B17 pilot shot down,captured,my uncle have prov.

[Toecutter]

My uncle Bill was shot down bombing over Germany Feb 1945,he was captured 3 days later,lived through it until camp was liberated.He found his file in the camp office.Here are a few pics,camp dog tag,newspaper clippings,he actually wrote a book on his experiences,it wasn't like "Hogan Heros" for sure.My grandmother kept everything,my brother got some of the files and stuff.

[MAP]

That is a great piece of history. Thanks for showing. Good to see it had a happy ending

[BodhiEtheridge]

That’s some very cool history to have, the news paper clippings really bring it home. Can’t keep up with all these amazing posts!

Regards,
Bodhi

[Toecutter]

Thanks guys!Here is a car pennent he brought back,and some sour German bread,his last meal,now petrified,(yeah find some of that)and a knife he made from a piece of an aircraft wing shot down over the camp.

[reneblacky]

Jeeze Eric you do pull out the good stuff Mate! Nice!!!

[AZPhil]

I love that TC!!
You show some awesome firearms, But these items I find outstanding,
That POW dog tag from Stalag VIIA and his P38 can opener is Fantastic.
I know former POW from Stalag XVIIB and has the same dog tag set up with the can opener.
That was a precious item to have.

Do you know who he flew with? Which AAF Bomb Group/ Squadron?

Semper Fi
Phil

[Toecutter]

Thanks rene!Yeah I had some good talks with uncle Bill when I was younger,he is now deceased.In the camp they lived on old soured bread the germans gave them,thin soup and an occasional rat for meat if they could catch one.He wasn't in there very long or he probably wouldn't have made it.He figured he would be shot on sight,afterall he was bombing the crap out of them so he buried his leather bomber jacket before capture,its still over there somewhere or whats left of it.He dosent look real happy in his capture pics!Thanks Phil! I have some more info to go through, will find out what bomb group he was in.He wrote a book,Prisoner of War Diary,he kept daily note in his shoes,hidden from the Germans,I have those.

[Anderson]

Some great family history there TC. He was fortunate to end up in the hands of the Luftwaffe and not turned over to the SS who were shooting any captured parachutist they got hold of. Burying his leather jacket may well have saved him.

[Toecutter]

Thanks Anderson!Yeah probably saved him, he told me they carried extra clothing so as not to be identified as bomber pilots if they had to jump .Those B17s really devastated a lot of Germany.Yeah am sure the SS would have shot him.

[Politefaun]

That's a great set of items especially the bread, you don't see that every day.