6 billion soldiers began the fresh new ritual out of demobilization. They took about five weeks, and some GIs reported in regards to the sluggishness of the processes.
[Editor’s Mention: William W. Williams III is actually cruising while the a person in this new Navy Equipped Shield. Equipped Guard units was in fact established in the first times of Industry War II in an attempt to provide defensive firepower in order to provider ships traveling when you look at the convoy otherwise by yourself. The newest vessels and you will males of merchant marine was indeed just what transported the war materiel, provides, gizmos plus soldiers wanted to battle and you can victory the war.
The merchant Marine sustained good casualty price higher than every other branch of your own army, losing 9,3 hundred men. The losings took place 1942. The united states Navy Equipped Shield (USNAG) was basically U.S. Navy-enrolled gun crews (Gunner’s Mates, Coxswains and Boatswains, Radiomen, Signalmen, Pharmacist’s Mates and you may, with the the end of the battle, radarmen offering on water for the supplier vessels.
I found myself one of twenty four “rescued” of the Italian language seaplanes (the remainder crew drifted, rowed and you may sailed for nearly around three months, got into the Norway, and entered us inside the Milag-Marlag Nord far after
The brand new convoy subsequently missing twenty-four of its thirty-five ships from inside the a beneficial day out-of daylight attacks by German You-boats and you can aircraft, as well as the Carlton is actually those types of missing.]
We who have been acquired got from inside the Kirknes, Norway, and you will had been incarcerated for the Stalag 322, good camp for dissident Norwegian schoolteachers. I found myself provided a dog tag hammered out-of a great tin normally towards the count: , my personal personality for the entire date-I still have they!
With the an effective German cargo motorboat i reached Oslo, Norway. To the a larger and you will shorter vessel we involved Aarlborg, Denmark, and by show in order to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Because the we were the initial People in the us becoming grabbed, there were no American camps at that time, we had been delivered to Milag-Marlag Nord, into the Tarmstedt, a primary method away from Bremen, a stalag having Uk Navy prisoners.
This new boats from the Carlton’s convoy is proceeding below a near British and you will United states naval companion however, have been kept unprotected following strewn just after coating cruiser pushes withdrew so you’re able to intercept a great Italian language raiding flotilla
Non-accredited officers just weren’t needed to work, and that i may have remained here for the rest of the newest battle, but I planned to avoid. Very, I traded title which have a british seaman who had been having to be hired. For the April 1943, posing since the Henry Flower out of England, I passed train so you can Charlottenhof, Obersilesia, to partner with a small group of inmates restoring a keen irrigation tunnel.
Five days later on, another prisoner and i strolled from the job. I believe we’d everything you arranged, other than we don’t realize about the new record pet in the next village. It in the future receive us, so we surrendered and you will was indeed sdorf.
A short while shortly after, I found myself titled in order to 
headquarters, given my brand spanking new dog-level (), and sentenced in order to 5 days single confinement into the bread and you can water getting leaking out and you can looking to mistake my kind “rescuers.” We never ever discovered the way they discover the newest button during the term.
At the time (erican Military sergeant and i have been truly the only Us citizens from inside the 8B. Since we had been low-Uk, we were located inside the material ten having prisoners of India, Australian continent, New Zealand, North Ireland, Greece and you can Canada. The fresh Canadians have been regarding Black colored See Office along with started grabbed on failed landing in the Dieppe, France. Because of factors nearby its grab, these were compelled to wear handcuffs day and night.
[Editor’s notice: As only sailor during the camp Bill try affectionately because of the moniker “Seaweed,” which existed that have him for the rest of their weeks and you may are inscribed on the their gravestone.]