While researching World War II information I stumbled upon a story of the liberation of a POW camp that had not been known at the time. Did you have any relatives that served in the European Theater of WWII? Maybe that helped with the liberation of POW camps?
A plan to liberate them got underway.
When the State Department informed the Secretary of State on February 9, 1945 that a notorious prison camp that had not been known as a place where Americans were held, had Americans that had been captured during the Battle of the Bulge, a plan to liberate them got underway. The prison camp was Stalag IX-B or Bad Orb Wegscheide located near Bad Orb in Hesse, Germany. Some background, Stalag IX-B during World War I was an Army Training Camp, but in 1939 the Wehrmacht took control and converted it to a POW camp that housed prisoners from 8 countries.
December 17, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge almost 1000 American soldiers were taken prisoner.
On December 17, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge almost 1000 American soldiers were taken prisoner. These prisoners were marched for four days, regardless of injury, with only food and water given to them one time. They were then loaded into box cars. They rode for five more days to the POW camp. After arriving at the camp there were not enough beds, food, and supplies. The conditions were appalling. The International Red Cross came to see the conditions and found them deplorable. Broken windows, vermin infested straw, not enough blankets, no washing facilities and not enough toilets. But they were able to make a list of all soldiers, even the ones that had passed away. The Red Cross went back again in March and the situation was worse.
Americans forced the Germans to retreat.
April 2, 1945 an American task force broke through the German line and was able to drive through 37 miles of German held territory to rescue the prisoners. The Americans stopped at a hill overlooking the town of Bad Orb. When the Germans opened fire on them they returned fire all night. In the end the German troops withdrew, and the camp was turned over to the Americans. The state of the prisoners made many of the liberators cry when they saw the emaciated soldiers.
What a sad story but an incredible story of heroism! Do you want to know more stories like this? Maybe look for military records of your ancestors? Fold3 is a great resource for all things military. They have records from the Revolutionary War to the more recent wars our country has been a part of. It is a one stop shop for your military ancestors.
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