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Post by mattmatthews on Jul 23, 2011 9:31:49 GMT -5
How much did you POW's weigh upon your release? I can't remember what my dad told me he weighed. He's dead now, but I think it was 88 pounds. Does that sound feasible. Hi fighting weight was probably 135. Comments?
Matt Matthews
MattMatthewsCreative.Com
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Post by connie on Jul 23, 2011 16:24:06 GMT -5
I hope there are other replies to this post. Unfortunately your father's statements about his weight at liberation do not sound out of line. Conditions were better in some camps than others, but food was very limited. Have you checked out the Indiana Military Site? Managed by the same person who started this discussion board, it is an information companion to this site. The section on POW's www.IndianaMilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm has a list of prison camps along the sidebar and each has accounts of men were there. Just checking the first two names on the Indiana Military Site under Berga POW Camp yields two men (Peter Isso and John Kemper) who each reported weighing 90 pounds on liberation. Kemper stated that he was 130 at the time of his capture. I know there are others on this discussion board who have mentioned POW liberation weights, but I haven't tracked those statistics. You might also look around on this discussion board at topics under "The POW Experience". 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=powDo you know which unit and which POW camp your father was in? Connie |
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Post by connie on Aug 25, 2011 10:11:03 GMT -5
On an Ancestry.com thread on Purple Heart Experiences, a family member posted info about POW weight loss of Private Jonnie R Beaver of the 423rd. homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sebring/bstory.htmThis family member states that Jonnie's weight when taken was 145 lb. and when released it was 78 lb. According to the 106th roster compiled by Jim West on the Indiana Military Site, Johnnie Beaver was in H Company of the 423rd Infantry Regiment. He was held POW in Stalag IX B & IV B. |
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Post by bigjohn on May 2, 2012 19:04:35 GMT -5
I think Dad was around 105 when he came out as opposed to the 145-160 when he went in. May have been as low as 90 or 95, I can't remember the exact numbers he told me
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Post by jennifermoffet on Sept 26, 2018 11:19:57 GMT -5
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!
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Post by connie on Sept 26, 2018 12:55:22 GMT -5
Jennifer, Good to hear from you! First, a personal thank you to your family for the service of your Grandfather. During the 106th Infantry Division's time in the ETO, young soldiers experienced more than anyone should ever have to face... If you go to the section on this discussion board under "Camps that Held Members of the 106th" and scroll down to IX-B you will find links to other sources of information as well as some links to threads on this board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/threadI think you're right about the efforts to do some stabilizing of health before POW's shipped home. I haven't delved deeply into this area yet, but I'm moving toward it as I research my Dad's experiences. Dad was not a POW but many of his friends were. He was with the field artillery battalion that supported the 423rd with their fire. Today I am deeply into my research on that first day of the Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944. And of course what was the 423rd Infantry Regiment was experiencing at the time deeply woven into my journey through that day. Can I ask your Grandfather's name? Connie |
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Post by bigjohn on Dec 23, 2018 11:12:06 GMT -5
Jennifer,
My dad was also in the 423rd and was in Stalag IVB in Muhlberg. He mentioned being sent to England and then to the US via ship. I would suspect that where and how they went home varied depending on their condition. Dad was in decent overall health but seriously malnourished. I believe he went to England and then home via ship. In keeping with practice at the time they would have been sent to the nearest facility to their homes that suited their medical condition. Dad went to Valley Forge where he stayed for about a month before coming home.
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