Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Audio Recording John William Baber Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
- Unit of Service: 8th Air Force
- Location of Service: European Theater; Camp Polk, Louisiana; Oklahoma
- Highest Rank: Major
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/50101
Before bailing out of the B-17 he was co-piloting, John Baber had never made a jump from a plane. "Psychologically, that's a helluva sensation," he says in his video interview (00:59:31.0). Along with all but one of his crew, who was never accounted for, he dropped into the Zuiderzee in central Holland and was taken prisoner by the Germans. For Baber, the war was over. Many POW stories include details of suffering, but for Baber and his fellow prisoners at Stalag Luft 1, a German Air Force camp, their treatment was better than expected while still being onerous. He does not remember any guards who were sadistic, and escape attempts were punished, but with confinement rather than execution. The men were even allowed to play baseball, hold boxing matches, and perform in plays. Baber's collection includes 177 remarkable photos depicting everyday life inside the camp in a way that is rarely seen.
John William Baber Collection
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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PlayPlane shot down over Holland. 00:55:55.0 - 00:57:27.0
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PlayJumping from plane; never jumped from a plane before. 00:59:06.0 - 00:59:50.0
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PlaySpending the night on the run; evasion tactics. 01:03:52.0 - 01:05:37.0
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PlayFound by a civilian; turned over to the Germans. 01:05:42.0 - 01:06:38.0
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PlayTreatment by the guards; use of "ferrets" to discover information from the prisoners; escape attempts and punishment. 01:21:17.0 - 01:26:15.0
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PlayPlaying baseball in the POW camp. 01:26:20.0 - 01:27:20.0
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PlayFood and cooking in the POW camp; one meal a day; using SPAM from Red Cross packages to supplement their diet. 01:34:42.0 - 01:37:29.0
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PlayMore about playing baseball, football, and running races; equipment donated by YMCA; keeping minds and bodies occupied. 02:07:58.0 - 02:09:50.0
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PlayLiberation of POW camp. 02:15:17.0 - 02:17:15.0
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PlayFinding a Leica camera and taking photos in the camp. 02:17:15.0 - 02:18:11.0
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About this Item
Title
- John William Baber Collection
Names
- Popowitch, Joe
- Indian Prairie Public Library
- Baber, John William
- Thomas, Martin W.
Home State
- Illinois
Headings
- - Baber, John William
- - 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
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
- Unit of Service: 8th Air Force
- Location of Service: European Theater; Camp Polk, Louisiana; Oklahoma
- Highest Rank: Major
- Dates of Service: 1941-1945
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran flew ten missions on a B-17 bomber.
Materials
- Audio: Audio Cassette [2 items] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-04-19)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of audio recording (collected 2005-04-19)
- Photograph: Copy photographic print [179 items] -- Photograph (collected 1944-1945)
- Computer File: Floppy Disk [4 items] -- Multiple types of electronic files (collected 1944-2005; 2006-11-08)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/50101
Cite as
- John William Baber Collection (AFC/2001/001/50101), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- image
- online text