You mentioned that TF Baum was formed for the specific task of rescuing POW from the above stated camp.
Why this camp in particular?, did it hold someone important?, and do you have anything else on this attempt bar for it's failure?
Andy H
Dwight Pruitt-Raid on Offlag XIII-B
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Dwight Pruitt
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Andy, one of the officers interned at Hammelburg was one LtCol John K Waters, who just happened to be the son-in-law of Gen George Patton. Patton claimed that he did not know that Waters was at OFLAG XIIIB and that he feared the Germans would execute the POW rather than let them be liberated. According to some sources the Thrid Army had recieved intelligence that Waters was indeed at the camp, recently being moved there from Silesia
The TF reached the camp, which was approximately 60 miles behind the front lines, with some loss after running into several German units detraining in a marshalling area. The TF had been shadowed by a German observation plane during it's route in and it's intentions were anticipated.
Waters, who was captured in Tunisia at Dejebel Lassouda during the attack on Sidi bou Zid, was wounded in the liberation attempt. The TF was set upon by German TD's and anti-tank teams and was destroyed the next day.
The TF reached the camp, which was approximately 60 miles behind the front lines, with some loss after running into several German units detraining in a marshalling area. The TF had been shadowed by a German observation plane during it's route in and it's intentions were anticipated.
Waters, who was captured in Tunisia at Dejebel Lassouda during the attack on Sidi bou Zid, was wounded in the liberation attempt. The TF was set upon by German TD's and anti-tank teams and was destroyed the next day.
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Dwight Pruitt
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Waters was shot by a guard just as he was reaching the wire. Badly wounded, he was treated by a Serbian doctor also interned at the camp. IIRC, the camp was liberated about a week to ten days later, but the only prisoners there were badly wounded and sick, the rest (including the remnants of TF Baum)being moved farther east.
Again going from memory, I think Bradley had told Patton not to go off on any wild goose chases, but Patton being Patton didn't pay much attention.
Eisenhower reprimanded Patton for the disaster, and Marshall wasn't much happier about it either. Patton didn't release news of the raid, and the story broke when the Germans published it. Western News agencies had just caught wind of it and public sentiment was against Patton when Roosevelt died and the Hammelburg story was pushed to the back pages.
There are several books about the raid....I put in Hammelburg on Amazon and came up with several hits.
Again going from memory, I think Bradley had told Patton not to go off on any wild goose chases, but Patton being Patton didn't pay much attention.
Eisenhower reprimanded Patton for the disaster, and Marshall wasn't much happier about it either. Patton didn't release news of the raid, and the story broke when the Germans published it. Western News agencies had just caught wind of it and public sentiment was against Patton when Roosevelt died and the Hammelburg story was pushed to the back pages.
There are several books about the raid....I put in Hammelburg on Amazon and came up with several hits.