Post by connie on Sept 18, 2021 11:19:14 GMT -5
OVERVIEW of CAMPS that Held Members of the 106th 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread
MAP of GERMAN POW CAMPS: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4961/thread
FINDING a POW's WORK CAMP: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
LINK TO BERGA 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5141/thread
Stalag IX-B Bad Orb
Wikipedia Notes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IX-B
Stalag IX B- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IX-B at Wegscheide close to Bad Orb in the province of Hesse, Germany. According to wikipedia: "in late December 1944 Americans arrived who were captured in the Battle of the Bulge, approximately American 4,700 infantrymen were located here, far exceeding the capacity of the camp resulting in very severe conditions, even though officers and NCOs were later transferred to other camps... The camp was also the site of a segregation and removal of Jewish American troops, who once identified, were taken to the labor camp Berga located in eastern Thuringia 12 km south of Gera."
Lone Sentry Photos & info on Stalag IX-B: www.lonesentry.com/badorb/index.html
included in a collection taken just after liberation is one of a man apparently wearing the 106th Infantry Division's Golden Lion patch:
note that the man in this photo is wearing the Golden Lion shoulder patch of the 106th Infantry Division
Photo of the Main Street of IX-B (click to enlarge)
Partial roster IX-B www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IX-B%20Bad%20Orb/ROSTER/Roster%20IX-B.htm
Finding a POW's Work Camp: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
106th Connections
List of 423 Infantry Regiment POW's: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/64%20-%20423rd%20roster/64.htm
Sidebar List of POW Camps & some names of POW's there www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm
Sidebar List of Diaries, Obits, & Articles, etc. alphabetically on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/SoThinkMenu/106thSTART.htm
Note on Officer Connections to IX-B by Carl Wouters 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1539/thread
Most of the captured officers first went to Bad Orb until they were moved to Hammelburg or Oflag 64 later on. Some officers, such as Lt. Col. Ouellette (422/1BN) were sent to normal "enlisted" camps. Lt. Col Ouellette was the senior officer at IV-B I believe.
Pro Deo Et Patria For God and Country: The Personal Narrative of an American Catholic Chaplain as a Prisoner of War by Paul W. Cavenaugh: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5208/thread
Accidental meeting of two Bad Orb POW's from the 423rd A: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/153/thread
As a rifleman in A Co. 423rd Regt. 106th Div. I was captured at the Battle of the Bulge and interned at Bad Orb. 60 years later while in the hospital in Falmouth, Ma, my roomate turned out to be Henry Canter, who had been a member of my squad and was also at Bad Orb!. What a concidence. We learned about it while watching a re run of the Battle of the Bulge movie on TV in our room.
I have written my memoirs of the war and will be glad to add them to the record if desired.
George Balch
Allen, John David, 423rd/ 3rd BN, HQ Co,PFC, POW Stalag IX B Bad Orb- (unit within 106th from Indiana Military Site Roster)
Veterans History Project 55 minute audio interview made in January 2009: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.66308/
Injured during a jump as a paratrooper with 101st Infantry); transferred to 106th for Tennessee Maneuvers Lots of detail in his memories of POW days...
Andrews, John 592-A POW Stalag IX-B 2008 post 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=61
dec 16, 1944 { volunteered for a mission to find enemy tanks reported in our area.they were found, and i destroyed one wihh Bazooka fire but was unable to return to my battery as by then there were German troops all over the place and I was told the battery had been moved. I wound up with a recon group, and was captured on dec 21st somewhere nw of Prum; was taken to stalag 9B and never saw or have seen any one from battrey A since that time...
Atiyeh, Edward Ellis 423-E, POW IX-B Bad Orb 30 minute Video Interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.21246/
In college at the University of Oregon in Eugene when they heard the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was a Freshman enrolled in the ROTC program at the time. He was allowed to finish his second year of college before being inducted into the army and sent to training and the ASTP program at Auburn College in Alabama. From there he and many in the program with him(including his brother Richard) were sent to the 106th Infantry Division. He was captured, held, and eventually shipped in crowed box cars. He tells of the bombing of that train in a RR yard on Christmas Eve. At Bad Orb for around 4 months... He told of the limited meals of thin soup and bread, of Mal-nutrition and the fact that toward the end they were losing one or two men a day to starvation. Nearing their liberation they could, for several days, hear approaching American artillery in the distance. They were liberated on Easter Sunday. He and his brother Richard had been separated a day or two before captivity. He arrived back home about a month before Richard, who had also been captured. When his brother called home from the east coast and he answered, it was the first Richard knew that Edward had also survived.
Balch, George 423A rifleman, POW IXB Bad Orb see his own words about the accidental meeting (years later) of two POW's from Bad Orb: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/153/thread
Thread on Balch, including his obituary: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5015/thread
Beals, John D. T-5 POW IV-B, VIII A, long march, IX-B account is day by day journal of his POW experience. Captured Dec 19 at 11:10 AM, he tells of the journey and of the POW camps. His first camp stop was Stalag 1V B on January 6. He stayed at Stalag VIIA from Jan 13-Feb 14. They moved out as the Russians moved closer. After a long trek, his final stay was at Stalag XI-B. He arrived here on Mar 24 -- day 39 of his captivity-- and was liberated by the English at 0900 on April 16, 1945. www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/John%20Beals/John%20Beals.htm
Bell Harry Homer Jr., PFC 422F Pow at IXB Bad Orb; more links including video interview and 2021 obituary: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4844/thread
Burnett, James Leroy, Cpl, 422-C, POW Stalag IX-B-notes and link to 59 minute video interview Feb 2015 added to this thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Cavanaugh, Paul W, Chaplain, HQ 422nd, POW IXB & Oflag XIII-B 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5205/thread
Collins, John W. Lt., exec officer 423-I POW IX-B is listed in the Roster as having been assigned to IXB: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4245/thread
Creede, Frank J. Jr., Pvt 423 H POW IX-B - 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/929/creede-frank-423-pow-ixb
This young.soldier had completed a year at Stanford before he began his service and was assigned to a heavy machine gun squad in company H of the 423rd Infantry regiment. Three days into the battle, on December 19, 1944, Frank was taken prisoner of war along with other surviving members of the Regiment. They were marched over 70 miles to Gerolstein, Germany followed by four days in a railroad boxcar, before arriving at Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb, Germany, on Christmas Day, 1944. There was no Christmas dinner waiting for them when they arrived. After enduring some of the worst conditions found in any Nazi germany POW camp, Frank and the other prisoners of war held at Stalag IX-B were liberated on April 2, 1945. Frank was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries received during his service." Frank noted: "I lost 32 pounds on 600 calories a day."
Edmonds Roddie, M. Sgt, 422, HQ Co, POW IX-B, IX-A 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5007/thread
Edmonds would one day be remembered for his acts of courage in his next POW camp IX-A. The above link will take you to that story, his photo, and links to a book and an a 15 minute video.
Enlow, J. Russell 423 D POW IX-B see grandson's 2011 notes here: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=465
My grandfather J. Russell Enlow was in 423rd Co D. Was captured in B.O.B. Spent 4 months in Bad Orb as a POW. He was active in the 106th Association until his death in 1987. He was captured with 2 other boys from here in our local community and they spent the duration of the war together. They remained very close until their deaths. Just recently the last of the 3 died and with the help of me and the sons of the other 2, the local paper did a 2 piece article on them and what they went through. I am glad I found this site and if anyone has any info on the 423/D I would like to talk to them.
Freas, Russell A. Jr, Cpt. 423 Sv. Co. POW IX A, IX-B? discussion of info and search for more: www.106thinfdivassn.org/stories/russell_freas.html
His date of death is listed as Dec. 23, giving Limburg as the location; accounts say he was aboard train moving from XIIA - IX B Captain Freas He may not have even disembarked at the former. He died Dec. 23, 1944. It may have been during or following an escape attempt while en route on the train.
Gillette, Lawrence A. Jr, Pvt. 423-L, POW IX-B, Berga- escaped with John Kemper during death march from Berga; see notes below under Kemper & Kemper's bio on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Berga/Kemper-John/JohnKemper.pdf
Iosso, Peter 422nd POW IXB, Berga was here at IX B before being sent to Berga www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Berga/Iosso-Peter/Isso-Peter.htm
Iosso was a light machine gunner in the 4th platoon of the 422nd regiment of the 106th Division. "I was captured the 18th or 19th of December. We were marched to a railroad station. We were packed in railroad cars. We were about 60 to a railroad car, no facilities, we used helmets for toilets. We arrived at Stalag 9B outside of Frankfurt. We were the first American soldiers in that stalag,...Mr. Iosso suspects he may have caused trouble for himself when he spoke out against a fellow soldier who was serving as a middle man to provide black market cigarettes for POW's in return for watches, wedding rings and other valuables. Some POW's were trading their meager bread allowance "in other words, their lives for a cigarette," Mr. Iosso said.
Mr. Iosso accused the man of taking advantage of his buddies. He suspects the man turned him in as a trouble maker because on February 8 Mr. Iosso was assigned to a slave labor camp building an underground factory, along with about 80 Jewish-American soldiers, some troublemakers and maybe prisoners chosen at random."The 350 of us were supposed to relieve political prisoners, European Jews mainly," Mr. Iosso said. "Well, when we arrived there we saw these political prisoners and they were like zombies. They were very thin, in their pajama-like outfits."
Kemper, John A, Pfc, 423-L, POW IX-B, Berga bio on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Berga/Kemper-John/JohnKemper.pdf
Kemper, as a member of the 106th Infantry Division, was among those captured at the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and forced into slave labor in the Berga prison camp in central Germany. The POW experiences of those soldiers were the focus of Berga: Soldiers of Another War, the documentary by Charles Guggenheim... It featured interviews with U.S. soldiers captured during the German offensive and sent to the camp, a satellite of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Guggenheim, interviewed more than 100 survivors for the documentary, said officials at Guggenheim Productions Inc. in Washington. Kemper was not interviewed, but has seen the film. Kemper was a tall, 19-year-old private first class when he was captured. He documented his experiences in a journal and sent postcards from Bad Orb, the first prison camp he was sent to, to his parents in Cincinnati....
He spoke of his capture, travel to IX-B and time there before being transferred to Berga. He told of conditions, lack of food, and harsh treatment there. When asked about his thoughts he noted, "Just to try to survive and get out of there . . .." On April 10, the Germans started marching their captives away from Berga because the Americans were coming, Kemper said. During the march, known as the Death March, Kemper and fellow soldier Lawrence Gillette (also of 423-L) ducked into the woods and hid in a barn for two days. Then... "We sort of went cross country to this farm." The older couple who lived there had a Polish man working for them. "He took us to the barn and covered us up with hay. He was a good friend to us," Kemper said. The day they were rescued, Kemper and Gillette saw an American tank and ran toward it. The tank turned its gun toward them as a precaution.
"We were just so happy to see them," Kemper said. "I guess we looked so bad and decrepit. We started yelling, 'We're Americans! We're Americans!' ''
Prell, Donald B. Lt. 422 (2nd Platoon Anti-tank Co.) POW Stalag IX-B, Oflag XIII-B, briefly freed, Stalag XIII D/ Oflag 73, Camp hospital 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5027/thread
Prell experienced the bombing in the rr yard at Limburg. Then he was packed off in another box car for a 2-day trip to Stalag IX-B. Here he was interrogated and issued a POW #. Then he was matched 60 km. to Oflag XIII-B. Here on March 27 he experienced the botched attempt to liberate this camp where Patton's son-in-law was being held. Prell and others escaped on foot at this time but were recaptured after several days on the run. He was put on a train to XIID/ Oflag 73. While there he became ill and was transferred to the camp's hospital. He remained at the hospital while most of those at the camp were forced to march east. A week later (mid April) the guards disappeared...
Reinfenrath, John W, 423-B POW IX-B, Berga bio on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Berga/Reinfenrath-John/JohnReinfenrath.htm
John was captured during the Battle of the Bulge, walked and rode in a boxcar to Stalag 9B. Then sent to the Buchanwald complex at Berga am Elster. Here he and 348 other American Soldiers captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge were forced to dig tunnels with other slave labors.
His detailed 29-page account gives clear images of his experiences beginning with the days leading up to his capture. Post capture he tells of his travels to reach Stalag IX B at Bad Orb. "...At last we reached the town of Bad Orb which was our destination. It was night and we had to spend one more night locked in the box cars. We had arrived on December 27." Much detail of his time about time spent at IX-B follows... then...
"On February 8, 1945 350 American prisoners were sent from Bad Orb to a slave labor camp at Berga Am Elster. They included the American Jewish soldiers as well as those of us from my barracks and others that the Germans thought they might have trouble with. We were marched down to the rail yards in the town of Bad Orb where we were loaded into the "40 & 8" box cars. This time we were more comfortable that our first box car ride. Our trip was four days long but a good part of the time was spent in waiting for the railroads tracks to be repaired from the damage caused by Allied bombs. For the trip we received one red cross food package to be shared by two men. Charles Carter and I shared one box." The detailed account of his time at Berga begins on page 18 of his written summary.
On April 5, 1945 we left Berga on the evacuation march. (see page 24 for the beginning of the account of this march...
Rozen, Matthew, 423-I, POW Stalag IX-B 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=468
grand daughter posted & engaged in discussion on this board:
My grandfather, Matthew K. Rozen was 423rd/I. He was on the Schnee Eifel and was sent to Stalag IX-B. In 1978, when I was 8, he died of cancer at age 57. I am looking for any memories/information about his experiences in the war. (He trained at Camp Breckenridge, TN before Camp Atterbury.) Does anyone remember him?
He was mentioned in Mr. Erv Szpek's book "Shadows of Slaughterhouse Five" on pgs. 75 and 129 in Wayman Troxel's diary. He was in a foxhole with Wayman Troxel, Adam Billek (now deceased) and Cliff Arnold until surrender on the 19th. He is in the Company I photo on p. 266 of Spzek's book, very top row, third from the left. He was tall and blond, Polish, and from Schenectady, NY. He also was a musician and played clarinet and saxophone.
Rosenberg, Winfield PFC 422D POW IXB IX G, Berga 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3621/thread
Sergi, Rocco J Pvt 422/L.POW IX B 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/355/thread His niece posted his obituary in tribute to this man.
Sergi enlisted in the Army at 18 in late 1943. A year later, his 106th Infantry Division was one of the hardest hit U.S. forces at the Battle of the Bulge. He was among more than 7,000 soldiers captured and jammed into crowded boxcars to be sent to various POW camps throughout Germany.Sergi and others were forced to walk 25 miles in frigid winter conditions to reach Stalag IX-B outside of Frankfurt.Many POWs died of malnutrition during their captivity, while others, primarily Jews and suspected Jews, were sent to death camps."Fortunately, I survived; many did not," Sergi later wrote of his experience after Allied troops liberated their camp in April 1945. Direct link to this Article: www.heraldtribune.com/article/LK/20090122/News/605206274/SH
Sulser, Jack 423 F POW Stalags IX-B, IX-A www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IX-A%20Ziegenhain/Jack%20Sulser/Jack%20Sulser.htm
The regimental commanders, realizing further escape attempts would be in vain, surrendered their troops. "Soon after, we were herded into boxcars, en route to our first POW camp," Sulser recalled. "We arrived at Bad Orb, 'Stalag IXB,' on Christmas Day and had the first food we'd eaten since Dec. 16." Ten days later, Sulser was herded aboard another boxcar for a POW camp at Ziegenhain. Until March 30, when U.S. troops liberated the camp, Sulser lived on what a U.S. Army doctor estimated was a 900-calorie diet: herbal tea for breakfast, soup for lunch and a slice of bread for supper. By January, the men began dying of malnutrition.
Urban, Anthony (Tony), 423-I POW IX-B, Berga : 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=602
son's discussion board post: My father, Anthony J. "Tony" Urban was a member of the 106th, 423rd Infantry Regiment, Company I, and was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. He was first interned at Stalag IX-B (Bad Orb), then sorted out for transfer along with 349 other US GI's for further transfer to Berga. My father was one of the fortunate soldiers who managed to survive the war, but because of his service connected injuries, died at the age of 40 years in 1956. My father was a police officer in the city of Pittsburgh, PA and returned to his job as patrolman after the war. I'm trying to locate any former GI's who may have served with my father, either stateside during training, or while serving in the European Theater or either POW camps. I have only found out about my fathers service through a small diary that was uncovered a few years ago that he kept during his service. There is also a small address book of names and addresses of his military friends that I discovered as well as photos of my dad and some of his friends in uniform. I would really like to connect with service members or members of their families who were friends of my father.
Also see photo of Urban and notes from his son on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IX-B%20Bad%20Orb/Urbans-Edward/Urbans-Edward.htm
Widdicombe. Robert, PFC, 423-I, POW IX-B, Begra brief bio on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Berga/Robert%20Widdicombe/RobertWiddicombe.htm
In 1943 at age 17 he graduated high school in Auburn Indiana & "made arrangements for entering the Army’s Specialized Training Program and then worked for a couple of months at the Fort Wayne Works fo the International Harvester Company before he was called to duty. He started out with the ASTP with plans to attend Officers Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Ga." (For more on the ASTP program see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2237/thread )
When that program was discontinued, he found himself in the 106th Infantry Division, "assigned to Company I of the Third Battalion of the 423rd Infantry Regiment, he became the Browning Automatic Rifleman in the third squad of the first platoon stationed at Camp Atterbury." Then he begins his account of 4 days of battle, capture, train trip to IX-B, transfer to Berga... death march, escape...
Granddaughter of 423rd member imprisoned here notes: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4530/thread
One of the things that struck me that my late grandfather told me was that the American people would have been so angry if they saw how emaciated the POW's were when they were liberated. He was a POW in Stalag 9B. He was a member of the 106th Infantry, 423rd Regiment. I am curious to know if anyone can speak about the time immediately after the liberation from Stalag 9B? I know that he was at Camp Lucky Strike. I thought he told me that he had to fatten up before coming home, thought he said he was stopped over in Iceland, but I could have been confused!
Handwritten list of Deaths at Bad Orb: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/34-POWdeaths/34.htm
MAP of GERMAN POW CAMPS: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4961/thread
FINDING a POW's WORK CAMP: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
LINK TO BERGA 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5141/thread
Stalag IX-B Bad Orb
Wikipedia Notes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IX-B
Stalag IX B- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_IX-B at Wegscheide close to Bad Orb in the province of Hesse, Germany. According to wikipedia: "in late December 1944 Americans arrived who were captured in the Battle of the Bulge, approximately American 4,700 infantrymen were located here, far exceeding the capacity of the camp resulting in very severe conditions, even though officers and NCOs were later transferred to other camps... The camp was also the site of a segregation and removal of Jewish American troops, who once identified, were taken to the labor camp Berga located in eastern Thuringia 12 km south of Gera."
Lone Sentry Photos & info on Stalag IX-B: www.lonesentry.com/badorb/index.html
included in a collection taken just after liberation is one of a man apparently wearing the 106th Infantry Division's Golden Lion patch:
note that the man in this photo is wearing the Golden Lion shoulder patch of the 106th Infantry Division
Photo of the Main Street of IX-B (click to enlarge)
Partial roster IX-B www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IX-B%20Bad%20Orb/ROSTER/Roster%20IX-B.htm
Finding a POW's Work Camp: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
106th Connections
List of 423 Infantry Regiment POW's: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/64%20-%20423rd%20roster/64.htm
Sidebar List of POW Camps & some names of POW's there www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm
Sidebar List of Diaries, Obits, & Articles, etc. alphabetically on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/SoThinkMenu/106thSTART.htm
Note on Officer Connections to IX-B by Carl Wouters 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1539/thread
Most of the captured officers first went to Bad Orb until they were moved to Hammelburg or Oflag 64 later on. Some officers, such as Lt. Col. Ouellette (422/1BN) were sent to normal "enlisted" camps. Lt. Col Ouellette was the senior officer at IV-B I believe.
Pro Deo Et Patria For God and Country: The Personal Narrative of an American Catholic Chaplain as a Prisoner of War by Paul W. Cavenaugh: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5208/thread
Accidental meeting of two Bad Orb POW's from the 423rd A: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/153/thread
As a rifleman in A Co. 423rd Regt. 106th Div. I was captured at the Battle of the Bulge and interned at Bad Orb. 60 years later while in the hospital in Falmouth, Ma, my roomate turned out to be Henry Canter, who had been a member of my squad and was also at Bad Orb!. What a concidence. We learned about it while watching a re run of the Battle of the Bulge movie on TV in our room.
I have written my memoirs of the war and will be glad to add them to the record if desired.
George Balch
Allen, John David, 423rd/ 3rd BN, HQ Co,PFC, POW Stalag IX B Bad Orb- (unit within 106th from Indiana Military Site Roster)
Veterans History Project 55 minute audio interview made in January 2009: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.66308/
Injured during a jump as a paratrooper with 101st Infantry); transferred to 106th for Tennessee Maneuvers Lots of detail in his memories of POW days...
Andrews, John 592-A POW Stalag IX-B 2008 post 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=61
dec 16, 1944 { volunteered for a mission to find enemy tanks reported in our area.they were found, and i destroyed one wihh Bazooka fire but was unable to return to my battery as by then there were German troops all over the place and I was told the battery had been moved. I wound up with a recon group, and was captured on dec 21st somewhere nw of Prum; was taken to stalag 9B and never saw or have seen any one from battrey A since that time...
Atiyeh, Edward Ellis 423-E, POW IX-B Bad Orb 30 minute Video Interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.21246/
In college at the University of Oregon in Eugene when they heard the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was a Freshman enrolled in the ROTC program at the time. He was allowed to finish his second year of college before being inducted into the army and sent to training and the ASTP program at Auburn College in Alabama. From there he and many in the program with him(including his brother Richard) were sent to the 106th Infantry Division. He was captured, held, and eventually shipped in crowed box cars. He tells of the bombing of that train in a RR yard on Christmas Eve. At Bad Orb for around 4 months... He told of the limited meals of thin soup and bread, of Mal-nutrition and the fact that toward the end they were losing one or two men a day to starvation. Nearing their liberation they could, for several days, hear approaching American artillery in the distance. They were liberated on Easter Sunday. He and his brother Richard had been separated a day or two before captivity. He arrived back home about a month before Richard, who had also been captured. When his brother called home from the east coast and he answered, it was the first Richard knew that Edward had also survived.
Balch, George 423A rifleman, POW IXB Bad Orb see his own words about the accidental meeting (years later) of two POW's from Bad Orb: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/153/thread
Thread on Balch, including his obituary: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5015/thread
Beals, John D. T-5 POW IV-B, VIII A, long march, IX-B account is day by day journal of his POW experience. Captured Dec 19 at 11:10 AM, he tells of the journey and of the POW camps. His first camp stop was Stalag 1V B on January 6. He stayed at Stalag VIIA from Jan 13-Feb 14. They moved out as the Russians moved closer. After a long trek, his final stay was at Stalag XI-B. He arrived here on Mar 24 -- day 39 of his captivity-- and was liberated by the English at 0900 on April 16, 1945. www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/John%20Beals/John%20Beals.htm
Bell Harry Homer Jr., PFC 422F Pow at IXB Bad Orb; more links including video interview and 2021 obituary: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4844/thread
Burnett, James Leroy, Cpl, 422-C, POW Stalag IX-B-notes and link to 59 minute video interview Feb 2015 added to this thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread
Cavanaugh, Paul W, Chaplain, HQ 422nd, POW IXB & Oflag XIII-B 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5205/thread
Collins, John W. Lt., exec officer 423-I POW IX-B is listed in the Roster as having been assigned to IXB: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4245/thread
Creede, Frank J. Jr., Pvt 423 H POW IX-B - 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/929/creede-frank-423-pow-ixb
This young.soldier had completed a year at Stanford before he began his service and was assigned to a heavy machine gun squad in company H of the 423rd Infantry regiment. Three days into the battle, on December 19, 1944, Frank was taken prisoner of war along with other surviving members of the Regiment. They were marched over 70 miles to Gerolstein, Germany followed by four days in a railroad boxcar, before arriving at Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb, Germany, on Christmas Day, 1944. There was no Christmas dinner waiting for them when they arrived. After enduring some of the worst conditions found in any Nazi germany POW camp, Frank and the other prisoners of war held at Stalag IX-B were liberated on April 2, 1945. Frank was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries received during his service." Frank noted: "I lost 32 pounds on 600 calories a day."
Edmonds Roddie, M. Sgt, 422, HQ Co, POW IX-B, IX-A 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5007/thread
Edmonds would one day be remembered for his acts of courage in his next POW camp IX-A. The above link will take you to that story, his photo, and links to a book and an a 15 minute video.
Enlow, J. Russell 423 D POW IX-B see grandson's 2011 notes here: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=465
My grandfather J. Russell Enlow was in 423rd Co D. Was captured in B.O.B. Spent 4 months in Bad Orb as a POW. He was active in the 106th Association until his death in 1987. He was captured with 2 other boys from here in our local community and they spent the duration of the war together. They remained very close until their deaths. Just recently the last of the 3 died and with the help of me and the sons of the other 2, the local paper did a 2 piece article on them and what they went through. I am glad I found this site and if anyone has any info on the 423/D I would like to talk to them.
Freas, Russell A. Jr, Cpt. 423 Sv. Co. POW IX A, IX-B? discussion of info and search for more: www.106thinfdivassn.org/stories/russell_freas.html
His date of death is listed as Dec. 23, giving Limburg as the location; accounts say he was aboard train moving from XIIA - IX B Captain Freas He may not have even disembarked at the former. He died Dec. 23, 1944. It may have been during or following an escape attempt while en route on the train.
Gillette, Lawrence A. Jr, Pvt. 423-L, POW IX-B, Berga- escaped with John Kemper during death march from Berga; see notes below under Kemper & Kemper's bio on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Berga/Kemper-John/JohnKemper.pdf
Iosso, Peter 422nd POW IXB, Berga was here at IX B before being sent to Berga www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Berga/Iosso-Peter/Isso-Peter.htm
Iosso was a light machine gunner in the 4th platoon of the 422nd regiment of the 106th Division. "I was captured the 18th or 19th of December. We were marched to a railroad station. We were packed in railroad cars. We were about 60 to a railroad car, no facilities, we used helmets for toilets. We arrived at Stalag 9B outside of Frankfurt. We were the first American soldiers in that stalag,...Mr. Iosso suspects he may have caused trouble for himself when he spoke out against a fellow soldier who was serving as a middle man to provide black market cigarettes for POW's in return for watches, wedding rings and other valuables. Some POW's were trading their meager bread allowance "in other words, their lives for a cigarette," Mr. Iosso said.
Mr. Iosso accused the man of taking advantage of his buddies. He suspects the man turned him in as a trouble maker because on February 8 Mr. Iosso was assigned to a slave labor camp building an underground factory, along with about 80 Jewish-American soldiers, some troublemakers and maybe prisoners chosen at random."The 350 of us were supposed to relieve political prisoners, European Jews mainly," Mr. Iosso said. "Well, when we arrived there we saw these political prisoners and they were like zombies. They were very thin, in their pajama-like outfits."
Kemper, John A, Pfc, 423-L, POW IX-B, Berga bio on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Berga/Kemper-John/JohnKemper.pdf
Kemper, as a member of the 106th Infantry Division, was among those captured at the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and forced into slave labor in the Berga prison camp in central Germany. The POW experiences of those soldiers were the focus of Berga: Soldiers of Another War, the documentary by Charles Guggenheim... It featured interviews with U.S. soldiers captured during the German offensive and sent to the camp, a satellite of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Guggenheim, interviewed more than 100 survivors for the documentary, said officials at Guggenheim Productions Inc. in Washington. Kemper was not interviewed, but has seen the film. Kemper was a tall, 19-year-old private first class when he was captured. He documented his experiences in a journal and sent postcards from Bad Orb, the first prison camp he was sent to, to his parents in Cincinnati....
He spoke of his capture, travel to IX-B and time there before being transferred to Berga. He told of conditions, lack of food, and harsh treatment there. When asked about his thoughts he noted, "Just to try to survive and get out of there . . .." On April 10, the Germans started marching their captives away from Berga because the Americans were coming, Kemper said. During the march, known as the Death March, Kemper and fellow soldier Lawrence Gillette (also of 423-L) ducked into the woods and hid in a barn for two days. Then... "We sort of went cross country to this farm." The older couple who lived there had a Polish man working for them. "He took us to the barn and covered us up with hay. He was a good friend to us," Kemper said. The day they were rescued, Kemper and Gillette saw an American tank and ran toward it. The tank turned its gun toward them as a precaution.
"We were just so happy to see them," Kemper said. "I guess we looked so bad and decrepit. We started yelling, 'We're Americans! We're Americans!' ''
Prell, Donald B. Lt. 422 (2nd Platoon Anti-tank Co.) POW Stalag IX-B, Oflag XIII-B, briefly freed, Stalag XIII D/ Oflag 73, Camp hospital 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5027/thread
Prell experienced the bombing in the rr yard at Limburg. Then he was packed off in another box car for a 2-day trip to Stalag IX-B. Here he was interrogated and issued a POW #. Then he was matched 60 km. to Oflag XIII-B. Here on March 27 he experienced the botched attempt to liberate this camp where Patton's son-in-law was being held. Prell and others escaped on foot at this time but were recaptured after several days on the run. He was put on a train to XIID/ Oflag 73. While there he became ill and was transferred to the camp's hospital. He remained at the hospital while most of those at the camp were forced to march east. A week later (mid April) the guards disappeared...
Reinfenrath, John W, 423-B POW IX-B, Berga bio on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/Berga/Reinfenrath-John/JohnReinfenrath.htm
John was captured during the Battle of the Bulge, walked and rode in a boxcar to Stalag 9B. Then sent to the Buchanwald complex at Berga am Elster. Here he and 348 other American Soldiers captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge were forced to dig tunnels with other slave labors.
His detailed 29-page account gives clear images of his experiences beginning with the days leading up to his capture. Post capture he tells of his travels to reach Stalag IX B at Bad Orb. "...At last we reached the town of Bad Orb which was our destination. It was night and we had to spend one more night locked in the box cars. We had arrived on December 27." Much detail of his time about time spent at IX-B follows... then...
"On February 8, 1945 350 American prisoners were sent from Bad Orb to a slave labor camp at Berga Am Elster. They included the American Jewish soldiers as well as those of us from my barracks and others that the Germans thought they might have trouble with. We were marched down to the rail yards in the town of Bad Orb where we were loaded into the "40 & 8" box cars. This time we were more comfortable that our first box car ride. Our trip was four days long but a good part of the time was spent in waiting for the railroads tracks to be repaired from the damage caused by Allied bombs. For the trip we received one red cross food package to be shared by two men. Charles Carter and I shared one box." The detailed account of his time at Berga begins on page 18 of his written summary.
On April 5, 1945 we left Berga on the evacuation march. (see page 24 for the beginning of the account of this march...
Rozen, Matthew, 423-I, POW Stalag IX-B 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=468
grand daughter posted & engaged in discussion on this board:
My grandfather, Matthew K. Rozen was 423rd/I. He was on the Schnee Eifel and was sent to Stalag IX-B. In 1978, when I was 8, he died of cancer at age 57. I am looking for any memories/information about his experiences in the war. (He trained at Camp Breckenridge, TN before Camp Atterbury.) Does anyone remember him?
He was mentioned in Mr. Erv Szpek's book "Shadows of Slaughterhouse Five" on pgs. 75 and 129 in Wayman Troxel's diary. He was in a foxhole with Wayman Troxel, Adam Billek (now deceased) and Cliff Arnold until surrender on the 19th. He is in the Company I photo on p. 266 of Spzek's book, very top row, third from the left. He was tall and blond, Polish, and from Schenectady, NY. He also was a musician and played clarinet and saxophone.
Rosenberg, Winfield PFC 422D POW IXB IX G, Berga 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3621/thread
Sergi, Rocco J Pvt 422/L.POW IX B 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/355/thread His niece posted his obituary in tribute to this man.
Sergi enlisted in the Army at 18 in late 1943. A year later, his 106th Infantry Division was one of the hardest hit U.S. forces at the Battle of the Bulge. He was among more than 7,000 soldiers captured and jammed into crowded boxcars to be sent to various POW camps throughout Germany.Sergi and others were forced to walk 25 miles in frigid winter conditions to reach Stalag IX-B outside of Frankfurt.Many POWs died of malnutrition during their captivity, while others, primarily Jews and suspected Jews, were sent to death camps."Fortunately, I survived; many did not," Sergi later wrote of his experience after Allied troops liberated their camp in April 1945. Direct link to this Article: www.heraldtribune.com/article/LK/20090122/News/605206274/SH
Sulser, Jack 423 F POW Stalags IX-B, IX-A www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IX-A%20Ziegenhain/Jack%20Sulser/Jack%20Sulser.htm
The regimental commanders, realizing further escape attempts would be in vain, surrendered their troops. "Soon after, we were herded into boxcars, en route to our first POW camp," Sulser recalled. "We arrived at Bad Orb, 'Stalag IXB,' on Christmas Day and had the first food we'd eaten since Dec. 16." Ten days later, Sulser was herded aboard another boxcar for a POW camp at Ziegenhain. Until March 30, when U.S. troops liberated the camp, Sulser lived on what a U.S. Army doctor estimated was a 900-calorie diet: herbal tea for breakfast, soup for lunch and a slice of bread for supper. By January, the men began dying of malnutrition.
Urban, Anthony (Tony), 423-I POW IX-B, Berga : 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=602
son's discussion board post: My father, Anthony J. "Tony" Urban was a member of the 106th, 423rd Infantry Regiment, Company I, and was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. He was first interned at Stalag IX-B (Bad Orb), then sorted out for transfer along with 349 other US GI's for further transfer to Berga. My father was one of the fortunate soldiers who managed to survive the war, but because of his service connected injuries, died at the age of 40 years in 1956. My father was a police officer in the city of Pittsburgh, PA and returned to his job as patrolman after the war. I'm trying to locate any former GI's who may have served with my father, either stateside during training, or while serving in the European Theater or either POW camps. I have only found out about my fathers service through a small diary that was uncovered a few years ago that he kept during his service. There is also a small address book of names and addresses of his military friends that I discovered as well as photos of my dad and some of his friends in uniform. I would really like to connect with service members or members of their families who were friends of my father.
Also see photo of Urban and notes from his son on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IX-B%20Bad%20Orb/Urbans-Edward/Urbans-Edward.htm
Widdicombe. Robert, PFC, 423-I, POW IX-B, Begra brief bio on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Berga/Robert%20Widdicombe/RobertWiddicombe.htm
In 1943 at age 17 he graduated high school in Auburn Indiana & "made arrangements for entering the Army’s Specialized Training Program and then worked for a couple of months at the Fort Wayne Works fo the International Harvester Company before he was called to duty. He started out with the ASTP with plans to attend Officers Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Ga." (For more on the ASTP program see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2237/thread )
When that program was discontinued, he found himself in the 106th Infantry Division, "assigned to Company I of the Third Battalion of the 423rd Infantry Regiment, he became the Browning Automatic Rifleman in the third squad of the first platoon stationed at Camp Atterbury." Then he begins his account of 4 days of battle, capture, train trip to IX-B, transfer to Berga... death march, escape...
Granddaughter of 423rd member imprisoned here notes: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4530/thread
One of the things that struck me that my late grandfather told me was that the American people would have been so angry if they saw how emaciated the POW's were when they were liberated. He was a POW in Stalag 9B. He was a member of the 106th Infantry, 423rd Regiment. I am curious to know if anyone can speak about the time immediately after the liberation from Stalag 9B? I know that he was at Camp Lucky Strike. I thought he told me that he had to fatten up before coming home, thought he said he was stopped over in Iceland, but I could have been confused!
Handwritten list of Deaths at Bad Orb: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/34-POWdeaths/34.htm