POW Experience
Forced March Log
February 6, 1945 — May 2, 1945
"On the day we left camp for the march across Germany, on Feb. 6, 1945, we were each given a full parcel, and this was the last, until April 28, 1945 just a few days before we were liberated. I made a carrying pouch, by taking a G.I. towel and folding it in the middle and stitching it up the sides, with some sort of a strap around my shoulder and carried this box in it. After the food was gone I still used it to put my meager belongings in for the entire trip until we were liberated on May 2, 1945 so just kept it for a souvenir."
— Richard F. Hanson
Kept on scraps of paper from cigarette packs
| Day | Date | Activity | Distance (km) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Stalag Luft IV to Stalag 357 | ||||
| Tuesday | Feb 6, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Wednesday | Feb 7, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Thursday | Feb 8, 1945 | Walk | 28 | |
| Friday | Feb 9, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Feb 10, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Sunday | Feb 11, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Monday | Feb 12, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Tuesday | Feb 13, 1945 | Walk | 32 | |
| Wednesday | Feb 14, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Thursday | Feb 15, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Friday | Feb 16, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Feb 17, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Sunday | Feb 18, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Monday | Feb 19, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Tuesday | Feb 20, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Wednesday | Feb 21, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Thursday | Feb 22, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Friday | Feb 23, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Feb 24, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Sunday | Feb 25, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Monday | Feb 26, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Tuesday | Feb 27, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Wednesday | Feb 28, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Thursday | Mar 1, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Friday | Mar 2, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Mar 3, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Sunday | Mar 4, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Monday | Mar 5, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Tuesday | Mar 6, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Wednesday | Mar 7, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Thursday | Mar 8, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Friday | Mar 9, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Mar 10, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Sunday | Mar 11, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Monday | Mar 12, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Tuesday | Mar 13, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Wednesday | Mar 14, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Thursday | Mar 15, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Friday | Mar 16, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Mar 17, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Sunday | Mar 18, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Monday | Mar 19, 1945 | Walk | 23 | |
| Tuesday | Mar 20, 1945 | Walk | 18 | |
| Wednesday | Mar 21, 1945 | Walk | 20 | |
| Thursday | Mar 22, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Friday | Mar 23, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Mar 24, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Sunday | Mar 25, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Monday | Mar 26, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Tuesday | Mar 27, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Wednesday | Mar 28, 1945 | Train | On train at 3pm in Ebsdorf | |
| Thursday | Mar 29, 1945 | Arrive Stalag 357 | ~40 mile train ride. After 26 days walking & 24 days rest at farms. | |
| At Stalag 357 — March 29 to April 6, 1945 | ||||
| From Stalag 357 Toward Lübeck | ||||
| Saturday | Apr 7, 1945 | Left Stalag 357 | ||
| Sunday | Apr 8, 1945 | Walk | 20 | |
| Monday | Apr 9, 1945 | Walk | 8 | |
| Tuesday | Apr 10, 1945 | Walk | 8 | |
| Wednesday | Apr 11, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Thursday | Apr 12, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Friday | Apr 13, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Saturday | Apr 14, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Sunday | Apr 15, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Monday | Apr 16, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Tuesday | Apr 17, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Wednesday | Apr 18, 1945 | Walk | Crossed Elbe river at Holmstorf, near Lüneburg. Got Red Cross parcels. | |
| Thursday | Apr 19, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Friday | Apr 20, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Apr 21, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Sunday | Apr 22, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Monday | Apr 23, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Tuesday | Apr 24, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Wednesday | Apr 25, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Thursday | Apr 26, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Friday | Apr 27, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Apr 28, 1945 | Rest | Got Red Cross parcels | |
| Sunday | Apr 29, 1945 | Walk | 11 | |
| Monday | Apr 30, 1945 | Walk | ||
| Tuesday | May 1, 1945 | Rest | ||
| Wednesday | May 2, 1945 | LIBERATED | Liberated by the British | |
| Journey Home | ||||
| Thursday | May 3, 1945 | Travel | 6 | Rode horse & wagon to Lüneburg |
| Friday | May 4, 1945 | Travel | Rode G.I. Truck | |
| Saturday | May 5, 1945 | Layover | ||
| Sunday | May 6, 1945 | Travel | G.I. truck to Emsdorf | |
| Monday | May 7, 1945 | Layover | ||
| Tuesday | May 8, 1945 | Layover | V-E Day | |
| Wednesday | May 9, 1945 | Layover | ||
| Thursday | May 10, 1945 | Flight | British bomber took us to Brussels | |
| Friday | May 11, 1945 | Train | Train to Namur, Belgium | |
| Saturday | May 12, 1945 | Layover | ||
| Sunday | May 13, 1945 | Train | Took train to France | |
| Monday | May 14, 1945 | Arrival | Arrived in St. Valéry, France | |
| Tuesday | May 15, 1945 | Camp Lucky Strike | ||
| Wednesday | May 16, 1945 | Camp Lucky Strike | ||
| Thursday | May 17, 1945 | Camp Lucky Strike | ||
| Friday | May 18, 1945 | Camp Lucky Strike | ||