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Did you know that German POWs were housed in Ruston La during World War II?
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:10 pm
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:10 pm
POW influx was slow so at first it was a training center for the women's army auxiliary corp.
The first prisoners were 300 enlisted men from Rommel's elite Africa corp.
Video: CAMP RUSTON: GERMAN P.O.W.S IN LOUISIANA

The first prisoners were 300 enlisted men from Rommel's elite Africa corp.
Video: CAMP RUSTON: GERMAN P.O.W.S IN LOUISIANA

Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:11 pm to Tiger Ree
Yep,present day area: Whataburger service road I-20
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:12 pm to Tiger Ree
Robert's Cove near Rayne too.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:15 pm to Tiger Ree
All over Louisiana. Had some north of Kaplan that stayed after the war and married locals
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:17 pm to Tiger Ree
Summer of My German Soldier
This book takes place in Arkansas but it's the same situation. I think they made a movie of it too.
This book takes place in Arkansas but it's the same situation. I think they made a movie of it too.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:17 pm to Tiger Ree
I've actually been to Ruston
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:19 pm to Tiger Ree
There was a German POW camp near Hammond. They were all over the place.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:20 pm to Tiger Ree
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Aliceville
Bama has the largest one in the southeast. Mainly Afrika Corps. Over in Aliceville.
Bama has the largest one in the southeast. Mainly Afrika Corps. Over in Aliceville.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:23 pm to dirtsandwich
quote:
Bama has the largest one in the southeast
Per Rivals
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:26 pm to blueridgeTiger
quote:
There was a German POW camp near Hammond. They were all over the place.
Around Donaldsonville too.
Cool 13 min video about Last German POW in American from The History Guy on YouTube.
POW that escaped after the war was over and lived out his life in the US.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:28 pm to Tiger Ree
Farmers and locals near the camps could have them come over to perform manual labor and other tasks because of a shortage of labor due to so many American men serving in the war.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:30 pm to Ghost of Colby
Shocking that the south would welcome free labor
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:30 pm to BobABooey
quote:
Bama has the largest one in the southeast
Per Rivals


Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:31 pm to Tiger Ree
quote:
Did you know that German POWs were housed in Ruston La during World War II?
German POW's were also held in Chalmette at the Domino Sugar refinery. their dorms were built and are still located to the top of the factory.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:33 pm to Tigeralum2008
quote:
German POW's were also held in Chalmette at the Domino Sugar refinery. their dorms were built and are still located to the top of the factory.
A number of workers and their families actually rode out Katrina in those.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:36 pm to Tiger Ree
SC had a lot of these camps. The US brought them back on Liberty Ships that would have otherwise been empty in part hoping to cut down on German U-boat sinkings. Toward the latter part of the war at least some of the prisoners were allowed to move somewhat freely within the population at least in the upstate of SC. After the war a lot of them stayed and the significant German culture in the area is one of the (smaller) reasons BMW built their US plant there.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:39 pm to Dire Wolf
quote:Germans
Shocking that the south would welcome free labor
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:51 pm to Tiger Ree
There was a couple around Memphis too. Still had some of the housing and fencing at the one near the Shelby County Penitentiary back when I was in the area late 70's early 80's. Another one was farther north between Memphis and Millington Naval Base.
Posted on 5/30/19 at 3:52 pm to fightin tigers
quote:
Cool 13 min video about Last German POW in American from The History Guy on YouTube
Awesome story.
When he turned himself in:
"After searching for him for nearly 40 years, the FBI decided they weren't interested in him anymore. It wasn't even clear if he committed a crime since his escape occurred after the war had ended. The Immigration service decided not to pursue charges. Having being brought to the US as a prisoner of war he hadn't entered the country illegally. AND since he had been married for 18 years he could apply for citizenship".
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