Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Donald G. Cassidy Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
- Unit of Service: 570th Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force
- Location of Service: European Theater; Krems, Austria
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/1599
Stalag 17 wasn't just a hit play and an Oscar-winning movie. It was a real POW camp, located near Krems, Austria, and home to thousands of Allied airmen from October 1943 to the end of the war. One of its residents was American aerial gunner Donald Cassidy, who was shot down over Germany in November 1943. Cassidy found he had to fashion his own food utensils, but he somehow managed to find enough to eat to keep his weight from dropping precipitously. The highlight of any day in Cassidy's barracks was a news report read out by a G.I. nicknamed Whitey; if no guards were within earshot, Whitey would offer the lowdown on the progress of Allied troop advances.
More Resources
Show more resources (7)
About this Item
Title
- Donald G. Cassidy Collection
Names
- Claire Honeker
- Healy, Alice
- Cassidy, Donald G.
- VA Healthcare System, New Jersey
- Battle, Lillie
Home State
- New Jersey
Headings
- - Cassidy, Donald G.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army Air Forces/Corps.
- - Prisoner of War -- United States
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
- Unit of Service: 570th Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force
- Location of Service: European Theater; Krems, Austria
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1942-1945
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Entrance into Service: Drafted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran was held as a German prisoner of war (POW) in Stalag XVII-B in Krems, Austria from 12/1943 to 05/1945.
Materials
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected unknown)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [1 item] -- (collected 1943-1945)
- Manuscript: Other Manuscript Material [1 item] -- (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Clippings [1 item] -- (collected unknown)
- Photograph: Photocopy of Photographic Print [2 items] -- (collected unknown)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected unknown)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/1599
Cite as
- Donald G. Cassidy Collection (AFC/2001/001/1599), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video