American POWs of World War II

During World War II, thousands of American servicemen were taken prisoner by the Axis powers. They were beaten and tortured; over half never reached home again. Of those who did, many never fully recovered from what they saw, what they lived through, and the feelings that so racked their lives. Almost all have or had a drinking problem. Some suffer such consistently extreme flashbacks that they are forced to use sleeping medication just to help them make it through the night. The ten interviews included in this work were chosen from dozens of contact POW accounts. Theirs are stories of hardship, pain, survival, and at times, enlightenment.

From the introduction to Mario Garbin's interview: Mario was one of the more fortunate POWs who put to use in his later life what he learned from his incarceration. At the present, he is retired from over twenty-six years of service with the Chrysler corporation. . . . Although powerful and charismatic, he still cried uncontrollably during one portion of the interview and had to pause several times to keep his composure in other portions. Hidden in the tales of these men is a message we can all relate to, making this book a must read not only for the ex-POW or World War II history buff, but for any reader who cares about life and freedom.

Introduction to the POW Experience
A Look at the Inhospitable World of The Hostage and Prisoner of War and Its Impact on Their Lives--Charles A. Stenger
Lifestyle Shock: The Psychological Experience of Being an American Prisoner of War in the Vietnam War--Charles A. Stenger
The First Captured
John Emerick
Ken Curley
Victor Mapes
The Battle of the Bulge
Charles Stenger
Mario Garbin
Steve Perun
Tom Grove
The Jewish POW
Peter Neft
Bernie Melnick
John Fellows
Appendix A: A Perspective on Former Prisoners of War for the 1990s--Charles A. Stenger
Appendix B: Soldiers of Berga--Ray Weiss
Appendix C: Christmas Story--Mario Garbin
Appendix D: American Victims of the Holocaust--Mitchell G. Bard
Appendix E: American Prisoners of War in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam--Charles A. Stenger
Bibliography
Index