American volunteers

Galahad · Post by **Galahad** » 07 May 2002 18:27

Does anyone know if the SS, waffen or politzei, had any US members? I've read of all sorts of other nationalities being members, but I can't recall ever having run across mention of US volunteers.

Schmauser · Post by **Schmauser** » 07 May 2002 18:33

An American citizen Peter Delaney joined the Waffen SS and due to his French ancestry, he changed his name to Pierre de la Nay du Vair, and joined the Nordland Division.

James Monti also an American citizen joined the Waffen SS and the Kurt Eggers Regiment, and went by the alias Martin Weihaupt.

I don't know either of their fates however.

~Best Regards Schmauser

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 07 May 2002 18:34

There were some US citizens who were members of the Waffen-SS, but no unit made up of American volunteers were ever raised (despite some claims about an "American Free Corps" or "George Washington Brigade"). According to figures from the SS five US citizens served in the Waffen-SS in May 1940, but after that date no numbers are available.

Second Lieutenant Martin James Monti (born 1910 in St Louis of an Italian-Swiss father and German mother) went awol Oct 1944, travelled from Karachi to Naples (through Cairo and Tripoli) where to stole a F-4 or F-5 photographic reconnaissance aircraft (photo recon version of the P-38) and flew to Milan. There he surrendered, or rather defected, to the Germans and worked as a propaganda broadcaster (as Martin Wiethaupt) before entering the Waffen-SS as a SS-Untersturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers. At the end of the war he went south to Italy where surrendered to US forces (still wearing his SS uniform) claiming that he had been given the uniform by partisans. He was charged with desertion and sentenced to 15 years hard labour. This sentence was soon commuted and Monti rejoined the US Air Corps, but in 1948 he was discharged and picked up by the FBI. He was now charged with treason and sentenced to 25 years the following year. He was paroled in 1960.

Peter Delaney (aka Pierre de la Ney du Vair), a Lousiana born SS-Haupsturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers who is believed to have served in Légion des Volontaires Français (LVF). He met Monti and probably arranged for him to enter the Waffen-SS. Delaney was killed in 1945.

From this very site: http://www.skalman.nu/third-reich/ss-usa.htm

/Marcus

Galahad · Post by **Galahad** » 07 May 2002 18:43

Thank you!

Starinov · Post by **Starinov** » 07 May 2002 18:55

There are rumors about the George Washigton Legion but I think that tere was no such unit. It is possible that a US former GI would become a SS but why would he do that near the end of war?

Mike K. · Post by **Mike K.** » 23 Oct 2002 02:00

Anyone have any specific information on American volunteers in the German armed forces, particularly the Waffen-SS?

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 23 Oct 2002 16:22

There were some US citizens who were members of the Waffen-SS, but no unit made up of American volunteers were ever raised (despite some claims about an "American Free Corps" or "George Washington Brigade"). According to figures from the SS five US citizens served in the Waffen-SS in May 1940, but after that date no numbers are available.

Second Lieutenant Martin James Monti (born 1910 in St Louis of an Italian-Swiss father and German mother) went awol Oct 1944, travelled from Karachi to Naples (through Cairo and Tripoli) where to stole a F-4 or F-5 photographic reconnaissance aircraft (photo recon version of the P-38) and flew to Milan. There he surrendered, or rather defected, to the Germans and worked as a propaganda broadcaster (as Martin Wiethaupt) before entering the Waffen-SS as a SS-Untersturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers. At the end of the war he went south to Italy where surrendered to US forces (still wearing his SS uniform) claiming that he had been given the uniform by partisans. He was charged with desertion and sentenced to 15 years hard labour. This sentence was soon commuted and Monti rejoined the US Air Corps, but in 1948 he was discharged and picked up by the FBI. He was now charged with treason and sentenced to 25 years the following year. He was paroled in 1960.

Peter Delaney (aka Pierre de la Ney du Vair), a Lousiana born SS-Haupsturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers who is believed to have served in Légion des Volontaires Français (LVF). He met Monti and probably arranged for him to enter the Waffen-SS. Delaney was killed in 1945.

No real attempt by the US authorities to investigate the matter and trace the volunteers was made after the war, as opposed to for example the efforts by the British.

/Marcus

The Desert Fox · Post by **The Desert Fox** » 24 Oct 2002 15:59

Marcus Wendel wrote: Second Lieutenant Martin James Monti (born 1910 in St Louis of an Italian-Swiss father and German mother) went awol Oct 1944, travelled from Karachi to Naples (through Cairo and Tripoli) where to stole a F-4 or F-5 photographic reconnaissance aircraft (photo recon version of the P-38) and flew to Milan. There he surrendered, or rather defected, to the Germans and worked as a propaganda broadcaster (as Martin Wiethaupt) before entering the Waffen-SS as a SS-Untersturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers.
/Marcus

What in the hell possessed the man to defect at that late stage of the war when for all intents and purposes it was known that Germany was on its knees. If he decided in 1940/41 one might understand it, patriotic feelings for mother country of parents etc, but 1944!!! He must have been nuts!

regards
The Desert Fox

Matt Horn · Post by **Matt Horn** » 27 Oct 2002 11:54

Leo Kessler's Stormtroop V: Himmler's Gold has American SS volunteers known as Amerika Korps I believe also I am writing an alternate story featuring American-SS troops, of the Waffen-SS that is.

Bill Medland · Post by **Bill Medland** » 27 Oct 2002 16:04

Baldur Von Schirach the Hitler Youth Leader, had an American mother

Rob S. · Post by **Rob S.** » 27 Oct 2002 20:16

Marcus Wendel wrote: "American Free Corps" or "George Washington Brigade").

You are correct, but there was a similar name to an American volunteer unit in the Spanish civil war. This is where the rumor came from.

Matt Horn · Post by **Matt Horn** » 28 Oct 2002 13:20

In Episode 2 of Band of Brothers featured are about six Americans fighting for the SS but are now US PoW's still in SS uniform they are executed by the US Army.

Tom Stahler · Post by **Tom Stahler** » 03 Jan 2003 14:55

Were there american volunteers in the german army or in the waffen-ss ? Maybe members of the "Silver Shirts" of William Pelley ?

Dan E. Moe · Post by **Dan E. Moe** » 03 Jan 2003 15:21

HI!

I have read that there where at least two americans who served with the "Kurt Eggers". Some lists says that there where one at least American in the Waffen-SS in 1940.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 03 Jan 2003 19:36

I've seen several references to an American SS-Ustuf. Ackermann but havent found any more despite looking
cheers
Pete

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