POW personnel file from US Camp

[old siagon]

Hello,

A little treasure recently discovered in the depths of my collection. This is as far from anything routine that I have in my collection, I have to turn to you for help.

It is a complete personnel file w/photo and other items from a submariner who was imprisoned in Phoenix, Arizona at the Papago Park Prison Camp, noted for being the camp which had the "Great Escape". Approximately 20 submariners from this camp tunneled their way out and attempted to escape to a river which of course was dry.

All were recaptured. This fellow may be one of the escapees. I have not had the time to research it.

None the less, a very rare and desirable item for a Kreigsmarine/Submarine collector I am sure.

Any opinions of a fair price are welcome.

Thank you,
Vince

HIS ARMY ISSUED DRIVERS PERMIT









A PHOTO OF AN ALL MALE PRISONER PLAY AT THE CAMP



A LETTER HOME MAILED FROM THE CAMP, NOTICE NAZI POSTAGE STAMP!





HIS WORKERS BUTTON, WORN AT ALL TIMES WHILE WORKING OUTSIDE THE CAMP. IT BEARS HIS OFFICIAL CAMP INTAKE PHOTO. ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A SILVER DOLLAR





HIS OFFICIAL POW INTAKE PHOTO



A FULL PHOTO OF THE COMPLETE PERSONNEL FILE



VARIOUS PHOTOS OF THE INSIDE OF THE FILE

[Simon O.]

Wolfgarten served on the U-606

http://www.uboat.net/boats/u606.htm

http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=606

[old siagon]

Wow!

Wolfgarten served on the U-606

http://www.uboat.net/boats/u606.htm

http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=606

Hello Mr. Orchard,

Thank you for this most important piece of information. I knew the U-Boat community kept some great records. To make this available to collectors/researchers is just wonderful.

Many thanks,
Vince

[JUNGCO]

Vince,
Great set. I had a cousin who was a POW in New Ulm, MN, just a few miles from my home. Of course, I wasn't born then, and my relatives didn't find out until I was stationed in Germany. Unfortunately, he didn't keep any of his papers, so it's nice to see what the files looked like.
Jeff

[Eric JB]

Hi Vince,

That is a great file you have there, I like it a lot.

Your man was the one that sunk the sub !
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<TABLE width=597><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=145>WOLFGARTEN (To Machon) </TD><TD>Opened the vents in order to let boat sink. Engineer officer was too weak to do it. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE width=597><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=144>WOLFGARTEN</TD><TD>At sinking c/t hatch stuck due to water pressure. Wabos damaged the bridge but no other damage sustained. Surfaced in order to escape but were prevented by artillery fire. No Wassereinbruck. Oil in U-raum. L.I. opened some Ventile. P/W remained behind to open Flutventile which floods boat. </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=144></TD><TD>Only c/t above water as P/W reached Polish DD.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>......................leaving one rating below to open the main flood vent


<TABLE width=601><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>*</TD><TD>Wolfgarten, Fritz </TD><TD>Matrosenobergefreiter</TD><TD>Seaman, 1cl </TD><TD>20</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think you will be very happy with all the information found here :

http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-606.htm



yours friendly

Eric-Jan

[old siagon]

Thank you!

Hello & Thank you Sir,

Yes, it is one of the neatest groupings of WW2 German Submarine paperwork. I have never seen another.

Would you be interested in purchasing it for your collection or do you by chance know an advanced Kreigsmarine/Submarine collector who may?

Thank you again for the wonderful information and the link to even more!
My best,
Vince

[old siagon]

Additional information added

Hi Vince,

That is a great file you have there, I like it a lot.

Your man was the one that sunk the sub !
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<TABLE width=597><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=145>WOLFGARTEN (To Machon) </TD><TD>Opened the vents in order to let boat sink. Engineer officer was too weak to do it. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE width=597><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=144>WOLFGARTEN</TD><TD>At sinking c/t hatch stuck due to water pressure. Wabos damaged the bridge but no other damage sustained. Surfaced in order to escape but were prevented by artillery fire. No Wassereinbruck. Oil in U-raum. L.I. opened some Ventile. P/W remained behind to open Flutventile which floods boat. </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=144></TD><TD>Only c/t above water as P/W reached Polish DD.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>......................leaving one rating below to open the main flood vent


<TABLE width=601><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>*</TD><TD>Wolfgarten, Fritz </TD><TD>Matrosenobergefreiter</TD><TD>Seaman, 1cl </TD><TD>20</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think you will be very happy with all the information found here :

http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-606.htm



yours friendly

Eric-Jan

Thanks to Jan and the others who directed me to seveal web sites which deal with the history of U-Boats, I have added a great amount of information to this grouping concerning the boats history, missions, its capture, POW interviews and even after action reports concerning Herr Wolfgarten himself!

Thank you everyone! This is a researchers dream!
Happy Hunting,
Vince