Oral History Interview with Joseph P. O'Donnell

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Title

Oral History Interview with Joseph P. O'Donnell

Date

March 20, 1989

Contributor

Interviewee:
Joseph P. O'Donnell
Interviewer:
Philip G. Solomon

Summary

Joseph P. O'Donnell served with the 15th Airforce, 483rd Bomb Group, 15th Bomb Squadron, based near Foggia, Italy. He was a ball turret gunner on a B 17 and was shot down over Wienerneustadt, Austria on May 10, 1944, captured by Germans the next day, and taken to a Lager near Frankfurt/Main where he was processed. From there he was shipped by boxcar to Stalag Luft 4, a camp for about 10,000 air force enlisted men, mostly Americans, in Pomerania.

He describes conditions in the camp, which the American prisoners of war ran like a democracy. Medical care was provided mostly by fellow prisoners who were medical officers. The prisoners were able to get news from the British Broadcasting System. He never received any food packages. He witnessed no cruelty at this camp, but was told in great detail - by a soldier who survived - about atrocities committed against enlisted POW's at Stalag Luft 6.

In April 1944, the camp was evacuated. Other prisoners were dispersed throughout Germany, some by box cars, others including Mr. O'Donnell, on a 600 mile forced march, with a stopover at Stalag 11, near Fallingbostel, Germany. He was liberated by the British Second Army on May 10, 1944 in Gudow, Germany. He describes how the British processed the liberated prisoners of war and explains that he makes a distinction between the Nazis and the German people in general.

Interviewee: O'DONNELL, Joseph P. Date: March 20, 1989

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Publisher:
Gratz College
Number of Tapes:
1
Language:
English
Identifier:
HOHAGC00386
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