Americans in German military?

Discussion in 'The Lounge Bar' started by David Layne, Jul 1, 2007.

  1. La-de-da-Gunner Graham

    La-de-da-Gunner Graham Senior Member

    There is also a reference in the film, Band of Brothers, to a German soldier being captured who spoke American as he was born in the USA and returned to Germany with his family when the Reich called.

    Regards
    Tom

    This is recounted in Don Malarkey's book Easy Company Soldier. He met a German Master Sergeant who was from Portland, Oregon who,as coincidence would have it, had worked at an American defense plant across the street from Malarkey's place of work before returning to Germany in 1938.

    (Easy Company Soldier, p92,93)

    Keith
     
  2. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    My uncle was good friends with...

    Quite an interesting post. Welcome!
     
  3. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    On the flip side, there was a young German family who migrated to Australia after WW1. During the depression the mother divorced & returned to Germany with the father & son remaining in Australia.

    The son, joined the RAAf during WW2 & was posted to bomber command. He eventually was shot down, & made a POW ending up in Colditz.

    The SS became interested in him because of his german name. They located his mother living in Hamburg with the result that this POW was ordered to the commandants office 1 day where he had afternoon tea with his mother.


    Regards

    Simon
     
  4. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Here we are. An excerpt from my book "Cameos of War" Americans inthe Enemy army.

    The American.
    The most willing prisoner

    Great story.

    Thanks

    Dave
     
  5. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    The Germans would exploit any German having a background of living in the Anglo Saxon world.

    Cases come to mind of those who operated behind the Allied lines in the Ardennes in Hitler's ruse to capture the port of Antwerp in December 1944.

    They also could masquerade as Allied airmen in attempting to penitrate escape networks.Nothing like meeting someone,while on the run, who apparently speaks your language,possibility without accent, who you think can provide a safe haven.

    I think these English speaking types were also used in the Luftwaffe interrogation structure.

    Other odd references to these people seem to be associated with brutality from people who had lived in the US and condemned the democracy of the Anglo Saxon world against the new order of Hitler.

    On the fiction aspect,some might remember Stalag Luft 17.
     

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