Captured

After bailing out of his plane, Wayne landed in a farmer's field and was immediately met by laborers wielding pitchforks and was taken prisoner. He had sprained his ankle, though he couldn't recall when or how it happened. He was sent to a field hospital in Wittstock where his ankle was set in a splint.

"May 25 (Thu) - Left the hospital and traveled in the back of an old truck (had a Goodrich tire, made in England, as a spare). Ride was pretty tough on Huffer and Cousins all because it was so bumpy and the truck went pretty fast. Arrived at the next hospital at Neuruppin, I guess its about 50 miles North of Berlin. We were separated from Morgan there, that left six of us."

"May 26 (Fri) - Lay in bed all day. Other prisoners waited on us. Doctors visited us twice during day."

"May 27 (Sat) - Lay in bed all day. Camp full of French, Checks, Yugoslavs, Italians, and Russians."

"May 28 (Sun) - Still confined to bed. Doctors came in and examined us every day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon."

"May 29 (Mon) - Had a good dinner yesterday, a bowl of potato and some meat."

"May 30 (Tue) - Meals are terrible except for last Sunday dinner. We get two slices of bread for breakfast and same for supper."

"May 31 (Wed) - At dinner we got a bowl of soup which tastes like paste. Pretty hungry most of time."

"June 1 (Thu) - Still confined to bed. Ankle still pains and its swollen to enormous size."

"June 2 (Fri) - Doctors still come in twice a day. One is a major and the other is a first lieutenant."

"June 3 (Sat) - Still on same diet. Prisoners provide us with cigarettes and raisins from their R.C. packages."

"June 4 (Sun) - Had a bowl of potato, and a meat patty for dinner. Other two meals were same as usual."

"June 5 (Mon) - Got up and exercised my legs today. Ankle still hurts pretty bad and still swollen."

"June 6 (Tue) - Left hospital at Neuruppin at 6:00 AM. Had to walk about a mile to R/R station and then were two hours early and had to wait. Only Barkman, Scully, and I are left together now. Huffer, Padlo, and Cousins are still in the hospital. My ankle still hurts very bad and cracks at every step. Arrived at Berlin station at noon. There were five of us and only two guards. The people gave us dirty looks and started mobbing up and following us around, but didn't bother us because we were all limping and on crutches. I found out later they had taken one crew and hung every one except the pilot who was already pretty well out of commission because of a broken leg. Later, other prisoners coming through the station reported seeing nine men hanging in the station. We were taken to Berlin municipal airport where we were searched and locked up for four or five hours. We were given a plate of spaghetti with sauce to eat. Left for Dulag Luft at Oberursel near Frankfurt (Main) to be interrogated. Spent overnight on the train. Guards fell asleep but train was full of soldiers and no chance of escape. They ate all their rations and most of ours so we were pretty hungry. They gave us four slices of bread and a small piece of sausage and some margarine."

"June 7 (Wed) - My birthday. Arrived today at Dulag Luft at Oberursel at about 7:00 AM. I was put in solitary confinement after I was searched in room 1B and interrogated in room 46. They took all our flying equipment and everything except our personal things and they stole or misplaced half of them. I was interrogated by a captain around noon but I wouldn't tell anything except my name, rank, and ASN. In afternoon was taken to room 46 and interrogated by two majors. Still wouldn't say anything and he threatened to turn me over to secret police as a spy since I refused to identify myself other than name, rank, and ASN. Only had four slices of bread and a bowl of soup (or paste) all day all the time I was there. After the major threatened me with the gestapo, said if I changed my mind during the night to call room 46."

"June 8 (Thu) - Spent all day in solitary. In afternoon was called to room 46 and interrogated by the two majors again. I still wouldn't tell them anything. Finally, they told me everything about myself and then let me go and said I'd leave the camp that evening. Every evening our shoes were taken away from us and left outside the door."

"June 9 (Fri) - Solitary confinement all day. Didn't see anyone except guard who brought the bread. In all the searchings they took three keys on a ring, my flying pants (fur), my leather gauntlets, escape kit, one handkerchief, package of gum, package of cigarettes, and one dog tag."

"June 10 (Sat) - Left Dulag Luft on train for Wetzlar about 7:00 AM. Had to walk about two miles to train. My ankle still hurts when I walk. Arrived at Wetzlar and had to walk about three miles to camp. Was searched and received Red Cross (RC) package. I had a shower and ate the best meal since I got shot down. It was because they received Red Cross packages and not because the Germans gave us anything except a few potatoes and one slice of bread per meal. We had a consolidated meal there. The food was good, but not entirely filling. We were allowed to send a postcard home through the RC so that was all that I could do for a gift for Rita on our fifth anniversary."

"Dear Rita, Well this isn't much of an anniversary present, but I imagine you're anxious to hear from me. The Red Cross is taking good care of us, and I am in excellent health. Don't worry about a thing. I'll write again very soon, and give you my permanent address. I wasn't hurt a bit. Love, Wayne"

"June 11 (Sun) - Went to a Sunday meeting by an English bombardier who was a minister."

"June 12 (Mon) - Spent all day sunning myself and sleeping. Food still OK."

"June 13 (Tue) - Barkman and Scully left for their permanent camp today. I was the only one left."

"June 14 (Wed) - Just rested up for next trip, waiting for enough to make a shipment. About 100 officers lived in tents with straw mattresses on ground with three blankets. About 14 men in tent 18' x 14'."

"June 15 (Thu) - Left Wetzlar Dulag for permanent camp at 10:00 AM. Had to march three miles to station. Had first class train with bars on windows. Had eight men in a six-man compartment. Had a R.C. parcel between two men. Germans gave us bread and sausage."

"June 16 (Fri) - Still traveling on train. Went South around Berlin. Passed many freights loaded with armored cars and tanks, etc., headed West for invasion defense. Arrived at Sagan station at 10:00 PM. Slept in train for second night."

"June 17 (Sat) - Left train and marched two miles to permanent camp Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Silesia. Arrived at 7:00 AM and it was raining quite hard. We were processed consisting of a search, having picture taken for third time along with fingerprints and regular information, and then received Red Cross clothes. We then left for another part of camp to permanent quarters, arriving at about 11:00 AM. We got our room and bedding and then settled down."