On 16 October 1944, Major General J.A. Ulio, the Adjutant General, followed up George Hawkins’ Missing in Action telegram with a letter. Similar letters to other next-of-kin family members of both the Buslee and Brodie crews were written between 15 and 17 October. Major General Ulio confirmed that George was missing in action and wrote that he would pass along additional information when it was received or within at least three months.

On 22 November 1944, Major E.A. Bradunas wrote to George Hawkins’ father, stating similar information that was imparted to the Henson family, but not until 8 December,

Further information has been received indicating that Lieutenant Hawkins was a crew member of a B-17 (Flying Fortress) bomber which departed from England on a combat mission to Magdeburg, Germany, on September 28^th. Full details are not available, but the report indicates that during this mission at about 12:10 p.m., in the target area, our planes were subjected to enemy antiaircraft fire and your son’s bomber sustained damage. Subsequently, the disabled craft dropped out of formation, fell into a spin and disappeared into the clouds. Inasmuch as further observation of this aircraft was impracticable, the crew members of accompanying planes were unable to furnish any other details relative to its loss.

In George’s previously mentioned letter in Part 2 to Frank Furiga, his “account of my 1944-45 visit to Germany,” George continued with information about his hospitalization and internment following his capture by the Germans after the mid-air collision.

Magdeburg

I remained here in the city for the remainder of the year [1944] … in the prison ward at the hospital while undergoing surgery and in the balcony of an old theatre where they housed several hundred injured from many nations. On October 6th they attempted to set my broken leg but an air raid interrupted their efforts and I came out of the anesthetic in the basement air raid shelter … the leg still not set. They finally got the job done on the 12th … and that deserves a little comment.

A Colonel, the chief of Surgery, at the hospital returned from leave the day before my second attempt at leg repair … he had just buried his wife and children who had been killed in an air raid. He needed to get back to work following his tragic experience and he found me. He decided he would perform the operation himself and did so … without anesthesia. I filed charges against him with the War Crimes Commission at a later date but nothing ever came of it. Magdeburg is still in the Russian zone. But, needless to say, POW time from that point on was a piece of cake.

In late November, I was returned to the hospital with a knee infection. The plaster cast was removed and they found a real mess. The leg would probably have to come off. But a young captain took charge and did a beautiful job. I’ve never been able to bend my knee since then but the leg is still there.

Military medical records in George’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) state that on 22 November 1944, he had an incisional drainage, abscess of the knee.

George noted in his post-war undated “Statement or Report of Interview with Recovered Personnel,” that while a prisoner of war, he,

Performed no duties, with one exception, as I was an ambulatory case in Magdeburg, I communicated with the British Man of Confidence at the local Stalag in regards to Red Cross parcel distribution. Advised British Medical Aid Man in Charge in clothing distribution.

On 6 November 1944, George wrote his father a letter conveying that he was in a German Prison Camp (Stalag XIA) and was is in the hospital being cared for by a French doctor and he was wearing a cast, which would be removed in a week. George also wrote two postcards to his father, dated 13 and 20 November.

George’s father did not receive the letter or postcards until 18 January 1945. A Battle Casualty Report confirms George Hawkins as a POW in Stalag 11A. Possibly, the hospital at Magdeburg was under the administration of Stalag XIA.

On 12 January 1945, George Hawkins began his transfer to the next hospital with an interrogation stop near Frankfort, Germany, travelling for two days.

Dulag Luft and Hohemark – 14 January to 17 January 1945

George arrived at the Frankfort railroad station on 14 January 1945. He spent the night at the railroad station, then was transported to Dulag Luft on 15 January, and to Hohemark Hospital on 16 January.

Dulag Luft was what the POWs called the German “Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe” or “Transit Camp of the Luftwaffe.” It was known as the greatest interrogation center in all of Europe and was located at Oberursel, about eight miles northwest of Frankfurt.

In George’s previously mentioned letter in Part 2 to Frank Furiga, his “account of my 1944-45 visit to Germany,” George continued with information about his hospitalization and internment.

DULOG LUFT & HALL MARK [DULAG LUFT AND HOHEMARK]

I departed from Magdeburg on January 12th and arrived in Frankfort two days later. I spent the night at the railroad station in a dungeon-like room about forty feet under ground and rode in a trolley car and a truck to Dulog Luft. A very short interrogation then up to Hall Mark the following day. I remember my interrogator who once worked for Western Electric and took bus 18 out of Newark each morning on his way to work. I had to admit that I didn’t know very much about Newark, New Jersey. I guess he just wanted to be friendly … right? One day later and we were on a hospital train to Obermassfeld.

In post-war documents, George also wrote of riding on a bus as one mode of his POW transportation between places in addition to the train rides and this mention of a trolley car and truck.

The Luftwaffe had taken over the Oberursel installation as a transit camp / interrogation center in December 1939. To meet the need for treatment for POWs who would need medical attention, camp authorities requisitioned part of Hohemark Hospital, one mile west of the interrogation center. The hospital ward for POWs was on one floor and was comprised of several rooms with sixty-five beds.

On 17 January 1945, George Hawkins was on a hospital train to Obermassfeld.

Stalag IX-C (9C), Obermassfeld (Reserve-Lazaret IX C (a)) – 18 January to 25 January 1945

According to a Wikipedia article about Stalag IX C and its associated hospitals, this POW camp was for Allied soldiers during WWII, rather than airmen. A large hospital, Reserve-Lazaret IX C (a), and a smaller hospital, Reserve-Lazaret IX C (b), were under Stalag IX C administration.

Obermassfeld Hospital #1249 served Stalag IX C (9-C) and was located in Obermassfeld (Obermaßfeld), Thuringia, Germany. Obermassfeld was the larger hospital under the administration of Stalag IX C, known as Reserve-Lazaret IX C(a). It was in a three-story stone building that was previously a Strength Through Joy hostel and was operated by British, Canadian, and New Zealand medical staff.

George Hawkins arrived at Obermassfeld on 18 January 1945 and spent one week there as a POW / patient.

In George’s previously mentioned letter in Part 2 to Frank Furiga, his “account of my 1944-45 visit to Germany,” George continued with information about his hospitalization and internment.

OBERMASSFELD

Arrived here on the 18th of January. The British doctors took xrays and I finally got a full understanding of my physical condition … for the first time. Here I met a number of people who I’m sure you knew also … Irving Metzger (no fingers) and T.S. McGee from Mississippi … the chaplain. McGee, George Brandon and I came out together … we toured Paris together. One week later, on January 25th, I was moved over to Meiningen.

Note: the Paris comments are regarding George’s stay in Paris following his liberation.

After receiving his son’s letter and postcards (written in November 1944) on 18 January 1945, George Hawkins’ father wrote to the Army Air Forces the next day, 19 January, informing them that he had heard from his son and telling them where George stated he was being held prisoner, German Prison Camp (Stalag XIA). Of course, by this date, George was no longer at Stalag XIA. He was at Obermassfeld, Reserve-Lazaret IX C (a), of Stalag IX-C, and soon to be moved again.

On 30 January 1945, Major E.A. Bradunas replied to George’s father’s letter. Major Bradunas stated that the military had not received a report that would “indicate that your son is in a German Prison Camp,” but that “we rejoice with you that you have received word directly from your son.”

It was the smaller hospital in Meiningen, Reserve-Lazaret IX C (b), where George Hawkins would spend the remainder of his captivity, another 2 3/4 months, during World War II. George had arrived on 25 January 1945 and years later, Frank Furiga, who was already a POW / patient at Meiningen, recorded his memory of meeting up with George Hawkins as POWs.

One evening, January 25th to be exact, we were sitting around at our ward tables playing cards, etc. There was a commotion as a new bunch of patients arrived. I looked at one man in particular and gasped. Here was George Hawkins from the 384th Bomb Group, a Navigator. The last time I saw him was when I was still riding in the tail of the Lead Planes. It was September 28th and we went to Magdeburg. It was a tough mission. George was the Navigator on the [Brodie-Vevle] crew and they collided coming off the target with the [Buslee-Albrecht] crew.

In George’s previously mentioned letter in Part 2 to Frank Furiga, his “account of my 1944-45 visit to Germany,” George also shared his memories from their time spent at Meiningen,

MEININGEN

Here we joined forces, Frank … so there is little I can tell you that you don’t already know. I do have a few dates [from 1945] noted so I will jot them down and see if they ring any bells:

• February 23, Bombing by USAF
• March 2, Bombing by RAF
• March 24, US fighter planes overhead
• March 26, Group of ambulatory POWs moved out of camp to the East, away from approaching allied troops. Group included Marty Horwitz and William Griffin.
• March 30, Shelling
• April 1, Guards gone. We have taken over the camp
• April 2, Obermassfeld liberated
• April 4, German guards returned by order of local commander
• April 5, LIBERATED by 11th Armored
• April 10, Departed camp

Liberation and Repatriation

On 8 May 1998, Frank Furiga shared his memories of the liberation and evacuation of the POW Hospital at Meiningen, Germany in a recording, which his son Paul shared with me. (Note: Frank’s dates and days of the week don’t properly align with the 1945 calendar, but I am publishing his story as he told it. In 1945, Easter was Sunday, 1 April.)

We had Easter services and there was a certain tenseness among all of us. We were all asked to come downstairs in the early evening and the Germans told us that they were turning the hospital over to us. Only the Chefarzt [physician in charge] was staying. He told us that we would have to protect ourselves against the civilians just in case some had ideas of vengeance. He asked we go back to our wards and await further developments. Some of the men had gone out and “liberated” guns from the local folks, how I don’t know.

On Monday, April 3rd, we learned that Obermassfeld had been liberated. That night there were a lot of heavy guns firing in the near distance. The German area commander had ordered our guards back to the hospital.

On Tuesday, the 4th, we were told that an observer had been placed in the top of the hospital tower to watch for the advancing Americans. A siren would sound and we were to go to the wine cellars.

Early on the morning of Wednesday the 5th, just after breakfast the siren sounded. We all went down to the wine cellars in an orderly group. Someone said they could see German civilians running for the air raid shelter. There was some mortar and machine gun fire but not cannons.

Around 2:30, someone shouted that American tanks were heading towards the hospital. We all ran upstairs and into the courtyard. I had just arrived to see a lead American tank come through the fence and stop. A major jumped down and he was immediately grabbed and hugged by our men. We learned that this was the 11th Armored Division of Patton’s 3rd Army.

Soldiers eventually came into the hospital proper and inventoried our food supply. They brought in lots of K-rations, a welcome change after our prisoner fare. A day later, the 26th Infantry Division came to the area. They brought in a large supply of potatoes much better than we had. They also “liberated” the brewery bringing many types of alcoholic beverages. There was a lot of celebrating going on and soon senior officers called a halt to that and the beverages were put under control.

It was such a relief to go to bed that night and know that the German Army in our area had been put down. Within a few days, the 26th Infantry Division had to move on and we had the 71st Infantry Division move into the area. We had a chance to visit with them and they were much interested in our stories. We now also had some fresh white bread brought in. It was a welcome change over the “ Soldaten Brot” which had been made with sawdust for storage purposes and we ate every day. The men of the 71st brought in lots of sabers and swords liberated. Also some of the men got some very fine German cameras, watches and other trivia.

On Sunday, the 9th we were told that we would be moving out via ambulances the next day. We were loaded early in the morning and were driven to a U.S. Army Field Hospital near Nidda, close to Frankfurt. We had a steak dinner that evening with all of the fixings. The white bread tasted like cake after what we had eaten before.

Here we would be loaded aboard C-47ʼs and flown to American Hospitals in England.

Here is where Frank Furiga and George Hawkins parted ways. Frank was flown to England while George was flown to Paris. Frank’s account continues here, with George’s path described next. Frank said,

I was in two hospitals in England because the first one we got to closed the very next day. The 2nd one was at Burford. They gave us good care,the nurses were superb and the doctors were understanding. I was there 3 weeks. I called my brother Michael with the Medical Corps down near Reading and he came to visit me the next day. I didnʼt have a penny to my name and he had to loan me money.

A group of us were sent up to a Prestwick, Scotland hospital to await a flight home. We flew through Iceland and New foundland via a C- 54 to Mitchell Field, Long Island. They told me since I was a POW, they would fly me to any hospital in the U.S.A. I asked for Deshon General at Butler, Pennsylvania.

They flew me to Pittsburgh and via an ambulance, I arrived at Deshon. By then it was May 16th. I was given a 30 day leave immediately to visit with my mother and two sisters. I went to Pawling, New York then and finally to Greensboro, North Carolina for discharge.

In a future post, I will cover Frank’s own story of how he became a POW in Germany.

In George’s previously mentioned letter in Part 2 to Frank Furiga, his “account of my 1944-45 visit to Germany,” George continued with information about his post-liberation movements,

POST MEININGEN

The ambulance convoy out of Meiningen took us to Hanau (94th Medical), then 58th Field hospital (?) and then it was a C47 to Paris (48th General) on April 12th … then back to the U.S. on April 23rd.

In his letter to Frank Furiga, George Marshall Hawkins noted his Liberation Date as 5 April 1945. He was liberated by the 11th Armored Division of Patton’s 3rd Army at Stalag IX-C (9C), Meiningen (Reserve-Lazaret IX C (b)). The larger hospital of Stalag IX-C at Obermassfeld (Reserve-Lazaret IX C (a)) was also liberated by the U.S. 11th Armored Division.

George departed Meiningen on 10 April 1945 by ambulance convoy. George’s first stop was the 94th Medical at Hanau, Germany, then to the 58th Field Hospital in Germany on 11 April 1945. He was then moved by C47 to the 48th General Hospital in Paris on 12 April.

On 18 April 1945, George received his transfer orders to the ZOI – Zone of Interior (United States of America). He was evacuated to the ZOI on 23 April 1945. He was repatriated on 24 April 1945 when he arrived back in the United States and was taken that day to Mitchell Field Station Hospital.

To be continued…