247557 Sgt. Robert Glen Banks United States Army 508th Parachute Regiment from:Rockford,IL My Dad, Robert Banks, volunteered as a paratrooper because the pay was more! Little did he know that one day he would jump into a historic day. 6th of June 1944 was his first and only combat jump.
He was captured by the Germans and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner. Watered down soup and bread were the main staples. Prison life was not short of hunger, cold, lice, and dysentery. He experienced it all. He volunteered to work at the hospital at the camp so he could steal food. Even so, by the end of the war my six foot father weighed about 90 lbs. Shortly after being captured prisoners were held at St. Ok, many reference this place as Hungry Hill because they went days without eating and were so desperate they were forced to eat grass.
Before his liberation in January 1945 he was at Alt Drewitz Brandenburg Stalag 3C. After making his way to Port Sail Egypt he arrived home 9th of April 1945.
|