International Committee of the Red Cross. Central Agency for Prisoners of War

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of an oral history transcript of an interview with 2nd Lt. James J. Crooke, who served in World War II. Crooke served in the Army Air Corps with the 303rd Bomb Group in the European Theater (ETO).

Content Description

This collection relates to Harold and Lee Hart who served in the Pacific Theater of Operations and European Theater of Operations respectively. This collection contains two manuscripts, "Bataan ... My Story", by Harold Hart, and "Never to Forget", by Les Hart, and an accompanying current newspaper photograph of Lester hart. Harold's manuscript recounts events from June 1941 - June 1946, and covers his training, station in Manila, capture, experiences as a Prisoner of War, liberation, and return home. Les' manuscript recounts his experiences in World War II from 1944 to 1945 with the 10th Mountain Infantry Division, 220th anti-tank Unit.

Scope and Contents

The Edwin Ivy papers illustrate 2nd Lieutenant Ivy's service in the Army Air Corps in the 485th Heavy Bombardment Group, 831st Squadron, from 1942-1945 in Italy, France, and Austria where he was shot down and became a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III. Ivy's oral history encompasses the majority of his collection and provides detail of his military training, time spent in the Army Air Corps, as a prisoner of war, and being discharged. His papers also include the first chapter of Old Man in a Baseball Cap by Fred Rochlin. The chapter describes the significance of remembering the past and passing down experiences to others.

Scope and Contents This collection relates to James J. McGuire who served with the 102nd Infantry Division during World War II and was captured by the Germans in November 1944 near the Roer River. The collection includes documents related to prisoners-of-war, including special postage and protocols for sending letters to American POWs, special postage and protocols that James McGuire had to follow to send letters back to his family, and even an extremely detailed, multi-page set of instructions on how to order tobacco products for American soldiers in German POW camps. It also includes a ration book application, and a ration book itself.  Finally, it includes communications, telegrams, and letters, between...

Scope and Contents

This collection relates to Sergeant Tillman Joe Rutledge, who served in the 31st Infantry Regiment of the United States Army in the Far East's Philippine Division. After the fall of Bataan in April 1942, he was captured as a prisoner of war until 1945. This collection consists of one box of personal papers, including the original diary he kept during his internment and photocopies. It also contains an original draft and signed copy of his book My Japanese POW Diary Story; a 36-page oral history transcript; letters to and from his family; newspaper clippings; various government documents; and photographs.