Show Us Your U.S. POW Photos

[stonemint]

Ardennes:

[stonemint]

The Americans rarely look beaten--pi$$ed off is more like it:

[stonemint]

2 of my favorite pics (which the German PK censors didn't pick up on)--the giving of the "V for Victory" sign (see soldier below red arrow on the far right in the first pic):

[BB75]

Pretty sure at least one is from the 29th Infantry Division. See U.S soldier at far left and his divisional insignia patch on his left sleeve.

[stonemint]

Norman L. Widen after being shot-down in Tunis by Hafner, which was profiled in Life magazine in 1961:

On 18-12-1942 Hafner was on a bomber intercept mission. While approaching the bomber formation they engaged the escorting P-38 Lightning fighter escort. In the ensuing dog fight Hafner flamed the left engine of a P-38. The pilot, Norman L Widen bailed out and was taken prisoner of war and brought to Hafner's airfield. After Hafner landed, Widen presented Hafner his silver pilot insignia. Before Widen was taken to the POW camp, Hafner and Widen promised to meet again after the war. Hafner sent the gift to his brother, Alfons Hafner, with the request to return the gifts together with a medal and picture of Anton Hafner in case of Anton Hafner getting killed in action. In 1960 Alfons Hafner managed to contact Major Widen via the US Airforce to fulfill his brother's will.

[stonemint]

A 55-man combat patrol from the US 94<SUP>th</SUP> Infantry Division was captured by the Germans near Lorient, France in the fall of 1944. This resulted in the only POW exchange involving healthy prisoners made in the European Theater during World War II.

[stonemint]

A funeral for men killed in the engagement (note the WH officer on the far left of the photo):

[Akira Takiguchi]

A U.S. paratrooper captured and checked.

[stonemint]

Akira, great addition to the thread--had not seen that one before.

Another line of of BoB prisoners--note the US Captain and Lt at the front of the line:

[stonemint]

Another PK pic from the BoB:

[stonemint]

On January 17th, 1945, as part of "Operation Nordwind", Erwin Bachmann (I. / SS. Panzer-Regiment 10 ) captured 12 M4A3 75 W of the US 43rd Tank Battalion. He had the US drivers of each tank drive them back to German lines, with SS guards in each tank. I don't know if these pics were taken that same day with the US drivers, but the tanks still have their US markings.

[stonemint]

Todd posted this pic in another thread, and I thought it should also be in this one.

These guys appear to be paratroopers, but I see no insignia.

Anyone know what unit they were with, and where/when they were captured?

[stonemint]

These guys look like they just went thru one h*ll of a firefight.
Anyone know where and when?:

[stonemint]

Not WW2, but WW1--doughboys captured by the Germans in 1917:

[stonemint]

Apparently these troops were Buffalo Soldiers from the US 92nd Division, captured during the Battle of Garfagna.


More on the battle here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Garfagnana