| The following is the statement sworn to and signed by John Murphy upon his return to the 97th Squadron after his escape from a German prison camp in Italy in 1944. —DMT |
97th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (1) ARMY AIR FORCES
A.P.O.
STATEMENT
At approximately 2:30 P.M. on March 27, 1944 at Isoletta, Italy,
which lies a few miles northeast of Cassino we encountered intense flak.
The aircraft received a burst in the left horizontal stabilizer and engine.
We slipped to our left engine picked up again and we started to climb back
into formation when we were hit in the right engine and wing. I believe
that the wing and engine were blown off as later when we viewed the wreckage
they were gone. We immediately started to spin to the right. Sgt. Kuckenbecker’s
flak suit was badly torn in the back, but he was not hit. We bailed out and
were immediately picked up by the Germans from the “Flak Batteries”.
After being captured we drove a few miles down the road where we
met our pilot 2nd. Lieut. William E. Hardy, 0-798293. The Germans took our
name, rank and serial number, and also made a list of our personal effects.
They took our wallets and other papers, but let us keep our watches, rings, etc.
Later, in the Prison Camp, my wallet was returned minus a few dollars and my
“Short Snorter Bills”. I believe that this was taken for a souvenir.
After driving a few miles we were joined by S/Sgt. Sylvester E.
Frankhouser, 6749186, who informed us that in his aircraft Lieut. Marshall
K. Cockrill, 0-730867, and S/Sgt. Robert M. Bartlett, 16036411, were both
killed and that S/Sgt. Ritchie A. Love, 13041853, had broken both his ankles
and left thigh and was burned about the face and hands.
We drove still further down the road and then I was taken to a small
hospital where they treated me for slight facial burns around my eyes and a
few minor flak wounds in my hands and left leg. This was the last I saw of
Lieut. Hardy, S/Sgt. Frankhouser, or Sgt. Bruce L. Kuckenbecker, 39552001.
I was then taken to L’Aquila, Italy, where the Germans have a hospital
within a few hundred yards from a transient prison camp. They treated me
for about a week and kept me at L’Aquila for about three weeks and then
transferred me to Latterina, Italy, which is a few miles northwest of Arettzo,
Italy. I was there for about a month and on May 10th, 1944, I succeeded
in escaping by myself in a box of garbage which is taken from the camp every
day or so about 10:30 A.M. I travelled south a few miles where I stayed
in the hills with the Italians until July 11th, 1944, when a Belgian and
myself finally succeeded in passing through the German lines at night.
The Belgian and myself reported to the English Headquarters Command
where we were questioned and showed them where some Germans had their heavy
guns and mortars located, also where the Germans were living in the houses
in our area. We were then sent back from the front to Rome where I was
informed that I was to report to Naples. I succeeded in reaching the 97th
Bombardment Squadron area at 9:00 PM on the night of July 16, 1944.
[signed]
JOHN H. MURPHY, 18133844
Sgt. 97th Bomb Sq. (1),
47th Bomb Gp. (1) AAF.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of July, 1944.
[signed]
Harold F. Olsen,
Captain, Air Corps,
Adjutant.