Prisoner of war experience

The map only displays records that have geographic information. Switch to the grid view to see all records.

Map is loading...
Timeline is loading...

The timeline only displays records that have date information. Switch to the grid view to see all records.

Garcia, Ray Operation Strangle
Ray Garcia landed in Italy in October 1944. [Annotator's Note: The interviewer pauses to provide a brief break in the...
Frazier, Glenn Osaka
Glenn Frazier loaded on a Japanese freighter with 49 other POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war] on 20 October 1942...
Leaming, Jack Osaka POW Camp
In mid 1942, Jack Leaming and approximately 60 other prisoners of war, POWs, were transferred to a camp in Osaka. The...
Mosher, Alfred Osaka Prisoner of War Camp
One day, they [Annotator's Note: the Japanese] loaded Alfred Raymond Mosher and others onto an inland sea ferry and...
Johnson, John Other Prison Camps and VJ-Day
John S. Johnson was transported to Fengtai Prison Camp in May 1945. Conditions were miserable there. After a month, he...
Lents, Robert Outwitting the Enemy
On several occasions, Robert Lents and his fellow prisoners outmaneuvered their Japanese captors. [Annotator's Note:...
Eshbach, Robert Overseas Deployment
Robert Eshback went overseas on the USS Wakefield (AP-21), a troop transport ship that traveled alone, and he was...
Draxler, Donald Overseas Deployment
In early April [Annotator's Note: April 1943], second lieutenants were asked to volunteer for duty in the Pacific....
Buschmeier, Frank Overseas in Europe
Frank William Buschmeier served as a waist gunner with the 350th Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group, 8th Air...
Smith, Rothacker Overseas to Italy
After two different assignments on quartermaster duty in the United States, Rothacker Smith finally joined his...
Brainard, William Passing Time in Stalag Luft IV
[Annotator’s Note: Can hear someone in the background throughout the video.] When William White Brainard [Annotator's...
Guzman, Nicanor Pearl Harbor to Japan's Surrender
On 7 December 1941, Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii] was attacked by the Japanese and the...
Elliott, John Planes Going Down
John Elliott and his crew knew nothing about the atomic bombs [Annotator's Note: nuclear weapons dropped on Hiroshima...
Grant, Olen "Reb" Plastic surgery and an air raid
When Grant went out for his operation, he and the guard rode a streetcar into town then boarded another one that took...
Finder, Rena Plaszow Concentration Camp and Working for Oskar Schindler
Soon after her father was taken away, Rena Finder and her mother were told they had to go to the Plaszow concentration...
Jefferson, Alexander Ploesti, Down Time, and Being Interrogated
Alexander Jefferson flew a mission to Ploesti [Annotator's Note: Ploesti, Romania]. It was the first time Jefferson had...
Riddle, Pearson Poor Medical Attention, Inflation in Japan, and Postwar Jobs
Pearson Riddle has received continuous medical care for some of his postwar medical problems induced by his prisoner of...
Galbraith, Wendell Post Traumatic Stress and Russians
Wendell Galbraith did not suffer from any survivor's guilt. The only thing he experienced, not long before the...
Edwards, Randall Post-Navy Career and Observations
Randall Edwards retired from the Navy and got a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida. In...
Becker, Irving Postwar
Irving Becker worked about 20 years for the Postal Service [Annotator's Note: the United States Postal Service]. He had...
Friedenberg, Bernard Postwar
Bernard Friedenberg passed through Camp Lucky Strike on his way home after the war. He remembers passing the Statue of...
Capron, Ed Postwar
Edward C. Capron Jr. served with Headquarters Battery of the 73rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 9th Armored...
Windisch, Lutz Postwar
Lutz Windisch and his fellow prisoners [Annotator's Note: he was taken prisoner by Russian forces near Breslau, Poland...
Charles, Howard Postwar
Following his liberation [Annotator's Note: from a Japanese prisoner of war camp], Howard Robert Charles arrived by air...
Schilperoort, Clarence Postwar
Clarence Schilperoot returned home by train after reaching the United States. He had a reunion with his parents upon...
Love, John Postwar
After John Edward Love [Annotator's Note: a former prisoner of war] recovered and was released from the hospital, he...
Higgins, Archibald Postwar
Although Archibald Higgins thought he would fly home. That did not happen. He sailed on a ship from Manila. The voyage...
Bahlinger, Marion Postwar and Reflections
Marion Bahlinger traveled to Europe [Annotator's Note: the interviewee flips to pages looking for information at 0:56:...
Stein, Murray Postwar and Reflections
Murray Stein believes that America is the best place to live in the world. He speaks to students regularly about...
Kern, Blaine Postwar Career
Blaine Kern went to Czechoslovakia to tour the glass industry. The secret police were following him. He has a factory...
Cardenas, Louis Postwar Life
Louis Cardenas remembers they slept on boards. They had sacks and they put hay in them. They were not suffering. They...
Smith, Rothacker Postwar Life
Rothacker Smith felt the joy of liberation sweep over him when he saw American soldiers hoist the Stars and Stripes...
Grabhorn, Edgar Postwar Life and Reflections
Before the war, Edgar A. Grabhorn had gone to Purdue [Annotator's Note: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana] to...
Siebert, Julian Postwar Life and Reflections
Julian Siebert was asked soon after the war in Europe if he was ready to go back home. He boarded a ship and returned...
Mills, Willis Postwar Philippines
Willis Mills went into Manila [Annotator’s Note: Manila, the Philippines] for a few days and observed the destruction...
Holt, Thomas Postwar Reflections
Thomas Michael Holt [Annotator's Note: a prisoner of war] had access to a hidden radio. With the new POWs [Annotator's...

Pages