208979 Allen Mills United States Army from:Yuba City, Ca. USA. The first POW camp I went to was 3A located at Luchenwalde. This was a POW camp for Air Force personnel, I was then moved to POW camp 3B, located at Furstenburg and was there until January 31, 1945, when the Russians started a drive so we were moved back west on February 1st, 1945. I remember this date because this was my wife's birthday. The move was the hard way, on foot. there were 5,000 of us American NCO's in the group. We were on the road for eight days in the cold snow and ice. At night we slept in barns, warehouses or wherever we were. For the march we were given a slice of this German black bread. Those who fell by the wayside were shot. The group that I was with, eight days later, located near Berlin and Potsdam. It was a small camp, where there were Norwegian Officers, POWs. The group I was with we were housed in tents, and slept on the ground. We were issued one blanket. Food, one bowl of thin soup each day. If we had stayed another week, we would have starved to death. About four days before Easter Sunday, April, the Norwegians were gone, the next day the Germans were gone. Easter Sunday the Russians arrived, then left in a few mniutes. None of us left the camp for a few days, wasn't sure where the Germans were. Being close to Berlin we could see the fires and feel the concussion of the bombs. About five days later a 2nd Lt. arrived in camp and from there we were taken to trucks and we were driven to the Rhein Main Air Force Base, Germany. Here we stripped down, were dusted with DDT, had hot shower and some bland food. The next day we flew out to Le Havre, France and arrived at Camp Lucky Strike where they built us up a bit for the trip home. We left on June 2nd, 1945, and arrived at Camp Beale, Marysville, Ca, June 27th, 1945. June 28, 1945 given a partial payment, a 72 day furlough. After furlough, we had to report to Camp Roberts, CA. From here we were to take part in the invasion of Japan but The war was over with Japan in August 1945. I received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army on November 1st, 1945.
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