William Armstrong

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE APO 520 - U. S. Army

18 October, 1944 Ref: USA/SKP/132

ESCAPE STATEMENT

1. Armstrong, William E., S/Sgt., 19003437, 747 Sq., 456 Gp.

Born - 27 July 1921                                                                                                            Enlisted - 11 Dec 1941

Home Address - R #1, Box 35-D Earlimart, Calif. Peacetime Profession - Loader

MIA - 20 July 1944             RTD - 18 Oct 1944              Missions - 40

1. Mirt, Charles C., S/Sgt., 33269198, 747 Sq., 456 Gp.

Born - 24 Aug 1919                                                                                                            Enlisted - 6 June 1942

Home Address - R.D. #11, E. Willock Rd., Mt. Oliver Sta., Pittsburgh, Pa. Peacetime Profession - Mechanic

MIA - 20 July 1944             RTD - 18 Oct 1944              Missions - 41

2. On 20 July 1944, sources were on a bombing mission to Friedrichshaven. The ship was a “B-24” piloted by Lt. Newhouse. After dropping their bombs on the target area, a direct flak hit was scored on the right wing, then on the bomb bays. The bay filled with gasoline. Two engines were shot out and a third feathered.

With one engine going the plane glided over Lake Constance losing altitude very rapidly. Once across the lake the pilot gave orders to bail out. All the crew got out safely and landed in the area of Earlan and Romanshorn, 4735N-0922E.

3. Never in the hands of the enemy.

4. Both sources were immediately contacted by Swiss guards. Sgt. Mirt was asked if he had a gun, but he was not searched. Sources were joined by the rest of their crew within a few hours and all spent one night in a small mountain village in this area. They were fed and well treated before going to Dubendorf on 21 July 1944.

After a few hours at Dubendorf, 4725N-0835E, the whole crew moved to the “Kulm Hotel”, Adelboden, 4630N-0735E, where they lived until 1 Aug 1944. Sources had been planning an escape and S/Sgt. Mirt had actually attempted to escape 6/7 Oct 1944 by walking for three hours up a mountain to contact a Swiss waiter with a cab. The Swiss was not there and source had to turn back. Both sources were however on the lookout for the chance of escaping.

On 10 October 1944, sources were in a party of about 11 Americans, to be moved from the “Regina Hotel” to a camp east of Lake Geneva, not far from the French frontier.

Sources entrained with 44 American internees at Wengen where they had two special coaches for the internees. They traveled to Montreux, 4625N-0655E, where the Swiss guard told sources that they were near the French frontier and gave them every indication that this was a chance to escape.

The train stopped at a small station near Montreux and sources and three other Americans got off and went into the woods. (S/Sgt. Harold Turley, 8th AF is the only name known). The Swiss guard protested to the conductor but before a roll was called to see if anyone was missing, sources were well away.

Once in the woods, sources joined up with S/Sgt. Turley and at dusk contacted an old Swiss who gave them a meal in a cafe nearby then hid them in a barn. Another Swiss farmer put sources in touch with an Englishwoman who in turn contacted agents of the “FFI”.

On 11 Oct 1944, sources were taken in civilian clothes by “FFI” agents to Vevey, 4628N-0650E, where they stayed two days in a hotel. On 13 Oct, sources were taken by three agents across Lake Geneva in a motor powered rowing boat to French territory near St. Gingolph, 4623N-0654E. From here American troops contacted sources and evacuated them via Annecy, Lyons then in a “C-47” plane to Naples.

J.G.K. Kennedy, Capt., IS9

5 Incls.

2 Ltr. 383.6

3 Appendix B

4 Appendix D

5 Appendix F

Armstrong, William E., S/Sgt., 19003437, 747 Sq., 456 Gp.

APPENDIX B

10 Oct 1944 to 13 Oct 1944

Mrs. Anderson (English) (Husband X, French Capt.) Montreux District.

Put sources in touch with FFI and was mainly responsible for their escape from Montreux. She provided 100 Swiss francs and 1040 French francs for clothing and food, bribes, etc.

APPENDIX D

Treatment at “Kulm Hotel” (Quarantine) good. Internees were confined to the limits of the hotel and grounds and did not have any other restrictions imposed on them.

On 1 Aug 1944, the whole hotel was evacuated to the “Regina Hotel” at Wengen, 4638N-0755E. Treatment at Wengen

Discipline employed by the Swiss Commandant, a 2nd Lt., was strict. Internees had to be in the hotel

by 2200 hours. For the first offence, late after curfew, Internees were confined to their rooms after 1800 hours for seven days. For subsequent offences a gaol sentence was imposed, never less than three days.

S/Sgt. Armstrong was sentenced to ten days at Interlaken Civil Prison (seven minutes late after curfew). S/Sgt. Mirt also served a five day sentence in this prison (seven minutes late after curfew), at this time, Aug 1944. The prison cell measured about 15 feet by 8 feet with cement walls and a wood floor. Three Americans were interned in this one cell and were only allowed out for about twenty minutes each day for ablutions.

One bucket was provided in the cell for sanitary purposes and this was emptied by the Internees when they went out in the mornings.

Food consisted of, Breakfast: 1 cup coffee and one quarter pound (three large slices) dry bread. Midday: 1 can of soup and three boiled potatoes. Supper: one can of soup. A quart bottle of water was provided with each meal (gaolers could be bribed to buy extra food).

A Swiss civilian was official in charge of the prison.

Two American enlisted men were sentenced to 15 days in this prison for failing to salute a visiting Swiss Colonel (no dates).

Internees at Wengen were allowed to mix with the civilians and visit the shops. In early Oct 1944 the sale of civilian trousers to Internees was prohibited. The Swiss were very friendly and pro-Allied.

The whole crew from sources plane were interrogated at Dubendorf on 21 July 1944. A Swiss Captain speaking good English, gave the Americans forms to fill in, stating whether they had bailed out or landed the plane and the markings on the tail. The number of the plane was also asked for but sources did not answer this question.No attempt was made to extract any other information from the Americans.

APPENDIX F

Three American escaped Internees living at Cafe hotel, Vevey, 4628N-0650E, 13 Oct 1944 (no name known).

Two American escaped Internees, wearing civilian clothes left train with sources in Montreux, 4625N-0655E, area and went into woods, 10 Oct. 1944.