Romanian POW Photos

King Michael of Romania, the Monarch that ordered the German troops out of his country. To his left, holding a cigar is the new Prime Minister Dr. Maniu.

 

Colonel James A. Gunn on the right greeting Bill Fili at the farewell Banquet for Princess Catherine on May 18, 1991 in San Antonio, TX

 

General Nathan Twining, Commanding Officer 15th Air Force greeting some of Rescued POWs as they stepped off the B-17s that rescued them from Romania.

 

There was a book written by a POW Titled “Of Lice and Men."  This Photo shows the former POWs being de-loused after being freed from Captivity in Romania. Interestingly there was a squadron of WACs watching the whole scenario from behind olive trees.

 

POWs in Romania waiting for the rescue bombers to arrive on September 1, 1944. In the center is this webmaster and to his left is Harry Harris of Bandera, Texas and Duke Brioli. of Mishawaka, IN

 

The hospital grounds Prison camp in Bucharest on August 28, 1944. This Group of former POWs are standing in a crater made by an ME 109 when they were bombing the camp. In the rear is one of the buildings in the camp destroyed by German bombs in their attempt to retaliate on the POWs.

 

On the right is S/Sgt R.O. White who is credited with keeping us on the lookout for his mischievous deeds. He was a light hearted young man and caused the guards never to take their eyes off him. The most interesting tales about him are in the published book “ Passage to Valhalla” The ex-pow is writting Lt. Mark Sherwood 1st CCU  shot down On April 5, 1944. After being freed he sold his watch to buy a camera and film. He took most of the photos while still in Bucharest awaiting the rescue bombers.        (Courtesy Mark Sherwood 1st CCU)

 

Standing on the top rim of this bomb Crater is John Briggs of Stuttgart, AR. In the rear is the burned out shell of  the building that once was used as our Infirmary for the sick and wounded. The wounded men were evacuated from this building only minutes before the Germans started to bomb our prison Camp.

 

This building was the second POW camp in the city of Bucharest. It housed both Officers and Sergeants. Due to over crowding the Sergeants were relocated in the Hospital grounds near the railroad marshalling yards.

 

This photo is the remains of what once was a church. It is unclear if it was destroyed by a Stray bomb from an Allied bomber or was bombed by the Germans during the three Days of indiscriminate bombings.

 

What is left of this building what used to be the maternity ward of the hospital near the POW camp. It was bombed on the first night of German bombings.Most in the building were killed including the sixteen year nurses aide that tried to save Joe Baz’s life.

 

On a lighter moment Eddy Laver appointed himself our Postmaster - - even though we never received any mail. We were told that six months after being freed from the  POW camp Eddy was killed by a drunken driver in his home town.

 

This ME 109 is the plane that Col. Jim Gunn was bolted into the Fuselage and affected the rescue of more then eleven hundred POWs from Romania in two days without a single casualty

 

Five days after King Michael ordered the Germans from Romania the Russians made a triumphal entry into the City of Bucharest. Contrary to what is written in History books the Russian Army did not invade, liberate, or conquer Romania. They came in with American made jeeps, trucks and heavy artillery. The names of Ford, Dodge etc. were clearly visible on all the vehicles and other equipment.