306th Bombardment Group 06/13/1943
Name: Staff Sargeant Glen Loveland, Jr., 1532077.
Duty: Ball Turret Gunner, B-17.
Organization: 423 Bombardment Squadron
306 Bombardment Group
Station: Thairlye, England.
Home Address: 1833 west Fourth Street, Ashtabula, Ohio.
Age: 20.
On Sunday, June 13, 1943, Loveland’s group took off to attack the sub pens at Brennan, Germany. Immediately after dropping their bombs on the target, they were hit by flak, knocking out all controls. The ship was trimmed up and the order to bail out given. The co-pilot, Second Lieutenant Van Troyen, jumped into a burst of flak and was killed. Eight others succeeded in getting out of the ship, leaving the bombardier unaccounted for. Nine parachutes were seen, including that of the dead co-pilot. The aircraft was observed to crash and burst into flames outside the city. On the way down Loveland realized that he would have very little opportunity to evade capture when he hit the ground. He therefore discarded his automatic while descending. As he hit the ground, five farmers, armed with pitchforks, were waiting for him. He made no attempt to get away from them but indicated that he wanted to be taken prisoner. Three of these men wanted to kill him on the spot with their forks. They were held back, however, by the other two who intended to turn him over to the military. About five minutes later a German vehicle, driven by an officer, approached across the field, and at the same time Loveland saw his pilot being brought in from another direction under guard. The officer immediately searched them on the spot, confiscating their money, military watches and escape kits. The place where they landed is about 2 kilometers outside the city of Brennen. After this hurried search both were put into a vehicle and taken to a staff office nearby. Here they were jointed by the six other crew members who had descended safely. The co-pilot’s body was unrecognizable, but his dog tags were found, identifying him. About six or seven German officers were in the staff office. They immediately began maltreating the prisoners, hitting, cuffing, slapping them, and even jabbing them with their rifle butts. The prisoners sustained no real injuries and apparently the attack was one of spiteful rage for the successful bombing. This session with these officers lasted for about an hour and a half. The prisoners were then searched, being forced to strip and submit to a detailed search of their bodies. After this they were given back their clothing and then driven through the streets of Brennen in a truck for about four hours, the officers in charge searching for a prison which they were not able to locate. When they found the prison, each was put into a single cell. The cells were very clean, about 12 by 10 feet, and containing the following furniture: a bed with a sheet and one blanket, and a stool. There was a barred window which gave on a courtyard. They were well guarded here. They only stayed in these cells for about four hours when they were again put into a truck and taken a short distance away to a similar prison. Here they remained over night. In the morning the eight crew men were taken in a truck to a railway station in Brennen. They waited for about an hour at the station for their train, during which time they observed many well dressed people going about their business. They attracted some little attention, and one group of civilians approached, making threatening gestures, apparently desirous of relieving their guards and taking matters into their own hands. The guards, SS troops, did not permit the civilians to molest the soldiers. They boarded the train, four men to a compartment, each with two guards. They were being taken to Frankfurt. The trip took approximately 48 hours, and enroute they were fed by the German Red Cross, the food being sufficient at all times. At Frankfurt they detrained and were marched to a camp 2 ½ miles from the town. As near as Loveland can approximate, the pronunciation of this town, it was Dulacle. During the march through the streets of Frankfurt to the camp, they created a stir among the civilians along the route. Some of these people stoned them, called them names, made threatening gestures, and some threw them the V-for-Victory sign. The guards made no attempt to control the civilians. Their camp was a barbed wire enclosure with one building into which they led. Officers in charge explained to them in English that here they were to be interrogated and that no harm would come to them if they answered all questions that were put. All their military clothing was taken away and all possessions which had escaped previous searches were confiscated. For these they signed receipts. Each man was then led to a cell where he was detained in solitary confinement. The calls were very poor. They contained three boards to be used as a bed, one blanket, no mattress, and very inadequate toilet facilities. Food was very bad -- one meal a day. They were awakened at 5 a.m., brought ersatz coffee, nothing more. At 2:30 they were brought their lunch, consisting of soup and about a quarter loaf of hard, stale bread. Interrogations began the following day. Interrogations followed the procedure that has been recorded in many instances before. The interrogator would begin by giving the prisoner a history of his training and all his duty stations in the United States. For example, Loveland was told that he had gone to gunnery school at Las Vegas, Nevada, which was correct. He was told also that he had been inducted at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, which fact also tallied. Then he was given the history of his organization in England. He was told what raids the group had been on, what their losses had been, condition of their aircraft, names of key personnel in the organization, and also informed that an S-2 officer in the group was in league with them, supplying this information. He was also shown rosters of personnel in the squadrons, but he did not recognize the names. Interrogation was exhaustive but never conducted in a threatening manner, although frequently they were promised better treatment if they answered questions. Loveland himself made no attempt to lie, gave only his name, rank and serial number, and refused to say whether the things he was being told were correct or incorrect. For this reason his interrogation lasted only 3 days. Other men were interrogated up to 14 days. Those who weakened and agreed to talk to the Germans, Loveland says, were usually men in a spent physical condition and afraid of what the future might hold. How much information of any value to the enemy they were able to get Loveland does not know. The time was about 17 June and there were 55 fliers at this camp. Each day each prisoner was met by two different interrogators, always an officer ranking from first lieutenant to major. At the end of 8 days, Loveland’s interrogation ceased, and when the other seven had been interrogated as much as the Germans thought necessary, they were all taken to an English camp 500 yards from where they were. This camp contained four wooden barracks inside a barbed wire enclosure. The barracks were clean, one-storey affairs, accommodating four men to a room, ten rooms in each. The enlisted men and officers were seggregated. Up to this time each crew member had been kept in solitary confinement, permitting no discussion with the others. Now they were permitted to mingle with each other and converse freely. The rooms were furnished with two tables and a chair and four bunks built against the wall. They had one blanket apiece and mattresses furnished by the German Red Cross. While here they were fed very well. At the end of a week the enlisted men were taken in a group and marched to the station. Their officers remained. At the station they were put into very filthy 40 and 8 box cars which had recently been used for transporting cattle. They were packed 50 men to a car. Their destination was Stalag 17B at Mosberg, approximately 45 kilometers west of Munich. The trip took them four days. Enroute they were furnished on the first day with the following rations which were to last them for the entire journey: One loaf of bread to each 5 men, one can of ground beef to each 5 men, one small slab of margarine apiece. Twice during the trip the German Red Cross met their train and gave them some good hot soup. At Mosberg all nationalities were confined in the prison camp in separate compounds. The guards here were very brutal. They were returned soldiers from the Russian front and hated all the prisoners. The camp was laid out in the form of a large rectangle, having down the center a central street running the entire length of the area. This street was fenced off from the compounds by barbed wire. Each compound itself was also surrounded by double rows of barbed wire. Each compound itself was also surrounded by double rows of barbed wire and at each corner were guard towers. Inside the area of each compound was a trip wire. The prisoners were instructed that if they went beyond the trip wire, they would be shot by the guards in the tower. In the American compound the trip wire passed over the edge of a baseball diamond and during baseball games men would sometimes forget the wire in their excitement of trying to retrieve a long hit. The guards fired upon them at any time they crossed the wire. The range was close and always the men were killed with one shot. While Loveland was at the camp, ten Americans were killed in this manner. Opposite the American compound was a Russian compound. Treatment of the Russians was very bad. They were given very little food and most of them were starving. At times the American would try to throw food across from their compound into the Russian area. When the food would fall short, the men inside, crazed with hunger, would make an attempt to retrieve the food and would be shot by the guards. The usual daily ration for the Americans was one slab of margarine about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long, a piece of jam every other day, a quarter of a loaf of bread each day, and soup once a day. In the morning they were given ersatz coffee. At noontime the prisoners had to eat out of their Red Cross parcels. After the first week here Loveland began saving most of his food and planning to escape. As the food was inadequate, treatment bad, and the entire set-up in the camp very unpleasant, Loveland made up his mind that he would get out. From a Frenchman he managed to steal a pair of wire cutters, and picking a foggy night about July 1, he cut his way out. While the guard was at the far end of his post Loveland cut the near wires and then crept back and hid in the shadows. The guard returned to the end that Loveland had picked and then turned again and began the trip to the far end. As soon as he was out of earshot, Loveland crept through the first hole, cut the outer wires, squirmed through, and got out into the fields. He remained at large in the fields around Munich for a week and a half, living off the country, stealing what food he could and generally keeping himself inconspicuous. At this time he was dressed in a pair of GI overalls. Primarily the purpose of this escape was not so much to get away from the Germans as it was to get out and reconnoiter the area nearby to see just what the possibilities of living off the country were and to prove to himself that it could be done. After his week and a half in the country and with a full stomach, Loveland returned. He came back in the morning and the guards on duty at the gate ordered him away. He wanted to get back inside, so he spent some little time trying to convince them that he was a prisoner of war. They finally took him in, checked his story, and found that it was true. He received four days solitary confinement for this, but no other punishment was given him. The guards were rather amused and could not understand why he had come back. This time Loveland stayed in camp for three weeks collecting a food supply from his Red Cross packages. One morning when the Red Cross truck was in the American compound unloading parcels, Loveland climbed up under the bed of the truck and hid himself between an air compressor and the chasis. In due time the truck drove out, and as his position was rather uncomfortable and he thought probably dangerous, he jumped off when the truck slowed down about one kilometer from the camp. He was immediately spotted by civilians who shouted. The Red Cross truck stopped, picked him up and returned him to camp. For this he received 10 days solitary confinement. After his second escape, he stayed in camp for about three or four weeks and then tried again. He had information that the prisoners in the Serbian compound were mostly old men and not very well guarded. He also understood that they had some tools. He bribed the guard on duty at the American compound with ten cigarettes to let him into the main street. Then for ten more cigarettes he bribed the guard on duty at the Serbian compound to let him in there. He was accompanied this time by a Canadian. In the Serbian compound Loveland secured an old pair of wire cutters and waited until night before attempting to leave. About midnight he crept out of the Serbian compound into a severe downpour. Reaching the inner wire at the far corner of the compound, they cut the first strand. With the first snip the cutters broke, alarming the guard and preventing a successful departure. The lights around the area all came on and both men were afraid they would be shot. The Canadian, paralyzed with fear, stayed where he was, flattening himself out on the ground. Loveland crept to the corner of a building and hid there. The guard came down and found him and both were captured without incident. They were taken to the main office and here the food they had collected for their trip was distributed to the guards. Loveland says he was browned off to see “all that good cheese go to waste”. They both got six days solitary for this. While in solitary Loveland became very annoyed with the whole set-up and decided to give his captors a little more trouble. Using cigarettes supplied by friends, he bribed his way out of solitary and into the English compound. He had heard that the English were under orders to leave for a new area somewhere near the Russian front. His half-formed plan was to attempt an escape from the train enroute. While he was in the English compound he received word that the United States compound were also going to move. By bribing one man in the main office he had his records transferred from the file of escaped prisoners back to the American file. He then moved from the English compound by bribery again back to the American compound. About September 15 the Americans were moved. There were about 3200 enlisted American personnel, all of whom had either parachuted or crash-landed on German territory. This time their destination was Krems, Austria, five days travel by box car. The trip was without incident. No opportunity for escaping from this train presented itself during the ride. Loveland saw much bomb damage and says the German railroad system, even then, was in very bad shape. Several times the train halted while new tracks were laid in front of them. The engine broke down several times during the trip also. Food during the trip was fairly good but they could have used more. What was given to them was furnished by the German Red Cross. At Krems the camp contained all nationalities, again in separate compounds. Only enlisted men of the Air Forces were in the American compound. The camp itself was upon a mountain about 8 kilometers from the city. Treatment was good and food sufficient. Hundreds of German officers in various uniforms mingled with the prisoners here for the purpose of obtaining information. Their tactics were very smooth and usually they tried to get a man into an argument of some kind to elicit information. At the end of two weeks in Krems Loveland was already planning another escape. Information was received in the camp through guards and from prisoners who had gone into town for packages that some civilians might be found who would aid an escapee. Therefore, about October 5, at 9 p.m., Loveland again got out of Krems by cutting wires. From Krems he hit off into the fields in the direction of St. Polaton. Around St. Polaton he got lost in the mountains for about a week and finally wandered into _enterdenustalt. He contacted French workers who took him in, gave him clothing and food and maps. They hid him for a day and then he started on his way again. He made his way to Mattersburg and while walking through the town during the day he approached a house and asked a woman inside for something to eat and a place to sleep. She evidently recognized him as an escapee and said that he could not stay in her house but she sent a little boy to direct him to a house where he would be kept. The little boy took him right to the police station and he was jailed again. At the police station he was visited by a woman who brought her two girls of about 18 years of age. The woman explained that these girls had parents in the United States; and after asking a few questions about conditions in the United States and events leading up to his capture, the woman asked him point-blank whether he wanted to escape again. He said yes and she said she would return and help him. She came back and gave him a shovel, and that night there was only one old guard on duty. The jailer, when he departed, unlocked the door and tossed Loveland a knowing wink. The guard fell asleep. Loveland left his cell, broke down part of the wall, and crept out. This time he crossed into Hungary where, at the border, he ran into some miners. The miners had no particular interest in him but gave him some food and informed him that he was in Hungary. He then said he was an escaped prisoner trying to make his way back to the American forces. In the group of miners one was a Nazi. He hurried away and informed the local police. The police returned and took Loveland into custody, marching him to the city of Sopron. From Sopron he was taken to Eomaron, where he was put into the POW camp. Here he stayed for a month, during which time he was interrogated once of twice. The camp at Eomaron was composed principally of Russians with a few Italian Fascists thrown in. Loveland was actively disliked by all the other prisoners in this camp and he believes that if it would have been possible for either the Russian or the Fascists to kill him, that they would gladly have done so. On one occasion he was told by an Italian that there was another American in one of the buildings. He followed the Fascist to the second floor where he was met by another Fascist and they attempted to throw him out of the window. Realizing that his position was very insecure and highly dangerous, he complained to a Hungarian colonel about the treatment he was receiving. He informed the colonel that he was an American officer and as such was entitled to all the privileges befitting his rank. The colonel was very sympathetic and arranged to have him transferred to another camp. From this time on Loveland stuck to his story of being a commissioned officer. He was then taken to another camp about five miles from the village of Szondathaly. Here the treatment was very good. Clothing was supplied by the Red Cross in Budapest and by Hungarian and Swiss legations. Also at this camp he met a lieutenant, Richard Bridges, with whom he remained for the rest of the time of his journey. At Sondathaly Loveland and Bridges stayed for a month and a half. The camp personnel was composed of high-ranking Polish officers, about 150 of them. Their status was not exactly that of POW but more like that of an internee. They had their families in the town and were permitted to visit them with very little supervision. Also, for the two prisoners relative freedom was obtained. They were permitted to go into the town almost whenever they wanted to, until one day Loveland was caught in the act of buying a knapsack. After this whenever they went into town they were guarded and watched over very closely. Loveland drummed up an excuse to get into town while planning their next escape. He said he had to go to the dentist. He and his guard went into the town, the guard remaining at a wine shop. Loveland actually had to have a tooth pulled as proof of a visit and to allay any suspicion.
Their escape was arranged entirely by a Polish underground organization. The initial contact was made by the Poles, and all arrangements were made by them. On the night of January 15 they walked out of the camp, and in the company of a Polish guard took an 8:15 train for the town of Szondathely. The Polish guard was armed. They arrived at about 9 o’clock and waited until midnight for a train to Budapest. They reached Budapest at 9 the next morning and were taken to the home of the Pole who had escorted them. Supplies had been arranged for and were awaiting them at this house. They ate in restaurants in Budapest with this Pole and several others who were helping them. They were given money by the Poles. A woman who spoke English took them into the shops of Budapest and bought clothes for them. They were then taken to the leader of the organization who did not reveal his name or his identity. By him they were given $50 in green seal U. S. currency and 5000 kulas, Serbian currency. They were also supplied with forged papers stamped with Hungarian military seals and they were listed as Poles on these passes. They were taken then to visit an English colonel and a Reverend Sinovani (spelling of this name is approximately from Loveland’s pronunciation). The English colonel had been a German POW and had escaped into Hungary. The colonel said he had plans to aid escapers. He had a radio set up at the reverend’s house and was in contact with the Allies. About this time the Poles brought in a Dutch officer whom they said would leave with Bridges and Loveland. The two Americans gave the Dutch officer $40 in green seal U. S. Currency and 5000 kulas. That night they took the train, with one of the Poles, and arrived the following morning at the town which may have been Baca-Vaskut (Loveland does not exactly remember this). One of the Poles had gone on ahead to make arrangements for their reception when the train arrived and they were met by a girl of about 18. She took the three of them to her home. That night, after getting their packs and food and having cleats put on their shoes for the trip over the mountain, they left with six Hungarian guides and two Poles. At the border they were caught by four Hungarian guards. They treated them roughly and took them all back to the town they had just left. Here they were placed under guard in the cellar beneath the Governor’s mansion. One of the Poles managed to escape because he had given a fictious story and could not afford to have it checked. They were interrogated here in the hope that they would reveal the names and details of the organization which had brought them through. They told nothing, however, and the following day they were taken by train to _ecs where they were put in a very modern prison. The administration of the prison was not good. Women were incarcerated with men in the same cells. They were told here that they were going to be severely punished. However, they were also given to understand that if they told more about their escape and the people involved in it, that their treatment would be very good. After two days during which they refused to answer any questions, they were taken back to Eomaron and put into the Russian POW camp from which they had first left. However, this time their treatment was much better, as they were permitted each day to go into town for four hours. Loveland says that at this time they were leading not a bad life. The Hungarian colonel came up on a routine inspection from Budapest (the same colonel to whom Loveland had complained previously about conditions) and he sent for them and told them that their attempt to escape was very silly. At this time the Dutch Officer who had remained with them was bought out of the camp by the Reverend mentioned above. Three weeks later Loveland and Bridges were taken to a POW camp at Siklos. This camp was for punitive purposes; however, the only punishment was confinement. They were permitted no liberty such as they had enjoyed at Szondathely. They stayed here for a month and a half, the time now being about March. Also in this camp were eleven other Americans. Their food was very good and their treatment by the guards also good. About this time the Germans occupied Hungary and took over the prisoners without permission from the Hungarian government. They were sent down to Baluner together, where they were put into a large POW camp. It was impossible for them to estimate the number of prisoners at this camp, but there were Partisans and other nationalities fighting against the Nazis. They were here for two weeks when the USAAF came over and bombed Belgrade. Their camp was not in the target area exactly, but it was across the river from Belgrade. The camp was entirely destroyed by the bombing and about 500 prisoners were killed, no Americans among them, however. Bridges was wounded during the attack. They later decided that those hits in the camp were the result of salvos with perhaps a few hits attributed to inaccurate bombing. There was much confusion in the camp because of the attack. Men were dying all around from hits, as there was no cover, and a mass break took place. Bridges and Loveland made their way into the country and after wandering along for about a week, they approached a shepherd in the fields and asked him for cigarettes. The shepherd himself was a Partisan and he recognized them for what they were and put them in touch with the Partisan organization. They remained with various Partisan bands for about three months, playing hide and seek with German patrols and moving about frequently from place to place. Loveland does not know definitely of any of the cities he was in during his time in Yugoslavia. He was unable to locate himself on a map of the area. On July 20 they were evacuated by a C-47, piloted by a British crew. They arrived in Bari about 0330 the morning of July 20.
While Loveland was in Germany he stressed the fact that there are many people who will help an evader. He made it a practice always to get in touch with French workers who were usually wholly in sympathy with his efforts. They fed him and also procured forged identity cards. Another point that Loveland wishes to stress is the absolute necessity to keep secret plans for escape. Not only are there many spies in circulation within these prison camps, but when too many people know that a man is planning to escape, the chances of the plans being kept from the Germans are just that much smaller. Loveland advises a man to escape by himself. When he is alone he is not held back by another and there is never any doubt about what his next move is going to be.
APPENDIX “A”
Loveland is not too sure of the names of people who helped him, but the English colonel’s name (whom he met in Hungary) is Itosky, and the Reverand’s wife is a Countess Sigray. Loveland says, however, that much of this information may possibly be supplied by Lieutenant Bridges, he made an attempt to remember these things.
Interrogated by:
JACKSON W. ELLIOTT
1st Lt, Air Corps.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Glen Loveland of the 306th Bombardment Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Glen Loveland's combat experience.
Do you have WWII memorabilia that you are not sure what to do with it? The children don't want it? Then let us help you preserve this history by donating these items to the Army Air Corps Library and Museum.
We are accepting donations in the form of uniforms, medals, ribbons, patches, photos, memorabilia, papers, gear and equipment.
We also accept monetary donations to support our operations and long term plans.
This website is part of the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, and as a 501(c)(3) Non-profit, your qualifying donations are tax deductible.
Contact us if you are contemplating a donation of any kind.
Are you an AAC, AAF or USAF Veteran, family member, historian or WW2 enthusiast? We Need YOU! Contact us today to see how you can help the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, a Texas Not-For-Profit Corporation.
We need your help! We are looking for volunteers that can help us with the following tasks.
(1) Typing and Transcriptionists: One of our big projects is extracting data from the thousands of documents we have and putting this data into a database where we can display the information on a website such as this one. (2) Photography and Document Scanning.
We are looking for photos, documents and other types of artifacts including uniforms and gear of the 8th Air Force in World War II as well as other units and commands. We accept electronic/scans or originals of pictures and paper records. A General Order could be an award document that contains information on many servicemen. Special Orders may contain transfers or other information. Flight records, accident reports, maintenance logs, after action reports, pilot encounter reports, diaries and biorgraphies; all of these types of documents help us support or mission: preserving your history! Contact us today for instructions on sending us this material.