Lt. Dan M. “Danny” Williams, a B-17 pilot during World War II, had 598 combat hours and 6 bombing missions to his credit before being shot down over Muenster, Germany on October 10th,1943. Fifty years later, he had the opportunity to revisit those dark places of internment that had robbed him of almost two years of his life. He was thoughtful enough to share these memories to help us better understand this all too overlooked and over-dramatized part of World War II.

During the air battle of Muenster, October 10, 1943, my plane was shot down and I was hit in face, shoulders, legs and head by 20mm shell shrapnel. The only serious hit was in my head, which tore a hole in my scalp about the size of a half dollar. I passed out in the bomb bay after my crew had jumped. I later assumed this was caused by a lack of oxygen as we were flying at 25,000 feet when hit. I regained consciousness about six hours later in a Luftwaffe Station Hospital to find a German picking around my head wound for shell fragments. This was the only treatment for wounds ever received while a POW or after liberation. I was later carried to a nearby barracks and dumped on the floor with a straw mattress and one blanket. I soon discovered that my back, pelvic region, legs and ankles were so badly sprained, presumably caused from the parachute jump, that I could stand only with considerable pain. The second day I was forced to walk several hundred yards where I was given a bowl of potato soup. The next day on way to interrogation I was stopped by a German fighter pilot who spoke to me in German. I said I didn’t understand and was promptly slapped unconscious. The next day I was placed on a third class coach and shipped to Frankfurt am Main for further interrogation. Was placed in solitary for 48 hours and then questioned. I was then placed in another compound to await shipment to a permanent camp. Total food from date of capture 6 days ago, 2 bowls of soup and an occasional drink of water. Three potatoes, 1/4 can of salmon, 1 cup of tea was food received during three days at Frankfurt.

We loaded on boxcar October 17, 1943 for transfer - About 40 POW’s and 2 guards for each car - 1/2 American Red Cross parcel was issued to each man for trip. We were in the boxcars 5 days and 4 nights with no additional food. We were allowed outside once a day for 2 or 3 minutes.

Besides being filthy, hungry, cold, and covered with body lice, I for one was near exhaustion, physically and mentally, when we reached our destination, Stalag Luft III, Sagan. We were were marched from the boxcars to the nearby center compound and there had pictures taken, a 3 minute hot shower, and a thorough search. I still received no treatment for my head. I was allowed to keep my wool, electrically heated, flying boots as there were no other shoes to be had. From this date, October 21st, 1943 until January 28, 1945, I guess I was just an average POW - Putting up with continual hunger, mental abusement, camp searches at any time of the day or night, 1 to 3 hour roll calls twice a day, no mail, no cigarettes, periodic starvation periods and constant fear of being shot by Gestapo or SS troops. I wore my wool shoes the entire time because I didn’t manage to get regular shoes that would fit. This I’m sure caused my fallen arches to be in their present bad condition. Beds were crude, wooden, three deck affairs with from 3 to 5 inch bed boards and straw mattress. I use the same 5 foot square blanket for 18 months without being cleaned. Except during summer months I never slept without being fully clothed. One 40 watt bulb was the light for 12 men. To fill time I read from 3 to 8 hours every day. Probably the reason my eyes are weak now. Barracks were never heated except by body heat. Never sufficient fuel for cooking - over 100 men shared the same small cook stove. As for keeping clean we had plenty of cold water year round. Body hair was usually shaved every 2 or 3 months to keep away the lice. I didn’t spend a single day in Germany without feeling bugs crawling on my body.

The Russians neared Sagan on January 28, 1945 and we were out on a forced march the next several days. No good shoes or clothing - only what food we had managed to carry from the camp - never any heat or hot water - snow blizzard two days - near “zero” three days - my hands and feet froze till they cracked and bled. I fell on ice and badly sprained my left knee which still gives me trouble at times. My face, eyelids, feet and ears were badly frost bitten. We arrived at Spremburg February 5, 1945 and were loaded 40 men to a 40 x 8 boxcar. Each man received one loaf of bread and 1/2 Red Cross parcel for the coming trip. 2 days and 4 night in boxcar - we were allowed out twice - the only water we got was drained from boiler of engine pulling our train. Two times on trip we were left locked in car during an air raid - Kassel and Munich - Below freezing the whole trip.

Arrived at Stalag VII A, Mooseburg, February 8, 1945. After waiting 2 days for a 3 minute shower and search we were moved into the permanent part of the camp. There were few exceptions, and I was not one, who were not sick with a bad cold and dysentery. One latrine served over 4,000 men - one water tap in each of 6 barracks for 800 men to use. No heat of any kind - Parcels were very scarce and for the most part we lived on German rations for the next three months. A daily issue was 1/2 pint soup containing anything from grass to horse meat - 1/2 loaf bread per man. Sometimes a spoon full of jam or margarine. A few boiled potatoes every other day - never any salt to help it down. As an extra on Sunday 2 ounces of raw sausage. I know that the occasional parcel issue kept me from going 100% crazy. We managed to heat several cups of black, sweetened tea every day. I think this may explain why my kidneys got so weak that they wouldn’t hold anything. My weight was now down to 135 [original weight was 170].

Since Liberation, I have received no treatment of any description. Immediately after my arrival in the States we were given 60 days furlough with no advice as to what should or could be done to regain our somewhat low state of health.

In October 1945, I arrived at Camp Gordon, Georgia for separation. I was processed out physically OK except for the items I requested entered on my physical exam. My weight at the time was 150 lbs.

Overview

Grasshoppers

Baptism by Fire

Cubs in Combat

POW