Prisoners of War (POW)

The 103rd Infantry Division had a total of 356 men captured by the Germans during the six months that they were engaged in combat. Separated from their comrades, captured GIs were forced to fight a new kind of war. Beset by boredom and hunger, their time in captivity was defined by their perseverance and courage through harsh conditions.

When the German Army captured soldiers, they were first taken to Dulags, transit camps where captured prisoners were interrogated and processed. After passing through the Dulags, POWs would then proceed, typically by train, to the camps where they would be housed. There were two main types of German POW camps: Stalags and Oflags. Oflags only housed officers, whereas Stalags housed both officers and enlisted. Although the layout of each camp varied, barbed wire and standard guard towers, complete with armed German guards, surrounded each camp. The guards were there to ensure no one escaped, even if this meant shooting all who tried. POW barracks were generally one-story wooden buildings that contained bunk beds stacked three high and a stove in the middle of the room.

There were generally two meals a day, consisting of a thin soup and black bread. Breakfast may have consisted of bread, jam, and coffee. Hunger stalked the POWs daily. One bright spot was the delivery of the Red Cross packages, which often contained butter, bread, chocolate, condensed milk, dried fruits, and vegetables. American ingenuity would take over, and POWs would make their own stoves and cook food in empty tins.

From camp to camp, POWs daily routine varied, but generally, all camps expected prisoners to stand in formation at least once a day for roll call. Some POWs worked at jobs in the camp, and others were sent out to local venues to work. Weather permitting, POWs played several different sports. For the most part, however, a POW’s daily life was filled with boredom, dreams of getting out and going home, and hunger.

Since the end of the war, and with renewed effort starting in the 1970s, the Department of Defense (DOD) has led various initiatives to locate the remains of those still listed as Missing in Action or were Prisoners of War and to bring those remains home to give families peace of mind and closure. The most well-known group still working today to locate and bring home the remains of those who are missing is the Department of Defense’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). This dedicated group of researchers and archaeologists work closely with the military, Department of State, and other federal departments to bring home those Americans, including those members of the 103rd Infantry Division who are still listed as Missing in Action.

For more information about the tireless work of the DPAA, please click on the link below: