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"At that moment I saw a big flash right out of the left of the wing…" (Video interview, 7:29, 3rd segment of recording)
   Warren H. Berg
Image of Warren H. Berg
Warren Berg, 2003		War: World War, 1939-1945
Branch: Army Air Forces/Corps
Unit: 8th Air Force, 96th Bomb Group, 413th Squadron
Service Location: Fort Snelling, Minnesota; St. Paul, Minnesota; Santa Ana, California; Sacramento, California; Scottsdale, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Rapid City, South Dakota; Kearney, Nebraska; England
Rank: Captain
POW: Yes
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For Army Air Corps Captain Warren Berg, flying on D-Day served as a precursor to greater challenges yet to come. June 6th, 1944 was his twenty-first mission, leading the last wave of planes over Normandy before ground troops landed. Sixteen bombing runs later, on the ominous date of January 13th, 1945, he was shot down over Germany. Interned in Stalag XIII-D from early February to April, he was forced to march nearly a hundred miles toward Munich before his eventual liberation by Allied troops on April 29th, 1945. Returning home, he spent nearly forty years training pilots for TWA Airlines.
Interview (Video)
»Interview Highlights  (15 clips)
»Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 
Download: video(1) | 
Download: video(2) | 
Download: video(3) | 
Download: video(4) | 
Download: video(5) (88 min.)
»Transcript
Photos
»Photo Album  (1 photo)
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Video (Interview Excerpts) (15 items)
Training in England; flying practice missions; getting oriented to his crew; first combat mission (02:26) Responsibilities as a navigator; tension and stress of flying; moment when he crossed the English Channel and was flying toward the enemy (02:02) (NaN:NaN)
Responsibilities as a navigator; tension and stress of flying; moment when he crossed the English Channel and was flying toward the enemy (00:51) Flying on D-Day; leading the seventh wave of planes; dropping over Juno Beach; bombs were accurately placed (02:33) Feeling a bit blasé before D-Day, after flying so many missions prior; then getting excited for the invasion (03:30)
Taking lots of flak on missions, but no one was ever hurt; flying 30 missions; deciding to sign up for a second tour out of loyalty to his crew. (04:04) Taking lots of flak on missions, but no one was ever hurt; flying 30 missions; deciding to sign up for a second tour out of loyalty to his crew. (02:46) Flying a mission over Mainz, Germany; hit right as they approached the target; two crew members killed; bailing out (05:43)
Bailing out at about 20,000 feet; drifting to the ground; landing in a small village outside of Mainz; being picked up by local policemen. (03:21) Taken to a guardhouse; encountering another American flyer; reuniting with his copilot (02:13) Taken to interrogation center; put in solitary confinement; being visited by his pilot; given supplies; transferred to the prison camp; marched toward Munich (03:03)
Conditions while on 100-mile march toward Munich; sticking with his copilot; claiming he was sick; staying in barns and tents; poor food and sanitation. (02:38) Liberation; chaotic conditions; hitchhiking out of prison camp and toward Paris; VE-Day; transfer to Camp Lucky Strike; arriving in New York (00:24) Liberation; chaotic conditions; hitchhiking out of prison camp and toward Paris; VE-Day; transfer to Camp Lucky Strike; arriving in New York (03:52)
  
 

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