Letter re: prisoners of war
- Title
- Letter re: prisoners of war
- Creator
- Burghardt, W. H.
- Institution
- TCU
- Link
- https://repository.tcu.edu/handle/116099117/38706
- Description
- 8402_ 89 Ave Woodhaven 21 NY March 28.45 Mr. Amos G. Carter My dear Mr. Carter I have yours of March 27 and I'm sorry its so disappointing. I'm dreadfully sorry you haven't yet heard that Amos Jr is now free and the same goes for Mr Jones. I have not only had word from the War Dept on March 8th that Bill is free but also today along with your mail is a letter form him dated Mar. 14. '45 apparently from Cairo saying: "Montana Bill rides again! and he intends to spend "round-up time" at home in New York within the next 30 days." This re-habilitation has us in a constant whirl. Our people are treating us royally to say nothing of the way we are being fattened up physically & mentally I should again be in good condtion on arrival in the States." You see Mr. Carter, - the boys were very badly starved by the Germans between early Sept. & Xmas - no Red Cross parcels having arrived at Oflag 64 until early Dec. (illegible) issued Xmas Eve! They rec'd their Xmas parces on Xmas Eve. I am NOT confused. I have MUCH unpublished factual data which I have deliberateyl NOT revealed. I have personally interviewed 3 recently arrived repatriates (escapees) from Oflag 64. They confirmed the story they gave to the Press at Moscow & their stories corraborated both the letters from my son & those of another neighbor also at #64_ "sheer starvation!" I enclose one story (which please return). I have additional details, some not so good. However, I sincerely hope you & Mr. Jones will hear form your sons before long, the same as I did. Cliipping with my son's picture (which please also return) quotes actual facts also. My son, incidentally, was Winter Sports Officer at Oflag 64 and I may have some material that you may care to use for a story. Bill is the former Ski Coach at University of Montana & Ski Maestro at Mt. Rainier, Wash as well as pro Dude Rancher between ski engagements. His nickname "Montana Bill" was bestowed upon him by the cowpunchers. He is actually Brooklyn (where a tree grows) NY born on Apr. 4. 1918. He intends, after his Army career to open a super-duper Ski-Ranch somewhere in the Northwest. He is one of the heroes of "The Road to Tunis" a factual story of the Tunisian Campaign by David Rame the English War Correspondent, who dedicated the book to 701 Tank Destroyer Co. "C" (Bill commanded Co. C.) Sincerely WH Burghardt (illegible) - Ran out of paper
- Date
- 1945-03-28
- Decade
- 1940s
- Subjects
- Carter, Amon G., Jr.
- Prisoners of war
- World War II
- Source
- Box 141, POW - B Miscellaneous 1944-1945 folder, Item 099
- Type
- Document
- Formats
- 7x10.5 paper
- Rights
- Prior written permission from TCU Special Collections required to use any document or photograph