"What took you so long to get here, as we already have several of your classmates from your Big Springs Bombardier class."

"Oh yes, that's right--you came by boat, and they flew."

About a week later, the pilot, myself and about eight other P.O.W.s were put in a small boxcar headed for Sagan, Germany--and Stalag Luft III. Armed soldiers accompanied us. We had no food for the several days it took us to reach the prison camp. We were not allowed out of the boxcar to take care of bodily functions. I held out, but when allowed to relieve myself the next morning, I hurt so bad that I couldn't go for several minutes. When I could, they forced us back in the boxcar. Then I couldn't stop, and could have used diapers. We arrived at Sagan III in August 1944.

Stalag III was originally opened in April 1942 for British and Canadian airmen shot down over enemy territory. Soon, American P.O.W. airmen in increasing numbers were put in the camp. The camp consisted of five compounds: Center(the one I was in), East, North, South and West. We learned later that Lt. Muller was in the South camp, and Lt. Hilde, after he got out of the hospital, was in the West.

There were about 12,000 Allied airmen held in the camp. Most all were commissioned officers. It was in the North compound where the Great Escape of 1943 was planned and took place. American and British airmen worked side by side, carrying in their pockets, dirt dug from the three tunnels. They forged escape papers, made fake wood guns, brief cases, clothing and other escape items. The American P.O.W.s were moved out of the North compound shortly before the Great Escape took place. This resulted in saving some American lives. 78 British Officers tunneled out of the camp, with all but three being caught and executed.