My Private War Book

My great-uncle was also POW during World War II after being shot down over Germany in a B-17. He was, in fact, also assigned to the 447th Bombardment Group, the same bomb group as the author of this book. I have read and re-read my uncle's account of his experiences many times, and while his telling of his experiences does leave the reader with some understanding of the hardships faced by POWs in Germany, I'm ever more convinced that his brief volume omits as much as it includes.

This book served to help fill in some of the gaps in my uncle's story for me. This is a much more detailed account of the struggle faced by those captured and held by the Germans during World War II. It is clear that, generally, the Germans made little effort to provide most basic necessities for the POWs, and random violence and brutality were common. What makes this particular memoir especially powerful, though, is that it doesn't end with liberation, as most such accounts tend to do. Instead, the author describes his struggles in adjusting to life in the aftermath of having been a POW. It is quite clear that these experiences left long lasting scars on his psyche, which continue to impact his life today. By continuing to tell his story beyond liberation, this author has done a huge service, showing that even after the physical wounds have long healed, the psychic damage suffered by POWs can leave them emotionally crippled for decades.

This book can be roughly divided into three parts: the author's military training and preparation for war; his experiences overseas in combat and as a POW; and his post-war experiences. Each portion of this book is well written and provides a vivid look at that chapter of the author's life. By taking the reader from training, on into combat and the struggle to survive as a POW, and finally into the ongoing difficulties in trying to cope with the after effects, this book provides great insights into how such emotional damage occurs, and how the impact lingers.