymarket Rd.
Cambridge
England

Marshel [or perhaps Marshall] Brekke
1725 South 88 St.
West Allis
Wisconsin

James McGee
Central City
Kentucky

William Bollander
7622 Dnonau St. [street name unclear]
C [full city or town name missing]
Ohio

D. S. Hoffpauir
1603 16th Street
Orange
Texas

L. A. Hayer
5 Brown Street
Westbrook
Maine

William Kabisch
2629 Sedgewick Ave.
Bronx
New York

J. P. Merideth
Eighty Eight
Kentucky

Luther Vaughn
Clay
Kentucky

Homer Cumberland
11.01.37 Ave. [Probably 1101 37th Ave.]
Meridian
Mississippi

Emerson J. Henry
401 North Scott St.
Wilmington
Delaware

William Handy
Mount Union
Pennsylvania

Arvie Mackie
15 West St.
Lisbon
New Hampshire

Horace Orton
Rte. #5
Union City
Tennessee

Owen Brashear
Rte. #1
Viper
Kentucky

Lowell McMurtrey
Willow Springs
Missouri

John C. Kollar
Pelican Rapids
Minnesota

Eugene Hockenberry
Route #1
Waynesboro
Pennsylvania

Sam W. Grabaskintz [the last name in unclear]
622 N. Blanco St.
Lockhart
Texas

Clarence Zisler
4850 Eastlawn
Detroit
Michigan

John P. Black
1614 5th Ave. So.
Columbus
Mississippi

Mason T. Turner
4217 Oglethorpe St.
Hyattsville
Maryland