Successful Pow Rescue Missions

Discussion in 'Special Forces' started by Giambroni07, Sep 30, 2005.

  1. Giambroni07

    Giambroni07 Junior Member

    I was wondering if anyone could help me find some of the most successful POW raids/rescue missions during WWII. Anything would be much appreciated since i can hardly find anything anywhere.

    Thanks, ;)
     
  2. No.9

    No.9 Senior Member

    I take it you're looking for rescue missions as opposed to POW break-outs? There were a number of successful evacuations, (No.9 Commando were involved in two), where escaped prisoners were picked-up from a coastal point behind enemy lines, but probably the greatest external rescue - as in breaking them out by force before evacuating them - was the American Los Banos Raid.

    On February 23, 1945, American paratroopers raided a Japanese internment camp in Los Banos and rescued 2,128 civilian internees and 12 U.S. Army nurses.

    There's a book (or two) on this and apparently a History Channel DVD.

    http://www.viloria.com/secondthoughts/archives/00000486.html

    If you search for "Los Banos Raid", recently a lot has appeared on the web.

    No.9
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Originally posted by Giambroni07@Sep 30 2005, 09:34 AM
    I was wondering if anyone could help me find some of the most successful POW raids/rescue missions during WWII. Anything would be much appreciated since i can hardly find anything anywhere.

    Thanks, ;)
    [post=39549]Quoted post[/post]

    You are quite entitled to ask the same question twice however you should let the forum know what information you already have been supplied with (eg No9's next post.)

    You asked about Rangers at Cabanatuan in School & College related questions on the 26th September and received that info.

    People are only too pleased to assist but it is pointless for people to spend their time looking for information you already have.

    Post what you have already received and the forum can work around that for you.
     
  4. Giambroni07

    Giambroni07 Junior Member

    Here Is What I Had Received In My Last Thread:

    Originally posted by Spidge
    This site recreates the details of the Los Banos rescue of 2128 civilian internees and 12 US army nurses by the 11th Airborne Div in Feb 1945.


    http://www.army.mil/soldiers/feb95/p52.html

    The Cabanatuan memorial site is pictured here.

    http://www.abmc.gov/cb.htm

    This sight gives you an actual photo of me POW's at the camp and a source for you to follow yourself for background research.

    http://www.west-point.org/family/japanese-...mp%20Photos.htm

    This site provides a diversion to the brutality of most Japanese soldiers at the camp. The reunion was only held 2 weeks ago.

    http://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/news.htm

    This Was All Given To Me By Spidge
    Thanks For Helping No. 9, It Is Greatly Appreciated
     
  5. No.9

    No.9 Senior Member

    Very welcome Giambroni07. It's an unusual subject you're looking in to, I have to say I never considered the question of deliberate POW rescue missions till a few years ago when 'Los Banos' came up in debate about Great Raids. The thinking was confined to offensive raids - such as St. Nazaire, aka "The Greatest Raid of All" - until a poster told us about Los Banos which his father took part in. If you want some qualified opinion on Los Banos, why not ask the man I refer to who posts on The History Channel W.W.II forum under the name Chuey.

    Regards
    No.9
     
  6. Giambroni07

    Giambroni07 Junior Member

    Thanks again No. 9, he did help a little bit, but i am trying to find an essay or article of someone saying that this or that is the "greatest raid/rescue mission ever"

    If nothing comes to mind, thanks again everyone.
     
  7. No.9

    No.9 Senior Member

    I suppose there's ways of interpreting 'greatest', and probably in this instance it's determined by magnitude? The only European events I can call to mind which might be considered are Otto Skorzeny's rescue of Mussolini from the top of Gran Sasso, and the Mosquito raid on Gestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen. However, Mussolini was more or less confined to quarters in some style and there was no grand shoot-out (actually no shots were fired), and, the Mosquito raid was primarily to kill as many Gestapo and Quisling police as possible (@ 150 killed) and the 30 or so Danish Resistance prisoners who consequently escaped from the ruin were an added bonus. Neither really the same thing as Los Banos.

    No.9
     
  8. JeremyScott

    JeremyScott Junior Member

    Didn't General Patton try to break out his Son N Law or some relative during the breakthrough after Cobra with a Regimental Combat Team??
     

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