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Started By
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Posted on 7/23/17 at 4:34 pm to KyleOrtonsMustache
quote:
Many of the former prisoners sent letters back to friends they'd made in Alabama asking for assistance since their homeland was destroyed during the war and Alabamains responded by sending food, blankets and money to them.
As the Soviets were tearing through from the east many German soldiers were fleeing to the west to be captured by the Americans instead. You held a slim chance of survival if captured by the Soviets.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 4:36 pm to Pectus
quote:
And a camp in New Orleans
Keeping POWs in New Orleans these days would likely violate the Geneva convention.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 4:39 pm to HarryBalzack
quote:
Some of the portable classroom buildings I had class in when I was a kid were built by German POWs during the war.
Cedar Creek in Ruston has quite a few. The camp was actually in Simsboro, about 15 minutes outside of Ruston.
This post was edited on 7/23/17 at 4:41 pm
Posted on 7/23/17 at 4:43 pm to Pectus
Camp Claiborne, Camp Livingston, & Camp Polk trained a lot of US infantry for the war. Prior to the US entering the war, all those camps were used for full scale exercises involving 400,000 troops. Basically the area south of Shreveport, north of Lake Charles, and west of Alexandria was used for a simulated war. Generals Omar Bradley, Patton & Eisenhower all were there.
During the war replacement troops continued to be trained. These camps also held Japanese and Italian POWs, plus used as internment camps for Japanese Americans.
During the war replacement troops continued to be trained. These camps also held Japanese and Italian POWs, plus used as internment camps for Japanese Americans.
This post was edited on 7/23/17 at 5:32 pm
Posted on 7/23/17 at 4:57 pm to Pectus
There was a POW camp up in the northern part of New Hampshire. I would see the roadside sign every time I would travel to my grandparents house. The POW's at Camp Stark were sent there to be loggers, a job that was (and still is) dangerous as all Hell. Funny thing about the camp is that, while the German prisoners would escape, there was really nowhere for them to go and so the either came back to camp or were picked up pretty quickly.
I remember reading a book about it called "Stark Decency" about a decade ago. It was a fun read, but probably only interesting to people aware of the Berlin/ Northern NH area.
I remember reading a book about it called "Stark Decency" about a decade ago. It was a fun read, but probably only interesting to people aware of the Berlin/ Northern NH area.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 5:01 pm to Pectus
My great-grandfather was the head of one in Houma. My grandmother tells me the German soldiers were incredibly respectful and nice. They were treated fairly and just wanted to go home.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 5:44 pm to Twenty 49
quote:
The most important prisoners included the crew of the German submarine U-505. After the vessel and its code book were captured near Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean on June 4, 1944, the crew was placed in isolation at Camp Ruston. The men were even denied visits from the International Red Cross in order to keep the Germans from learning that their secret codes had been compromise
The first Japanese POW of the war was from one of the mini subs used in the Pearl Harbor attack. He ended up in a Louisiana POW camp also.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 5:51 pm to Pectus
My dad said they would load up with a picnic lunch and go to Ruston and have lunch and spend the day on the fence line just looking at the Germans, that's it.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 8:16 pm to Pectus
My father was born and raised in Clinton, Ms. Was born in 39, so he would have been a youngster in WW2. I'm blessed to have him around and in good shape and I forwarded him the article about the Clinton camp. He thanked me for the article and said that the German POWs were friendly and very kind to he and his friends. He indicated that, at the time, he didn't even realize that the camp was a prison. The local children probably reminded the Germans of theirs back home. Nice post....I know that there is a bunch of sordid stuff on the OT at times, but it consistently yields meaningful topics as well.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 8:23 pm to Pectus
quote:
Some of those POWs were from the African theater, and some of you know those were considered the Super Nazis.
I've never heard that, most were conscripts who ratted out the hardcore types as soon as they got here. I'd bet 80% of Germans joined the NP out of necessity.
The ones in LA built public buildings, made furniture, farmed and a few married local girls.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 8:56 pm to Pectus
My grandfather fought from D-day Plus 5 all the way to the Rhine River. His unit suffered 300% casualties.
When they were finallly relieved and sent back to the rear, his entire unit was transferred to MP status. And told to escort prisoners back to the rear.
I don't think any of those guys made it to any prison camps.
When they were finallly relieved and sent back to the rear, his entire unit was transferred to MP status. And told to escort prisoners back to the rear.
I don't think any of those guys made it to any prison camps.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 9:12 pm to Ghost of Colby
quote:
Camp Claiborne, Camp Livingston, & Camp Polk trained a lot of US infantry for the war. Prior to the US entering the war, all those camps were used for full scale exercises involving 400,000 troops. Basically the area south of Shreveport, north of Lake Charles, and west of Alexandria was used for a simulated war. Generals Omar Bradley, Patton & Eisenhower all were there.
They were called the Louisiana Maneuvers. My mom and dad worked for the Red Cross there during the war. My mom always said they were told not to interact socially with the POWs but she always said they were polite and respectful.
The POWs here were treated a hell of a lot better than American soldiers were treated when they were captured.
It's been a while since I've been there but when the Bentley Hotel was open, they some amazing photos hanging on the walls of that time. Bradley, Patton, McArthur - they all stayed at the Bentley at some during their stay in Louisiana.
The Louisiana Maneuvers are a great part of Louisiana history.
To OP - thanks for starting this thread.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 9:53 pm to Pectus
Farragut Naval Station, Athol, Idaho
Just spent a weekend here at the state park. These German Pows probably had the best life of them all. They got to booze it up and cook good food ala Goodfellas. Awesome little museum and such a shame to see such little left of this place
Just spent a weekend here at the state park. These German Pows probably had the best life of them all. They got to booze it up and cook good food ala Goodfellas. Awesome little museum and such a shame to see such little left of this place
This post was edited on 7/23/17 at 9:55 pm
Posted on 7/23/17 at 11:06 pm to Pectus
No family stories, but German POW's were housed all along the southern parishes. They worked the rice fields and lived in rice dryers and mills. As small towns have gotten smaller and old mills have been deconstructed, old german artifacts and personal items have been found: medals, buttons, carvings in walls.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 11:15 pm to NWarty
Camp Shelby south of Hattiesburg...they did all kinds of shite down there...I think they even dug a lake.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 11:26 pm to Pectus
quote:
There were Camp Claiborne Camp Bastrop Camp Livingston A camp in Thibadoux Camp Eunice Camp Livingston Camp Polk Camp Ruston A camp at the Hammond airport And a camp in New Orleans
Don't forget Camp Grant Walker.
Posted on 7/23/17 at 11:39 pm to shutterspeed
Taken from Houma today website: here are some WW II pow stats:
Were there ever POWs in south Louisiana? Yes! Donaldsonville, 1,146; Jeannerette, 860; Port Allen, 774; Franklin, 543; Thibodaux, 483; Houma, two camps, one on Woodlawn Ranch Road and one on St. Charles Street for a total of 444; St. Martinville, 372; Reserve, 359; Edgerly, 307; Youngsville, 306; Jennings, 290; Kaplan, 281; Eunice, 280; Rayne, 279; Arabi, 278; Mathews, 272; Lake Charles, 244; Hammond, 226; Bell City, 224; Lockport, 210; Gueydan, 198; Iowa, 178; Hahnville, 116; and Port Sulphur, 100. Algiers, Point a la Hache, Harahan, Simsport and Melville also had side camps.
Were there ever POWs in south Louisiana? Yes! Donaldsonville, 1,146; Jeannerette, 860; Port Allen, 774; Franklin, 543; Thibodaux, 483; Houma, two camps, one on Woodlawn Ranch Road and one on St. Charles Street for a total of 444; St. Martinville, 372; Reserve, 359; Edgerly, 307; Youngsville, 306; Jennings, 290; Kaplan, 281; Eunice, 280; Rayne, 279; Arabi, 278; Mathews, 272; Lake Charles, 244; Hammond, 226; Bell City, 224; Lockport, 210; Gueydan, 198; Iowa, 178; Hahnville, 116; and Port Sulphur, 100. Algiers, Point a la Hache, Harahan, Simsport and Melville also had side camps.
Posted on 7/24/17 at 6:06 am to DoctorTechnical
My grandpa worked at Camp Clinton while living in Jackson. I've got a piece of furniture that a German officer made him out of pallet wood, finished it w shoe polish. Still looks great.
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