Kindness Even in War

This is one of my favorite stories in Red’s book, “Combat and Capture.” It’s hard to believe. After being captured and transported to Germany, the train stopped in Vienna, Austria, where it missed the train to Germany because it was late. Red had two Luftwaffe (German air force) sergeants as guards that watched over him. Red said they “were happy and in good humor because they were going home on leave. Their sole duty was to deliver me to an interrogation center in Frankfurt.” The guards took him to “a large canteen for German soldiers on leave. It was a huge place with hundreds of German soldiers coming and going. Food and refreshments were served by girl hostesses in pretty red and white uniforms. It was a cheerful place that made the war seem far away. The guards got us a table and after being served, got up and left telling me that I could go anywhere in the room, but not to leave it, or I would be shot!

"After observing the situation, I noticed soldiers with towels, soap and razors lined up before lavatories across the room. It had been almost a week since I was captured, and I had not had a chance to wash, or shave so I was very dirty and ‘grubby.’ I thought a minute and decided to go get in line for a lavatory. I walked across the room, got in line and waited my turn. When I got to the lavatory I realized that I had neither soap, nor razor. Without hesitation I tapped the shoulder of the German in front of me who had just finished and motioned that I would like to borrow his soap, razor and towel. I will never forget the look on his face when he turned and saw who had tapped him. It was a mixture of surprise and disbelief. He hesitated, then handed me his shaving equipment and towel. I used it, thanked him and handed it back as if nothing unusual had happened. The other soldiers around acted as if nothing had happened. I went back to my table feeling clean and refreshed, but in awe that I had gotten away with it, because a POW is just not supposed to act as brazen as I did!” (I never got to ask my father if he was in that canteen with him.)

When Red got to the interrogation center in Frankfurt, he discover that the Luftwaffe had a complete file on him, including among many details like his parents’ names, where he went to college,where his air base was, and the serial number of the plane he was flying in the day they were shot down. The number had been taken from a photograph taken in Italy. All they got out of him was his name, rank and serial number. He found out later that the Germans kept files on all air officers they thought would be in positions of importance. I bet they had a file on Dick Terrell.