fnq AtR FoRcES EscApE & EVASIoN soctETy SPR|NG 2006 Commui;icalions VOIUME 18, NO. 1 WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS 76g07.2501 MARCH 9, 2006 ArNAr JFJ ^r Helpers risked abuse when caught By CLAYTON C. DAVIn Hrnnibal, Mo. Most of today's enemy POWS and tenorists held by the U,S. are getting the best food and have the best living conditions they have ever experienced. This is in stark contrast to how members of the Resistance and POWs were fieated by our enemies dwing WWIL My helper, Jacques Vrij of Holland, avoided the fring squad'by escaping from prison, with two of his fellow prisoners, the night before he was to be executed. Word of his escape was sent to his parents to flee their home and hide because the home was ransacked the following day by a search pafty, , This is Jacques story as fianslated from the Royal Dutch Publication 199g. It provides insight into how many of our helpers were treated if caught. By JACeUES VRrJ Reg Service cal abuse. victims I remenrber as if it happened yesterday, what JACQUES VRIJ Nitscb, a member of the SD stroutea at me at the Lamberts, Musters, Nijs, v.d. Noorda4 pinkas, Rademakers and Urnmels. Some days before my arrest I made an appointnent with Remko Roosjen from Roennond about receiving another pilot. it turned out to be the day of my arrest! When Remko arived at the square of the railway station, he didn't see anyone. He found this strangj so, le-arring the pitot with his travelling companionl he al. I set offfor an address in the Frankenstraat. to The address was well known for people who sent me the pilots. Before ringing the bell, he looked around and saw a wgman opposite in the street, making clem to him with hand movements that he should leave. Away! Away! Understanding that something was lyrong, Continued on page 3 -1 PaSe 3 SPN,ING A006 U.S. AIR FOBCES ESCAPE & EVASION SOCIEW Sez COMMUNICAT'ONS The,R'rez mitb <http ://www. rafi nfo.o rguk/ra fescape/afees-usa.htm> .com> Volume 18 -- Number I March 9-2006 PALM DESERT, Calif., 2006 Just a note, and PerhaPs a bit of information from your hard- OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS working and highly-paid president. CIIAIRMAN AND CO-FOUNDER: (Ed. Note: Have I gol news for *Ralph K. Patto,n, Apt. #12O5,8100 Connecticut Ave., Cbevy Chase, MD Dick about the trighk+aid part. His 20815; Phone: 301-657-4478; Fax: 301-6574479 zero!) PRESIDENT: salary is the same as mine: +iRichard M. Smith, 76543 BegoniaLane, Palm Desert, CA92271-7442 Some time ago, one of our Texas (Winter) Phone 760-34 5 -2282; Fax 760-3 4 5 -9908 members contacted me for possible VICEPRESIDENT: help. The mernber is 92, and is well ***Francis J. Lashinsky, 8015 Gatehouse Woods, PO Box 125, Cornwall, PA aware of what goes on with the VA. 17 016-0125; Phone 7 77 -228-07 92; <franklash@earthlink. net> He went down on the Swiss-French TREASURER: border and the French underground *Francene Weyland, 1117 W. Northeast Shore Dr., McHenry, n- 6005I-9211 spirited him into Switzerland, Phone 815-385-4378; FAX 815-459-0435 He has been told that he ii MEMBERSHIP CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: & entitled to POW status because he *Clayton C. David, 19 Oak Ridge Pond, Hannibal, MO 63401-6539 was not allowed to leave Switzerland. Phone: 573-221-044I Several people Texas PX MA].{AGER: VA in thought **Thomas H. Brown Jr., 104 Lake Fairfield Drive, Greenville, SC 29615-1506 he might have a case. Phone: 864-244-8420 <tbrown I 0 [email protected],om> The VA processed the case until someone in higher authority said, OTTIER DIRECTORS: 'NO!.' T.S., as we used to call it. **Herbert Brill, 4800 Cortland Drive, Corona del Mar, CA92625; If you ever get to Grand Forks, Phone: 949-760-9217 N. Dakot4 take time to visit the * *Yvonne Daley, 1962 Brae-Moor Drive, Dunedin, FL 3 4698-3250; University and ask for a tour Phone:'1 27 -734-9573; <gadabout 127 @msn.cam> through their training facility. f +A, flight Ray Kubly, 1204 Amber Lane, Watertown, WI 53098; You would be surprised! The flight Phone: 920-261-3782 school there trains pilots and traffrc *John C. Rucigay, 14 Ashley Drive, Ballston Lake, NY 12019; controllers 14 counfries around Phone 518-877-813 I for ***Robert H. Sweatt, 5208 FM 390-W, Burton, TX77835-9704,978-289-2073 the world. The school has 13 flight LEGALCOUNSEL: simulators. You can crash a primary R.E.T. Smith, PO Box 38, Wahpeton, ND 58074; Phone: 701-642-2668 tainer, then crash a 747 or an F-18, C OMMUN ICAZON,S EDITOR: then get out and walk away! t++Larry Grauerholz, PO Box 2501,Wichita Falls, TX 76301-2507; To help you along the way, Phone: 940492-67 00; <[email protected]> before you crash, they have air fraffic confrol simulators, and to *Class **Class **'rclass of 2006 of 2007 of 2008 refresh your navigation, they have a radar training site. Among other ITEES COTOTI'NTCATIONS IS TEE OFFICIAI, JOURNAL OF TEE AIR devices, the school has a suborbital ,ICNCES EdCAPE T EI'ASION SOCIETY. AFEES IS A TA)(-EXEI'IPT research platform and an ,vFllRlNs oRGiAllrzATroN I,IIDER rRS CODE 501 (C) (19). rT rns ahnospheric sciences research jet. Fq,NDED IN 1964 AND IS CHARTERED IN THE STATE OF GEORGH. The North Dakota flight school : TUE SOCIETY'S PI'RPOSE IS TO ENCOT'RAGE MEMBERS EEI.PED BY THE is the most advanced, compre- RESTSTATTCE ORGA}IIZATIODTS OR PAIN,IOTIC NATIONNS TO COITTINT'E hensive facility in the U.S. Stop by IXISIING IRIEITDSHIPS OR RB{ET{ REIATIONSHIPS WTTH IAOSE IIHO Grand Forks and check it out! EII.PED TEEII DI'RIIIG TEEIR ESCAPE OR EVASION. Maybe one of our firture reunions ILIGIBILTTI REq'IRES THAT ODIE MUST HAVE BEnf A U.S. LIRI'IAII' could be held at Grand Forks in E! t|I'sT EAVE BEEN FORCED DOTIN BEEIND ENEilT LINES ATfD AVOIDED January or February. Everyone CtgDMtY, OR ESCIPED l'ROt'l CAPTMTT TO RETIIRN TO N.LIED cortRol,. could bring their own snow shovel. rN ADDTTION !O REqtr.AR l.tEl{BERSItTP, qtHE'R CA1E@RrES OF In the meantime, see ya in New I{B.IBERSEIP ARE IIELPER I,IEI'IBERS, AI{D FR,IEIID MEMBERS. Mexico! --DICK SMITH SPN,ING A006 pa{!e B me and I won't forget that memory arested person MORE HELPERS, from Page 1 should have of him. consisted of thinking of one or In hindsight, I dare say that we, more fictitious helpers. Remko left and returned with his as members of the underground, had _ Durng the years 7940-45, we pilot back to Roermond. a too simple idea about an arrest by spoke about codenames and hiding Things became more difficult for the SD. We simply said to each places, helping a lot of people. But me when Nitsch started speaking in other: "Nobody knows what those deceiving the enemy could play a more threatening terms. It didn't bad people will ask, but of course more prominent part in critical take long before admitting to never mention names." circumstances. helping pilots. After considering In those years of occupation and In our country we had many my response, which I still rejoice to oppression we did not discuss much intermediaries. However, we missed this day, I came up with a real life in the event of being arrested. For introducing to a large extent but fictitious helper. this reason, methods of the German another 'intermediary,' that is the Eventually, as mentioned, I SD frequently led to a feeling of ficfitious helper. confessed that they were delivering helplessness and bewilderment, even Certainly, it would have reduced pilots to me railway at the station fright. the number of arests, thus and made up a story about how these In a confrontation with the SD, benefiting the Jews, the pilots and pilots were walking behind me, my your defense mechanism was the persons in hiding: all the people bike in one hand through the city e,nduring, suffering too much. A to whom we dedicated ourselves. towards the border with Belgium. more efficient preparation for an Then I turned up my fictitious ''' helper who took over my pilots and Ilerman' s Book Available smuggled them across the border. I described my fictitious helper at e Role o the Local Resistan the border in as much daail as possible. Height, colour of his hair Herman Dodson was born in Downed Allted and eyes, the shape ofhis nose, Belgium but became a naturalized Alrmen and Evaslon everything. Nitsch, as m American citizen in 1966. of Captures The ho1e experienced policemaa inquired for tnore details. He died in 2001. His widow, My story made such a big impact Tinca, expects to be in on him that he started $owing me Albuquerque w ith a few books for pichrres with the question whether I sale at a discount. recognised one of the,m as the She can be contacted at HC 71, "Kerl" at the border. Because of this, I started feeling more assured Box 13, Taos, NM 87571 Resi.stenee, Netlrg$kF ln Werld War II ' ,,," HEftl,tAIt DoDSOlg frEvlrd bt c€idne-l ,.t4. dtlrrtort women m fosrstance opelauons. Throughout the book, the reader benefits not only from the author's personal recollections but also from his later on-location research. The final chapter concludes with statistical information related to this aspect of World War II.