Captain Russell Freas

[pmc]

Captain Russell Freas commanded the Service Company of the 423rd Battalion. The Germans captured him as the Battle of the Bulge started. Along with other POWs from the 423rd, he was transported to Stalag 9-B. Captain Freas was killed during an attempt to escape. If anyone is familiar with this incident  or Stalag 9-B your help would be appreciated.

[connie]

Freas, Russell A. Jr., Cpt. 423rd Sv.

With you, I hope that someone familiar with the incident that took Captain Freas' life will come forward.

As an offspring of the 106th I am learning. Your note has hit on an incident I have heard nothing about, but it has captured my interest and I will be watching for anything that might help.

Meanwhile I can add some random related information. This is probably information you have already,

American Battle Monuments link to his information:
www.abmc.gov/search-abmc-burials-and-memorializations/detail/WWII_6895#.VHjvaSjd5gc
Assuming that the listed death date of December 23, 1944 is accurate, the execution you spoke of must have happened quite early in captivity.

Fields of Honor (adopt a grave) info: www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-f/52444-freas-russell-a-jr
This adds names of family members; age at time of death; Delaware County PA home; place of death as POW listed as: Limburg An Der Lahn Hessen-Nassau, Prussia 50-08

POW Experience/ Camps that Held 106th Members this discussion board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/255/camps-held-members-106th

Silver Star Awards Sitewww.homeofheroes.com/members/04_SS/2_WWII/indexes/army/Army-F.html
lists source of award as War Department General Orders #33 1946; there might be more information in this citation if you can locate it.

Thoughts & Questions
The death site listed under the Fields of Honor site (Limburg) does not fit with the IX B POW camp you mentioned. It is the site of XIIA.
Do you know the source of your POW Camp info?

[pmc]

Thank you for your reply.

The National Archives file World War II Prisoner of War Data File contains the information that Freas went from Stalag 12A to 9B. Coupled with the online narratives from several POWs, it appears as if Freas and others never entered Stalag 12A. They were almost immediately left on boxcars for Stalag 9B. I have read several accounts that during this trip 8 men attempted to escape and were killed by land mines. A German sergeant in charge was enraged and began shooting into the boxcars and killed an American.

There are several references to Freas being awarded the Silver Star, but even the American Battle Monuments Commision lacks the documentation. I did find an articles in the Chester Times (May 9, 1946) that he received the award posthumously. My search for the General Orders continues.

According to the article in the Chester Times, the Silver Star Citation accompanying the Medal said in part:
Captain Freas displayed outstanding courage and leadership December 16, 1944, as Commander Officer, Service Company, 423rd Infantry Regiment. As part of a counter attacking force against Bleialf, Germany, his troops, fighting as riflemen for the first time, gallantly pushed the Germans out of town in their zone. Captain Freas personally led his men into many of the buildings capturing a number of prisoners himself. His heroic actions played a vital part in retaking Bleialf and the capture of some 75 prisoners.

[connie]

Currently, at the least, you have added your knowledge and tribute to the information this discussion board has on Captain Freas. This is helpful to others even if it doesn't bring more information to you. I hope that there will be some return for you, too. No matter what I am grateful for your bringing what you know here.

The newspaper article (interesting...) is likely a direct quote from the citation in the General Orders so you have found the next best thing and added knowledge about his actions on the 16th of December as well as his unit within the 423rd-- Service Company.

That the silver star award was issued posthumously does not come as a surprise. I had seen the name in a list of late awards from 1946.

The General Order number given in the Silver Star list was new and interesting to me. The fact the the General Order #33 of 1946 came from the War Department and not the division provided a clue I hadn't considered. Of course the award did not come from the division. It had been dissolved in 1945 after returning to the states.

I will reread with much interest the notes of action on the 16th. I was aware that we lost Bleialf that day and then re-took it-- quite a feat under the circumstances, even if it could not be sustained...

From your account it sounds as if Freas may have been shot en-route from Stalag 12A to 9B ? Do you think he might have been the 1 American shot & killed in the boxcar?

[connie]

Time to bring this post to the top again... Hoping someone will have more information...

[Carl W.]

Connie, Capt. Freas was one of the 65 American POW's killed during the 23 December 1944 bombing of Stalag XII-A. Freas was killed when a bomb hit the officer's barracks, along with about 35 other officers of the 106th Division. Greetings, Carl

[connie]

Thank you, Carl!