The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
May 10, 1945, Page 10

9,000 FREED AIRMEN WERE "IN on KILL" IN GERMANY

Mason Cityans Among Group That Seized Prison Camp

EDITOR'S NOTE: Three Mason City and Clear Lake air force war prisoners known to have been at the Barth prison camp, northern Germany, were among the 9,000 freed allied airmen 'in on the kill' as told in this remarkable story by Lowell Bennett, International News Service correspondent, who had also been a prisoner at Barth.

The Mason Cityans are Lt. Donald G. HARRER, Lt. Melvin J. SPENCER and the Clear Lake man, Flight officer Roy B. MARTIN. This is Correspondent Bennett's first dispatch since his liberation from the nazi prison camp.

Bennett parachuted into German captivity Dec. 3, 1943, when a British bomber from which he was reporting a raid on Berlin was shot down.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: Other Iowans interned at Stalag Luft 1 are noted at the bottom of this article.

By LOWELL BENNETT

Barth, Pomerania, May 1. (Delayed). - (INS) - Nine thousand allied air force war prisoners who were my companions in Stalag Luft No. 1 were liberated in time to go back to the war today and be in on the kill.

These men, who for long months and years waited for this wonderful day, have taken more than 200 square miles of German territory, have linked up with the Russians and now are waiting to go home after their long exile.

Total casualties of their entire operation so far is one man killed.

During the past 12 hours they have seized their prison camp, captured 3 towns, an important air field and flak school and large quantities of equipment and fuel. Moreover, they have taken almost 2,000 German prisoners.

A junction has been established with the Russian forces battering westward from Stettinand our joint victory in Pomerania is being riotously celebrated.

Under the command of Col. Hubert Zemke, a fighter ace from Missoula, Mont., and a royal Canadian air force captain, the prisoners in this camp - the largest prison camp for allied air force officers in Europe - have made an important contribution to the final occupation of Germany.

They also have made an important contribution to the establishment of first-class relations between the western and eastern allies on this northern front.

The action began last night when the advancing Russian armies ahd reached the nearby sea base at Griefswald.

Long-rehearsed operations got under way. We were fully prepared for such an eventuality. The "kriegies" (our abbreviation for the unwieldy tongue-twisting German word [Kriegesgefangenen] for war prisoners) captured the guard towers and the radio station.

Scouts were dispatched in every direction and fully armed skirmish and picket lines were established. Expeditionary forces were organized to seize the entire area.

Little opposition was encountered by the airmen, who, operating on the ground for the first time, disarmed the Germans they encountered and swiftly captured 50 vehicles, thousands of weapons and 3,000 gallons of fuel.

Five neighboring prisoner of war camps and a concentration camp in the vicinity were liberated. Quickly afterward, the liberated airmen capture Barth's air base, where they seized 14 planes intact and 18 others which were damaged only slight.

Our attempts to get in touch with the Russians at Stralsund and Greifswald by radio and telephone were unsuccessful.

But this evening 2 of our scouts returned to camp with a Russian first lieutenant, Nich Karmytoff.

This 22-year-old veteran red army infantry officer who had fought his way from Stalingrad to Barth, established the first Russian contact with the western allies in the Baltic.

Complete liaison with the Russians was quickly established.

At this writing, Col. Zemke's forces are in control of teh 175 square miles of Pomeranian territory and have taken almost 2,000 prisoners who they are making final arrangements to had over to the Russians and then go home.

Paris has the American army had a more enthusiastic welcome.

There was no formal parade by American units, though the Czech crowds loyally cheered every Yank motorcycle messenger, truckload of gasoline or jeep that drove past. But you could feel they were waiting for something - something they hadn't seen in almost 7 years. A Czech army marching through a Czech city under its own flags.

Shortly before dusk word swept through the waiting thousands that a Czech army unit had entered the city. A few moments later the first car rolled into the city square. Three Czech girls in brightly colored native dresses waved the Czech flag at the crowd and they went wild.

I have heard many crowd demonstrations, but none like the peculiar sound that rose from these oppressed people celebrating their first full day of liberation. The column contained only about 50 cars - a few ack ack guns, some Bren gun carriers, some civilian cars and a number of wheezy old derelict trucks decked with flowers and banners. Three German tanks could have destroyed it in 15 minutes.

By as a symbol, that column was matchless. A cry burst from every throat as the first vehicle entered the parade area and as each car limped past the volume of sound grew greater.

One truck that brought the loudest cheers had painted across its side:

"From Dunkerquie to Pilsen to Prague."

Many persons in the crowd knew that even the German tanks - remnants of forces that hadn't surrendered - were shooting up the center of their capital city.

One truck broke down near the end of the parade, greatly embarrassing the driver, who was a veteran of Dunkerque. But the crowd immediately made him their favorite. By the time the parade was over they had covered his vehicle with flowers, and by nightfall it looked more like a curbside florist's stand than a truck.

NOTE: Stalag Luft 1 was located approximately 105 miles northwest of Berlin and two miles from the village of Barth on a strip of barren land which extended into the Baltic Sea. The prison camp was liberated on April 30, 1945 by Russian troops.

According to the Stalag Luft 1 website (www.merkki.com/) the following Iowans were interred in the following compounds (with additional information if known – please contact us if you have additional information):

NORTH 1 Compound

NAME

HOME TOWN

COUNTY

2nd Lt. Paul H. Alexander

bombardier, 92nd Bomb Grp

326th Bomb Squadron, AAF

B-17 shot down 24 Feb 1944, Germany

Des Moines

Polk County

2nd Lt. John K. Anderson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

unknown

Calhoun County

SSgt. Eugene W. Briggs

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

unknown

Webster County

TSgt. Verlyn G. Brown

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Estherville

Emmet County

Lt. Roger G. Christensen

navigator on B-17

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Atlantic

Cass County

2ndLt. Vernon M. Cox

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

2nd Lt. Robert C. Forney

Liberator pilot shot down 19 Mar 1944

over Austria

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Boone

Boone County

1st Lt. Bernard J. Gillespie

shot down 25 Feb 1944, Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Fort Dodge

Webster County

Lt. Thomas E. Harrington

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Knoxville

Marion County

1st Lt. Marvin R. Haskins

downed over Elba 25 Jan 1944, AAF

Eagle Grove

Wright County

2nd Lt. Harvey H. J. Jessen

B-17 pilot shot down over Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Council Bluffs

Pottawattamie Co.

2nd Lt. Glenn A. Johnson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Madrid

Boone County

2nd Lt. Robert H. Johnson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Woodbury County

2nd Lt. Donald K. Kehm

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Fort Dodge

Webster County

2nd Lt. Charles A. Kupka

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Grundy Center

Grundy County

1st Lt. Albert C. Lichter

aboard a P-51B Mustang downed

22 Feb 1944 over Geissen-Oudekerk, Holland

357th Fighter Group, AAF

Algona

Kossuth County

2nd Lt. Warren E. Lins

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Washington

Washington County

2nd Lt. Richard Thomas Longman

navigator on B-17 shot down Feb 1944

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Clinton

Clinton County

SSgt. Roy B. Martin Jr.     

MIA 18 Sep 1944 over Holland

glider pilot, AAF Glider Regiment

Mason City

Cerro Gordo County

SSgt Bertram B. Metcalf

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Davenport

Scott County

2nd Lt. Arthur Mittman

pilot of B-17 shot down over Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Muscatine

Muscatine County

2nd Lt. Max R. Morrow

pilot shot down 24 Feb 1944

over Schweinfurt, Germany

457th Bomber Group AAF

Seymour

Wayne County

2nd Lt. Louis Oppenham

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Des Moines

Polk County

1st Lt. Dewayne W. Pohl

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Pilot Mound

Boone County

Lt. Earl L. Richardson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Washington

Washington County

2nd Lt. Marion W. Saffell

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Des Moines

Polk County

Capt. Bernard Karl “Ben” Seitzinger

U.S. Army Air Force

(* KIA 27 Nov 1951 Korean War)

Brighton

Washington County

2nd Lt. Robert S. Simpson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Buchanan County

2nd Lt. Melvin J. Spencer

navigator B-17, captured Feb 1944

95th Bomber Group, AAF

Mason City

Cerro Gordo County

1st Lt. Horace C. Waldorf

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Vinton

Benton County

* Captain Bernard Karl Seitzinger remained in the service and was promoted to the rank of Major. During the Korean War he was serving with the 7th Fighter/Bomber Squadron of the 49th Fighter/Bomber Group. A pilot of an F-84E Thunderjet fighter, Major Seitzinger was flying a combat mission on November 27, 1951, North Korea, during which he was strafing enemy rail facilities. He crashed into the enemy boxcars. His body was not recovered. Maj. Seitzinger was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal,  the National Defense Service Medal and the Republic of Korean War Service Medal. ~ SOURCE: Korean War Veterans Honor Roll; Korean War Casualty Listing

NORTH 2 Compound

NAME

HOME TOWN

COUNTY

2nd Lt. Robert H. “Bob” “Doc” Ahrens

co-pilot B-24 “Miss Fit” shot down

over Austria 26 Jun 1944

742 Sqn., 455th Bomb. Group, AAF

Jewell

Hamilton county

2nd Lt. Louis John Beckmann

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

2nd Lt. Robert E. Broderson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Harlan

Shelby County

2nd Lt. Russell C. Conrow

pilot shot down 28 Sept 1944

over Magdeburg, Germany

398th Bomb Group, AAF

Waterloo

Black Hawk County

2nd Lt. Stanley V. Davidson

co-pilot B-17 “Betty Jane” CR-L

shot down 13 Sept 1944 from mission at motor plant, Eisenach, Germany

U.S. Army Air Force

358th Bomb Sqn, 303rd Bomb Grp

Emerson

Mills County

1st Lt. Paul D. Fickel

U.S. Army Air Force, Fighter Group

 

Wapello County

2nd Lt. Thomas Loras Flaherty

pilot of Liberator bomber

captured 0/107 July 1944, Germany

U. S. Army Air Force

Waterloo

Black Hawk County

2nd Lt. Collin W. Fritz, Jr.

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Des Moines

Polk County

1st Lt. William R. Haines

(promoted to rank Lieutenant Colonel)

U.S. Army Air Force

Sioux City

Woodbury County

2nd Lt. Lorin W. Hamann

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

St. Olaf

Clayton County

2nd Lt. Andrew G. Jackson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Eldora

Hardin County

1st Lt. James Edwin Jatho

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Holstein

Ida County

Bernard F. Kosik

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Iowa City

Johnson County

Lt. Howard E. Lowe

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Indianola

Warren County

2nd Lt. Robert R. McLoughlin

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Sioux City

Woodbury County

1st Lt. Gordon W. “Bud” Morehead

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Maquoketa

Jackson County

2nd Lt. Dean M. Peppmeier

pilot, Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Truro

Madison County

2nd Lt. Eugene C. Saur

shot down over Berlin, Germany

U. S. Army Air Force

Clinton

Clinton County

1st Lt. Jack Lowell Timmins *

B-17 bombardier

303rd Bomber Squadron

U.S. Army Air Force

Des Moines

Polk County

1st Lt. Jerome H. Torgerson

captured March 1945

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Britt

Hancock County

1st Lt. Frank L. Whittington

bombardier, shot down 28 Sept 1944

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Dubuque

Dubuque County

 

* 1st Lt. Jack Lowell Timmins, later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, served in three wars – World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He died on January 4, 2001, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

SOURCE: U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ancestry.com

NORTH 3 COMPOUND

NAME

HOME TOWN

COUNTY

Lt. Robert K. Baker

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Des Moines

Polk County

SSgt. Robert D. Bollard

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Fort Dodge

Webster County

Lt. Paul L. Carroll

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Laurens

Pocahontas County

2nd Lt. Ray Cook, Jr.

co-pilot of B-17 Flying Fortress

captured 05 Dec 1944, Germany

U.S. 8th Army Air Force 305 Bomb Grp

Ames

Story County

2nd Lt. Charles F. Curtis, Jr.

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Washington County

SSgt. J. C. Davis

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Page County (?)

SSgt. James O. Davis

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Ottumwa

Wapello County

Lt. Frank Elkins

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Nevada

Story County

Cpl Robert Owen Fitzsimmons

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Boone

Boone County

1st Lt. Glenn C. Gladfeder

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Des Moines

Polk County

2nd Lt. Max L. Harder

U.S. AAAF, Harbor Defense Group

Avoca

Pottawattamie County

1st Lt. Donald Keith Hopp

shot down Nov 1943 over Holland

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Glenwood

Mills County

SSgt. Richard N. Hovey

ball turret gunner, B-27 downed over

Holland Sept 1944

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Cedar Falls

Black Hawk County

SSgt. Daniel A. Janish

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Manly

Worth County

Cpl. Jack Edwards Jeffreys

U.S. Army Air Force

(NOTE: Jeffreys Drive in Osceola was named in his honor; long-time mayor.)

Osceola

Clarke County

TSgt. Glen A. Kraft

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Monona

Clayton County

1st Lt. Russel C. MacDuffee

U. S. Army Air Force

Des Moines

Polk county

2nd Lt. Earl Ellis Macksey

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Oskaloosa

Mahaska County

Lt. Nick G. Morgan

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Anita

Cass County

2nd Lt. Duane D. Mowry

captured March 1945, Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Audubon

Audubon County

2nd Lt. Herbert D. Olson

co-pilot MIA 30 Nov 1944, Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Winfield

Henry County

1st Lt. R[obert]. W. “Bob” Phinney

pilot B-26, MIA 23 March 1945

over Holland

U.S. 9th Army Air Force

Council Bluffs

Pottawattamie County

2nd Lt. Theodore E. Pollard

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Boone

Boone County

SSgt. George S. Reese

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

Lt. David Roush

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Newton

Jasper County

1st Lt. Thomas M. “Tom” Shive

navigator

MIA 25 Nov 1944 over Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Cedar Rapids

Linn County

SSgt. Melvin K. Stark

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Carroll County

2nd Lt. Joseph F. Waters

(may have been in North 2 compound)

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Creston?

 

SSgt. Dale T. Westell

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Fort Dodge or
Nashua?

 

TSgt. Robert E. Wogatzke

top turret gunner B-17 “Sad Sack” shot down Zietz, Germany 30 Nov 1944

U.S. Army Air Force

527th Bomb Sqdn., 379th Bomb. Grp.

 

 

 

SOUTH COMPOUND

NAME

HOME TOWN

COUNTY

2nd Lt. Ivan Earl Beckwith

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Iowa City

Johnson County

2nd  Lt. Marion R. “Rocky”  Cessna

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Nevada

Story County

2nd Lt. Harold F. Dumse

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

New London

Henry County

2nd Lt. Robert W. Fillman

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

2nd Lt. Walter E. Garner

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

2nd Lt. Sheldon W. Hanneman

MIA April 1944

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Dunlap

Harrison County

2nd Lt. Donald G. Harrer

co-pilot B-17 Flying Fortress

MIA 11 Feb 1944 over Frankfurt

U.S. 8th Army Air Force

Mason City

Cerro Gordo County

2nd Lt. Arnold W. Hunger

MIA Dec 1943

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Mount Union

Henry County

2nd Lt. Robert F. Jones

captured Dec 1944

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Sioux City

Woodbury County

1st Lt. Robert R. Lent

parachuted out before plane exploded

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Marshalltown

Marshall County

2nd Lt. Verlyn E. McGraw

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

2nd Lt. William D. “Bill” Mehegan

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Cedar Rapids

Linn County

1st Lt. Dewitt A. Miller

bombardier, MIA 04 Jan 1944

over Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Kiron

Crawford County

2nd Lt. John Rasko

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Polk County

F/O Donald E. Robbins

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Newton

Jasper County

2nd Lt. Frank J. Sims

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Des Moines

Polk County

2nd Lt. William E. “Steve”  Stevenson

bombardier, Flying Fortress

downed 11 Jan 1944 over Germany

U.S. 8th Army Air Corps

Waterloo

Black Hawk County

2nd Lt. James F. Stone

MIA over Germany May 1944

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Bloomfield

Davis County

2nd Lt. Norman Dale Stuckey

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Udell

Appanoose County

Capt. Louis Eugene “Gene” Telpner

shot down, 18th mission, over Brunswick, Germany

U. S. Army Air Force

Council Bluffs

Pottawattamie County

2nd Lt. James Hugh Thomson

captured May 1944

Canadian Royal Air Force

Storm Lake

Buena Vista County

2nd Lt. Francis E. Wilson

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Greene County

 

WEST COMPOUND

NAME

HOME TOWN

COUNTY

SSgt. Chester A. Gillen

gunner on B-17

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Albia

Monroe County

SSgt. J. E. Hall

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Monona

Clayton County

SSgt. Guy R. Hemenway

transfer from Stalag Luft IV

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Dubuque

Dubuque County

SSgt. Richard C. Hodges

transfer from Stalag Luft IV

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

Capt. Howard C. Johnson

pilot B-17 shot down over Germany

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Council Bluffs

Pottawattamie Co.

SSgt. David Eugene “Dave” Lynch

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Clarksville

Butler County

Sgt. Fred W. Nicklas

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

 

SSgt. Donald E. Palmer

transfer from Stalag Luft IV

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Clinton County

 

UNKNOWN COMPOUND

NAME

HOME TOWN

COUNTY

SSgt. John Henry Bryner, Jr. *

tail gunner B-17 shot down over Ruhland, Germany 22 Mar 1945

U. S. 15th Army Air Force

20th Bomb Sqdn., 2nd Bomb Group

Ames

Story County

2nd Lt. Robert J. Duffy

co-pilot B-17

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

Iowa City

Johnson County

2nd Lt. Wayne L. Lough

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Keokuk County

SSgt. Eugene Norman Schwerdtfeger

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Butler County

Sgt. Raymond T. Walton

Heavy Bomber Group, AAF

 

Clinton County

* Pieces of SSgt. John Henry Bryner, Jr.’s B-17 Flying Fortress were discovered and unearthed near the village of Grossrschen in February of 2001. The citizens of that village wrote to Bryner, inviting him to come and visit them and view what had been recovered. The following September Bryner did just that. During this time Bryner learned the full story behind the fate of his other crew members who had bailed out of their burning plane on March 22, 1945. Nine did not survive the bail out and were buried by civilians near Schmogroer forest. Their bodies were recovered and returned to the United States in 1951. Bryner helped raise funds for a peace memorial which was erected and dedicated at Grossraschen, Germany, on the 60th anniversary to the exact time when his B-17 crashed. Bryner was present for the dedication. 

SOURCE: merkki.com/brynerjohn.htm by grandson John H. Bryner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOURCES:

Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, May 10, 1945, Page 10

www.merkki.com

WWII Prisoners of War database; WWII Draft Registration Cards database ~  ancestry.com

Various newspaper articles and obituaries