Escape Narrative Sam Agee

(Note: following the action of Col. Sam Agee, began when shot down 4 December 1942 as commander of the 319th Bombardment Group which was assigned to the 12th Air Force).

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE D-27-2

APO 520, U. S. Army

11 November, 1943.

SUBJECT: Escape Narrative

Colonel SAM W. AGEE JR., O-20714

TO: Commanding General, Fifteenth Air Force.

Personal History.
1. Age – 31.
2. Service – Commissioned 12 June, 1937.
3. Missions – 1 Mission.
4. Duty – Pilot, Group Commander 319 Bomb Group.
5. Shot Down – Bizerte, 4 December, 1942 by flak, 4000 feet.
6. Wounds – Slight flak wound in back.
Members of crew – type a/c -B-26.
1. Pilot – Major D. M. Jones (Prisoner).
2. Co-Pilot – Colonel Agee.
3. Nav. – Bombardier – Lt. W. Mikolasy (Process of Escape).
4. Gunner – Lt. W. D. Meyers (Process of Escape).
5. Two enlisted men, one named Hillman, both prisoners to Colonel Agee’s knowledge.
Additional Prisoners.

None.

Assistance.

Italian peasants especially cooperative. Remained with one family 11 days, another 7 days, the following rendered assistance:

1. Sullista, Enrico

S. Vito Romano, Italy

1. Sistopoali, Camillo

Trivigliano, Pr. di Frosinone, Italy

1. Calicchia, Romano

Trivigliano, Pr. di Frosinone, Italy

1. Antonnelli, Giovanni

Settafratti, Pr di Frosinone, Italy

Signed chits were left with b & c . Escapee says the people who rendered assistance don’t need or want money in reward, clothing, especially shoes would be much more appropriate and more appreciated.

Escape Aids

Kept button compass through all searchs by hiding in seams and was invaluable in escape. About 500 lira was ample. American money was used only for leaving as souvenirs. Escapee believes thru conversations with other P/W and own experience that denominations of notes in purses is much too high, that the purse would be more useful with smaller denominations, even if total amount was smaller. Money was carried under label of tin can.

Interrogation.

Interrogation was attempted immediately after capture by German officer at Bizerte airdrome. Was asked one leading question as to type of airplane and formation. Escapee answered firmly that name, rank and serial number was all the information he could give and there were no further questions asked. At no time afterwards was there any attempt at interrogation either by Germans or Italians.

Capture.

Departed from Maison Blanche in B-26, 4 December, 1942 to bomb docks at Bizerte. Encountered fairly intense flak at beginning of bomb run. Flak burst damaged controls, was impossible to hold course, made crash landing, all crew members safe. Captured immediately after landing.

C. W. KOFLER,

2nd Lt., A.C.

(Interrogator)

1 Incl:

Narrative by Escapee.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE D-2

APO 520, U. S. Army

11 November, 1943.

ESCAPE NARRATIVE

Colonel SAM W. AGEE JR., O-20714

After capture on 4 December, 1942, I was placed in the French Naval hospital at Ferryville to recover from a slight flak wound I had received in the back. On 30 December, I was flown to Naples in a Ju 52, along with 5 other British ranks, all wounded in one way or the other. I was taken to what was supposed to be a hospital, but what was actually, I believe, a sort of detention home for recalcitrant Italian soldiers and civilians. Here I passed from German to Italian control. We spent the night llocked in a cell, myself and the 5 Tommies, with 5 beds and 4 blankets. The next day, we were all taken to the Caserta Military Hospital. The officer preisoners ward there was administered mostly by British doctors. On 2 February, I was taken to Camp 66, a transit camp, at Capua. On 8 March, was taken to Camp 21, Chieti, a permanent British officer camp of about 1000 officers. There were about 80 American officers there at that time. On 1 May, I was taken to Camp 49, Parma, where I remained until 8 June when I was returned to Camp 21. I was told that all American officer P/W’s in Italy, were to be located there at 21. After the Armistice, on about 17 September, the Germans took over the camp. On 23 September, we were moved by truck to Camp 78, Sulmona. We were told that Sulmona was to be a transit camp for P/W’s enroute to Germany. On 2 October, All American officers, about 170 at that time, plus about 400 British officers, were put on a train at Salmona enroute to Germany via Rome. Field officers, sick officers, Chaplains etc. rode in a 2nd class coach. All other officers rode in box cars. At a point about 5-10 miles East of Rome, at about midnight October 2nd, I succeeded in jumping off the train. I had been able to leave the compartment in which I was riding, walk up the corridor unobserved, open the door at the end of the coach (door not locked) and get outside on the platform step. The German gaurds at the time were all on the other end of the coach. From the step, I crawled on to the linkage connecting my coach to the car ahead. I rode there until the train began to slow down, then returned to the step, and when the train had slowed down to I should say 10 miles an hour, stepped off. The train stopped for about half a minute about 100 yards ahead of the point where I lay and then started moving again. I rolled down an embankment and met lt. Kreps, who had jumped from the train in much the same manner I had. We heard the train stop again, so found cover in bushes where we lay for probably a half hour while the Germans apparently conducted a search for us. We were in no danger of detection because of the darkness and the cover we lay in.

Our procedure from then until we reached the Allied lines was as follows: We traveled generally in a SE direction, mostly in the mountains, avoiding towns, and heavily populated areas. On the 4th day we traded our uniforms for Italian civilian clothes. We found the Italian people extremely friendly and cooperative and had no difficulty whatsoever in securing food, and a place to sleep. We stayed 11 days with one family, and 7 days with another. Most of our traveling was done in the day time. On one occasion, we were nearly picked up while passing through the area in the vicinity of Atina. This turned out to be a billet area for German troops. We laid over there until about midnight, passed through the area safely, crossed the road leading from Isernia West to Atina and Nora, and got well up in the mountains to the South of this road by daylight. On Friday night, November 5th, we reached the area lying about 5 Km to the NW of Pozzillo, which lies just above Venafro. We learned from the Italians that American troops had occupied Venafro. Saturday morning we spent in concealment, killing time, and attempting to learn whether or not Pozzillo had been occupied by our troops. Two Italian men who had Phillip Morriss cigarettes to back up their story, told us that they had come from Pozzillo that morning and that American troops were in town. At 2 O’clock in the afternoon, we headed for Pozzillo but were stopped by an English speaking Italian with a scotch accent who advised us that it would be impossible to get to Pozzillo as German troops were between us and the town. He volunteered to guide us to Pozzillo later in the afternoon. We gladly accepted his offer, but when we did start again later in the afternoon with him as our guide we received such conflicting reports as to the presence of German troops on the hill we had to cross in order to reach Pozzillo, that we decided to lay over for the night and await developments. That evening and night we were forced to leave the above mentioned Italian because of the very real presence of German troops who were milling around inthe area. These troops were apparantly moving from one part of the line to the other. We had close contact with about a 100 of them, but were able to dodge them, spending most of the night in a thicket. These troops were about as jittery as we were. They seemed as anxious to avoid us in the dark as we were to avoid them. This was the first time on which our Italian clothes proved valuable. On two ocassions that night we were forced to pass within sight and within 10-20 feet of German sentries, who apparently took us for Italians. At daylight Sunday, we decided that it was just as dangerous to remain where we were as to attempt to get across the mountain to Pozzillo. We worked up on the hill, staying in cover where possible, and when not possible we stepped along as though we were local Italians. In this way we got over the hill, seeing only 2 Jerry soldiers who either did not see us or were not interested. At the foot of the hill on the other side, we walked into the position of Company C, 179th Reg’t., 45th Div. Within 15 minutes, an American Artillery barrage started up, partly covering the very hill we had just come down.

---------------------

ANNEX TO NARRATIVE

It is desired to commend 1st Lt. Conrad Kreps for the part he played in enabling the two of us to make good our escape from the Germans. He amply demonstrated that he posesses courage, determination, leadership, and sound judgement. If any credit can be attached to us for making this escape, Lt Kreps definitely comes in for certainly half of it. I have no hesitation whatsoever in stating having Lt. Kreps for a companion on this venture, meant the difference of getting through or not getting through to me. As one example, I wish to emphasize that It was Lt. Kreps who first left his compartment on the train and showed that it was possible to get on the outside of the train unobserved. An observed man would have most certainly been shot by German guards.

SAM W. AGEE JR.,

Colonel, A.C.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE D-2

APO 520, U. S. Army

11 November, 1943.

ESCAPE NARRATIVE

1st Lt. CONRAD KREPS, O-791215

After capture, about 10 km. West of Gabes, I was separated from the members of my crew, and driven into Gabes for interrogation, at which, in spite of repeated efforts by the Italians, I succeeded in giving only Name, rank and serial number. My flying jacket and officers insignia were taken from me. After questioning, I was taken to a local prison and met the members of my crew there. We were moved two days later (January 12) in an Italian truck, bound for Tripoli, after dark we attempted to escape, and two men, the Gunner and Radioman were successful. After this attempt the rest of us were bound and manacled, making further escape attempts impossible.

At Tripoli, Lt. Foster, S/Sgt. Olsen and I were put on an Italian submarine and shipped to Italy (January 16). We arrived at Taranto harbor on January 19 and were immediately taken to a Prisoner of War reception camp at Bari. Here we were outfitted with British Battle Dress sent there by British Red Cross. Lt. Foster and I were sent to P/W camp number 21 at Chieti Italy, on February 19, 1943. Sgt. Olsen stayed at Bari, and this is the last we heard of him.

P/W camp number 21 was an officers camp with over 1,000 British and less than 100 American officers in it (upon our arrival – more americans came later). Escape from this camp was extremely difficult, although a few attempts were made, due to a high wall around the camp and many strategically placed sentry boxes, plus roving sentries inside the camp. Many tunnels were started, but most of these were discovered by the Italians in lengthy and numerous searches. After the Armistice between the Allies and Italy, we stayed in the camp under orders of the senior British officer (Lt. Colonel Marshall) who had orders from the British War office. After a few days we awoke one morning to find we were guarded by German Paratroopers. The Germans moved us to another P/W camp at Salmona by motor truck (about 23 September). Left for Germany by train on 2 October. The train on which we left for Germany was made of box cars in which the junior officer (250 odd) and approximately 500 enlisted men were locked. The field officers, sick, Chaplains and doctors, and I (as German interpreter for Lt. Col. Gooler, senior American officer) rode in a 2nd class coach at the end of the train. The prisoners rode at the front of the car, 4 to a compartment, and the guards were at the rear. Each time the train stopped, the guards would run out along the sides of the train to check on the cars. After dark, I was able to walk, unobserved to the toilet at the prisoners end of the car and upon trying the entrance door to the coach, found it unlocked. I stepped out on the step and when the train slowed down, dropped off. Unfortunately we were in a well lighted railroad yard and the train had stopped completely. Guards were coming towards me so I dove under the train and pulled myself up onto the rods to keep the light from shining on my legs. Two guards mounted the steps on either side of the car and remained there until the train picked up sufficient speed to make it too dangerous for me to attempt to swing clear of the wheels. After the guards had gone inside the car again, I managed to wriggle my way to the steps at the end of the car, a feat which I had thought to be impossible, and climbed onto the platform. There I met Colonel Agee, who had been in my compartment, and thinking I had already escaped had decided to follow suit before the Germans discovered my absence. The next time the train slowed down we dove down the embankment and took to the bushes.

We heard the train stop again, so found cover in bushes where we lay for probably a half hour while the Germans apparently conducted a search for us. We were in no danger of detection because of the darkness and the cover we lay in.

Our procedure from then until we reached the Allied lines was as follows: We traveled generally in a SE direction, mostly in the mountains, avoiding towns, and heavily populated areas. On the 4th day we traded our uniforms for Italian civilian clothes. We found the Italian people extremely friendly and cooperative and had no difficulty whatsoever in securing food, and a place to sleep. We stayed 11 days with one family, and 7 days with another. Most of our traveling was done in the day time. On one occasion, we were nearly picked up while passing through the area in the vicinity of Atina. This turned out to a billet area for German troops. We laid over there until about midnight, passed through the area safely, crossed the road leading from Isernia West to Atina and Sora, and got well up in the mountains to the South of this road by daylight. One Friday night, November 5th, we reached the area lying about 5 Km to the NW of Pozzillo, which lies just above Venafro. We learned from the Italians that American troops had occupied Venafro. Saturday morning we spent in concealment, killing time, and attempting to learn whether or not Pozzillo had been occupied by our troops. Two Italian men who had Phillip Morriss cigarettes to back up their story, told us that they had come from Pozzillo that morning and that American troops were in the town. At 2 O’clock in the afternoon, we headed for Pozzillo but were stopped by an English speaking Italian with a scotch accent who advised us that it would be impossible to get to Pozzillo as German troops were between us and the town. He volunteered to guide us to Pozzillo later in the afternoon. We gladly accepted his offer, but when we did start again later in the afternoon with him as our guide we received such conflicting reports as to the presence of German troops on the hill we had to cross in order to reach Pozzillo, that we decided to lay over for the night and await developments. That evening and night we were forced to leave the above mentioned Italian because of the very real presence of German troops who were milling around in the area. These troops were apparantly moving from one part of the line to the other. We had close contact with about a 100 of them, but were able to dodge them, spending most of the night in a thicket. These troops were about as jittery as we were. They seemed as anxious to avoid us in the dark as were we to avoid them. This was the first time on which our Italian clothes proved valuable. On two ocassions that night we were forced to pass within sight and within 10-20 feet of German sentries, who apparently took us for Italians. At daylight Sunday, we decided that it was just as dangerous to remain where we were as to attempt to get across the mountain to Pozzillo. We worked up on the hill, staying in cover where possible, and when not possible we stepped along as though we were local Italians. In this way we got over the hill, seeing only 2 Jerry soldiers who either did not see us or were not interested. At the foot of the hill on the other side, we walked into the position of Company C, 179th Reg’t., 45th Div. Within 15 minutes, an American Artillery barrage started up, partly covering the very hill we had just come down.

CONRAD KREPS,

1st Lt. A.C.

Escape Narrative Sam Agee

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