Herbert S. Gold, Stalag Luft IV, Part 3/4, Black March & Liberation
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Part 3 of my interview with Herbert S. Gold, who was a member of the U.S. Army Air Force, Eighth Air Force, 705th Bomb Squadron, 446th Bomb Group when he was shot down after a bomb run over Hamm, German.
His B-24 took off from Bungay, England.
The 93-year-old was a POW in the Stalag Luft IV prison camp.
In part 3, Gold details the Black March (sometimes referred to as the Death March) which went on for 87 days in the dead of winter across 650 miles of German woods and back-roads.
Thank you to Camp Merritt American Legion Post 21 in Cresskill for the time and space to conduct the interview.
Here's a link to my article for NorthJersey.com
www.northjersey...
#worldwar2 #StalagLuftIV #b24
My father Richard Abel was a B-24 bottom turret gunner , he had to jump on his 17th mission and was in Stalag Luft 4 also . These stories sound a lot like the ones he told me except a few details . He said " Big Stoop " was found dead with a pick axe in his head because he beat them and they were shot at by an American plane one day mistaken for Germans while on the march . I lost my Dad 2 yrs ago but he will always be my hero .
These 4 videos about Mr. Herbert S. Gold's Stalag Luft IV experience is very similar to what my Dad has told me about his WW II days. Dad (J. Paul Peterson) was a radio operator on a B-24 and he flew out of southern Italy with the 15th Air Force (459th Bomb Group). On the crew's 6th mission (August 22, 1944) they were shot down over Hungary and captured.
Much of Mr. Gold's story I have heard from my Dad; the anger of the German citizens, interrogation, riding the train to Stalag Luft IV, the dogs in the camp, Big Stoop, the food, the BLACK MARCH, Lucky Strike Camp and General Eisenhaurer. What is different about my Dad's story is that his "Black March" group walked for 80 days and were liberated by Patton's 3rd Army on April 26 at Bittersfield, Germany. Patton allowed the liberated POW's to hold a trial for the guard "Big Stoop". He was found guilty and was executed.
Dad's 459th Bomb Group held reunions every year until 2012. I accompanied him on several reunions and learned a lot from his friends.
Thank you to Mr. Gold and Caesar Darias.
John Peterson
John Peterson Thank you for the comment. I appreciate that you took time to post it.When I shot the video, I was thinking of veterans and their families. I was hoping that Mr. Gold would be, in effect, their spokesman. His story is their story.I know it's a well-documented chapter of WW2. Nevertheless, I also hope that students of history can benefit from a detailed and unedited first-hand account.