The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-06-22

officer, who has since been re-
patriated.
Earl Landes lives in Los Angeles,
and he has received the letter from
Lieutenant Robert c. Barton from
the Walter Reed General hospital
in Washington.
| Leonard Landes was shot down
over Germany and has been a cap
tive for seven or eight months.
The letter is as follows:
There is attached an article
which is, l believe, self-explanatory,
Il hope it will assist you in OBJ
tanning some idea of what life in
prisoner of war camp is like.
While in Germany I met your
son who was in the same combine
with me.
He spends much of his time
cooking and is quite good at the job
since having cooked in the army
previous to his entering the air
corps.
He also spends some time making
useful trinkets for communal use
Before l left I promised that I
would write to you telling you that
he is in the best of health and he
asks that you please not worry about
him.
Upon being shot down he was
not injured whatsoever, for which
you should be very thankful be-
cause many of the boys do not get
out without being injured.
The article.
Il am Lieutenant Robert c. Bar
ton, one of IS repatriates returned
to America from Germany on March
Is, 1914 about the Swedish ship, The
Gripsholm.
Il was shot down over Bremen.
Germany, on April II, 1943, and
after spending the first six months
Of my captivity in the hospitals at
Hanover. Frankfurt and Main. OBJ
ermasfeld (Which is south of Leip-
Zig, and the hospital at Salag Luft
| III, | was taken to the camp proper
where | spent the remainder of my
/ 10i2 months.
Immediately before leaving the
camp l received addresses of par
ents. wives and sweethearts from
the boys and promised that | would
| contact them, either personally or
by letter, as soon as | arrived in the
States.
Since have SO many letters TO
write, / thought it would be better
to write a general description Of
camp life and send each family a
copy.
by doing this, you will get a
more accurate account than you
would should I attempt to write
individual letters giving details.
/ ''Stalsg Luft III is located at Sa-
! gan, 100 miles southeast Of Berlin,
and is composed of single story
barracks which are enclosed by
barb wire.
Some of the barracks have been
converted into Individual rooms and
when left, the balance of the bar
racks were in this process
Each barracks houses approx
mately 100 men who have divided
themselves into combines ranging
from 6 to 10 members.
'sThe camp has its own organiza
tions with American officers il
charge of food, clothing, recreation
library and school.
"Of course, all of these are under
the supervision of the Germans.
The only Germans who actually
come into the camp are those wht
have special jobs such as the com
handing officer guards, and Ger
man trash details.
consequently, the American boy.
lead their own lives, unmolested By
the Germans
\ The recreation grounds are large
/ enough for baseball, football ant
basketball. thus enabling ethe mel
to get sufficient exercise.
Even though the food isn't tn,
type which we get here in America
it is sufficient.
The German food is supplement
ed by British, Canadian and Amer
lean Red Cross food parcels.
These parcels consist of canned
: meats, beans, cheese, powdered
milk, nestles, condensed milk, crack
ers, chocolates, sugar, custards am
dried fruits.
The British, Canadian and Amer
lean Red eros also supply clothin!
such as socks, shoes, underwear
trousers, shirts and overcoats.
This does not mean that yol
should not send clothing in you
personal parcels.
: For most of the boys the mai
situation IS quite good.
They receive both letters ant
personal parcels in due time.
However, due to the fact tina
some of them are first in hospitals
their mail is usually congested an,
it takes some time for it TO reacl
them.
If letters are sent via Clippe
n Ito prisoners of war at the rate 0
&c per II ounce), they will be re
! ceived a month or more earlier.
Before | left, most Of the boy
3 requested me to ask their familie
8 to enclose pictures in their letter
\ as well as all the news from home
3 The personal parcels are vel
{ coined by all.
AT first some Of the boys aske
for blankets, not knowing tina
y there were Red Cross blankets i
d camp for them.
: Il think it advisable to substi
tute food and smaller articles q