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Post by connie on Jun 27, 2016 12:43:36 GMT -5
Some members of the 106th logged many miles on foot in their journey toward a POW camp or moving away from one as possible liberation drew closer.
I'll try adding excerpts from some of these accounts and links to the accounts. But this is a discussion board. Please add questions, information, observations, and conversations on this subject!
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Post by connie on Jun 27, 2016 12:48:14 GMT -5
John Kline 423 M wrote: " As a prisoner I walked a total of approximately 525 miles. One hundred and ten miles from the point of capture on the German-Belgium border to Stalag 12-A (German prison camp), Limburg, Germany. We never entered the camp, but were loaded into box-cars, 60 men to a box-car. We then traveled seven days, six nights in the 40&8 box-cars (Originally built for 40 men or 8 horses) to Stalag 4-B, Muhlberg, Germany (on the Elbe River). Due to bombing raids and bad tracks our trip was much longer than normal. We did not get out of the box-cars during the whole trip. Our toilet facility for 60 men was a 5 gallon bucket. We were fed only three times during the trip. A slice of bread and a small, very small portion of cheese, water only twice. We used a can on a string to scoop snow from the tracks.
I spent one week in Stalag 4-B, Muhlberg, Germany. While there I turned age 20. I was shipped on an over-night box-car ride to Stalag 8-A, Gorlitz, Germany, along with approximately 1,600 non-commissioned officers from the 28th and 106th Infantry Divisions. Gorlitz is about 80 miles east of Dresden on the old Polish/Czech border. One month later on, Valentine's Day - February 14, 1945, we were evacuated from Stalag 8-A due to advancing Russian troops. This leg of my "POW Marching Experience" would take me 415 miles (in two months) west to Dresden, Jena, Gotha, then slightly northwest to Duderstad, then north to Braunschweig (Brunswick). After a couple of days in an old work camp in Braunschweig we were marched east. At that time I was so weak that I could not walk. I was put in a "sick-wagon" column, separated from the main columns. On April 12, 1945 we arrived at the town of Helmstedt, Germany. There we were housed in a Farben Industries ammunition plant infirmary. The next day at 10:30 a.m. we were liberated by the American Army. LIBERATION DAY was Friday April 13, 1945. I shall never forget that day." For links to more information on John Kline and his experiences see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2959/threadDo you have questions, information on the walking journey of another member or the 106th, etc? Click the reply button below and post your message. |
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