WWII Unit Information Needed
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m1gunner
US Veteran
The Office of the Provost Marshal General (OPMG) supervised the 425,000 German prisoners. They stayed in 700 camps in 46 states.
This article might give you some search leads:
http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/AMERICAN_POW_CAMP_Guard_Article_pdf
This article might give you some search leads:
http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/AMERICAN_POW_CAMP_Guard_Article_pdf
m1gunner
US Veteran
Also, this may have some links to .Mil records:
Online World War II Indexes and Records - WWII
But, it is my understanding a lot of info was lost in a warehouse fire in 1973.
Online World War II Indexes and Records - WWII
But, it is my understanding a lot of info was lost in a warehouse fire in 1973.
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Brian41
Member
A bit off topic but while stationed in Italy in early 70s I met a former WWII pow held in California where he told me he learned English from the guards. He was a interesting individual and worth the time to listen to. He had no problem with me or other Americans and sold me wood at his lumber yard resonable.
You're saying that Camp Algona was the HQ. I did a google search and they, Camp Algona, has a museum. I would start there.
It's quite possible the the 480th PRNG MP Co. has the linage to the WW2 480th MPEG Company. It wouldn't hurt to contact them and find out.
Those are the two places I'd start.
You might want to look for a WW2 order of battle.
It's quite possible the the 480th PRNG MP Co. has the linage to the WW2 480th MPEG Company. It wouldn't hurt to contact them and find out.
Those are the two places I'd start.
You might want to look for a WW2 order of battle.
klondike
Member
May I add a note to your thread.
I had a customer who told me that he first came to the U.S. after he was captured by the Russians and turned over to the Americans for incarceration in the U.S. . He was thought to be a Nazi because he was Prussian but he had no politics at 16, his father had forced him to join the Wehrmacht so that the army could feed him.
All the way across the Midwest in mid winter, Alex thought that the Americans were sending him to a camp that was going to certainly kill him. He prayed for his poor girl at home, Lottie and knew that he would never see her again.
When they arrived at the camp in a place called Idaho, the snow was over his head and he was just certain that death was near. Instead they were herded into a mess hall and Alex thought that the Americans were going to feed them, then shoot them. Instead the tables were loaded with fresh sausages and steaming potatoes. Alex then began to think "what a country". He then said that these Americans bought not just their loyalty but much more by giving ski passes to those who worked hard ( logging camp) and did not cause trouble. Alex by the end of the war was convinced that he must return to America if possible.
When he returned to Germany, he found his Lottie, married her and found the means to buy passage to the West Coast of the U.S. . When he arrived in Portland he said that they only had 25 cents but he knew how to cut fabric and got a job at the Pendleton Woolen Mills.
Alex through hard work and shrewd real estate investing achieved the American dream. He loves this country and blesses the day when he was sent to this country as a POW.
I had a customer who told me that he first came to the U.S. after he was captured by the Russians and turned over to the Americans for incarceration in the U.S. . He was thought to be a Nazi because he was Prussian but he had no politics at 16, his father had forced him to join the Wehrmacht so that the army could feed him.
All the way across the Midwest in mid winter, Alex thought that the Americans were sending him to a camp that was going to certainly kill him. He prayed for his poor girl at home, Lottie and knew that he would never see her again.
When they arrived at the camp in a place called Idaho, the snow was over his head and he was just certain that death was near. Instead they were herded into a mess hall and Alex thought that the Americans were going to feed them, then shoot them. Instead the tables were loaded with fresh sausages and steaming potatoes. Alex then began to think "what a country". He then said that these Americans bought not just their loyalty but much more by giving ski passes to those who worked hard ( logging camp) and did not cause trouble. Alex by the end of the war was convinced that he must return to America if possible.
When he returned to Germany, he found his Lottie, married her and found the means to buy passage to the West Coast of the U.S. . When he arrived in Portland he said that they only had 25 cents but he knew how to cut fabric and got a job at the Pendleton Woolen Mills.
Alex through hard work and shrewd real estate investing achieved the American dream. He loves this country and blesses the day when he was sent to this country as a POW.
jlrhiner
US Veteran
Bill,
I think the problem is what your looking for. I don't believe there was a 480th MP Company, as the 480th would be a regimental designation. Companys would be Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog etc.
I looked through the archives and there is no 480th MP Regiment. Maybe the numbers got mis-remembered.
What you would be looking for, (and I'm making this up) would be ; "B" (Baker) Co, 1st Battalion, 480th Military Police (Escort) Regiment.
But I've been wrong before.
I think the problem is what your looking for. I don't believe there was a 480th MP Company, as the 480th would be a regimental designation. Companys would be Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog etc.
I looked through the archives and there is no 480th MP Regiment. Maybe the numbers got mis-remembered.
What you would be looking for, (and I'm making this up) would be ; "B" (Baker) Co, 1st Battalion, 480th Military Police (Escort) Regiment.
But I've been wrong before.
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The company may or may not be attached to a battalion. Some were stand alone.
Right now, the 480th is attached to the 125th MP Bn.
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Jack Flash
Member
Great story, Klondike! Here is another one:
A few years back here in West Michigan, an old orchard grower died and the local paper did a story on his life. He originally came to America as a German POW.
One morning the guards got him up before dawn, put him into a truck and drove him way out into the boondocks. He spoke no English so he did not understand anything that was said. He was convinced they were going to shoot him and dump his body in a field.
They stopped the truck in front of a barn where an old Dutchman had an orchard. The Dutchman could communicate enough to tell him "You will work for me, and no funny business!" The POW later said you could only imagine his great relief!
So for the next two years, the POW worked in the orchard, learning the business and how to speak English. When the war ended, he chose not to go back to Germany, but instead to stay on in the area that had basically accepted him into the community. He worked hard and saved his money, in time he married a Dutch girl and bought his own orchard.
He lived a long life and died surrounded by family and friends.
A few years back here in West Michigan, an old orchard grower died and the local paper did a story on his life. He originally came to America as a German POW.
One morning the guards got him up before dawn, put him into a truck and drove him way out into the boondocks. He spoke no English so he did not understand anything that was said. He was convinced they were going to shoot him and dump his body in a field.
They stopped the truck in front of a barn where an old Dutchman had an orchard. The Dutchman could communicate enough to tell him "You will work for me, and no funny business!" The POW later said you could only imagine his great relief!
So for the next two years, the POW worked in the orchard, learning the business and how to speak English. When the war ended, he chose not to go back to Germany, but instead to stay on in the area that had basically accepted him into the community. He worked hard and saved his money, in time he married a Dutch girl and bought his own orchard.
He lived a long life and died surrounded by family and friends.
THE PILGRIM
Member
Most of the POWS that we housed here in the US were captured in N Africa.
Besides the Germans, we also had a lot of Italians. When the war was over, lots of them also didn't want to return home.
Besides the Germans, we also had a lot of Italians. When the war was over, lots of them also didn't want to return home.
Dennis The B
US Veteran
One of my late coworkers went to a U.S. Navy flight school (V-12) in Alabama during WWII. There was a German P.O.W. camp nearby, and some of the prisoners were allowed weekend passes to the town. My friend got to know a few of them, and to a man, they never understood how Hitler could be so stupid, as to start a war with the U.S.
The prisoners were awestruck at the size of the U.S. They had entered the country in New York City, and rode in a train to Alabama. They all stated that, at the end of the fourth day on the train, they new the war was lost. And even though they worked fairly hard at the various farms, they marveled at how Americans treated them so well.
The prisoners were awestruck at the size of the U.S. They had entered the country in New York City, and rode in a train to Alabama. They all stated that, at the end of the fourth day on the train, they new the war was lost. And even though they worked fairly hard at the various farms, they marveled at how Americans treated them so well.
try this Cloud County Historical Museum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia or I suggest you join the us militaria forum they are a great help.
He was simply a soldier...
Like many, he was simply a soldier and not a Nazi hate-monger.
Like many, he was simply a soldier and not a Nazi hate-monger.
This site has a few photos, but being local, they may have other information (Fort Hayes State University):
Lawrence E. Osswald Photograph Collection
There would have been some correspondence between the school and the military. You might ask if there are letters in their archives. Perhaps some mention might have been made of the unit's command chain.
Looks like a project for research.
Lawrence E. Osswald Photograph Collection
There would have been some correspondence between the school and the military. You might ask if there are letters in their archives. Perhaps some mention might have been made of the unit's command chain.
Looks like a project for research.
A coworkers dad was a POW camp guard at a camp somewhere in the south eastern US that was run bu the US Navy. He said that whenever a hard core Nazi would be interned the POWs would usually tip the guards off. The prisoners didn't want some radical making things hard on all of them. It's not like there was any real hope of escape. I think the closest neutral country would have been Mexico.
