Hello Christoph!
I am so happy that you have returned!!! I even wrote Marion because I was worried about you! I was fearful that I might have said something wrong. You bring such life to this site! And so much news and wisdom! And humor too!
Currently my life got a little extra complicated and I will probably not be able to write for quite a few days. If I can squeeze a few minutes. in, I will try to jot down a few things.
One of the things I wanted to tell you is that Dryden, Stang, Cummings, Ahlgren, Kish and Lefever I believe were all on the one plane that was shot down on Dec. 23, 1944. I talked to Lefever many months ago. He was very gracious, but he did say it was difficult on him having these memories stirred up once again.
Lefever went to a POW Camp for AF types. It was a horribly tough place to be, based on his description and what I recall from our conversation. I have notes from the conversation but need to review them.
I was stunned and euphoric to say the least when I found that Robert F. Stang had been at Stalag 6G the Siegburg Lazaratt. He had a bad leg injury, but he in a way got lucky because he ended up at the Siegburg Hospital. He had 3 surgeries while at Siegburg and a Polish Dr. is mentioned in his papers. Gad, how horrible - was there anything to numb the pain? On one of the papers in his file it says his wife received a card or letter dated 1/15/45 - POW #13581. It was sent to Mrs. Fred H. Stang in Cranston RI. Steve copied a lot of the papers when we were in St. Louis and I need to go through them again.
Dad wrote home Jan. 3rd "Have all the boys writing their letters home - and this gives them something to do. For them laying in bed time goes by so slowly. I have most of my one legged boys up and around now doing odd jobs, making bandages, etc."
Of the letters Dad wrote home none are dated Jan. 15th.
Norton does not recall ever getting to write a letter home from Siegburg. If that is the case, Dad must have arranged that those that were in the worse shape and were up in the hospital, got the limited paper (he referred to that in another letter) to write home.
I did a quick search in Mass. and Rhode Isl. for some descendants of Stang, but did not have much time. I found a little obit. for a Robert F. Stang from 2001 I think. That made me very sad. My guess is that his time at Siegburg was so uncomfortable that he never discussed it with his family. He was married when he went into the service and had no children at that time. He was in the hospital a lot after his return to the States. I would love to pursue his family and maybe that letter from Siegburg still exists and maybe they do have stories to share.
I updated Norton on the Stang information. He is so interested in how everything is progressing. He urges me to rush because of the ages that these men are approaching!
Christoph, have you ever met Otto Carius? Is he close by? Is it something we should consider doing?
Gad, I could write forever, but must say, Bye,
JJ