This Saturday (05/19/2012) Helene and I spent a very pleasant day at the Camp Hearn POW Camp Museum open house. An Amateur Radio Club from College Station had come out with a portable Antenna and radios. In the course of the day they talked to other Ham Radio Operators all over the world.
The Museum is in a newly constructed barracks building of the type that housed German POW’s during World War Two. Helene and I were in the first room of the museum with a display of firearms that would have been used in and around the camp by the American Guards. Another gentleman brought a World War Two Jeep that delighted the crowd. In addition to answering questions about the guns I also shared stories about the Second World War, both the war it’s self and the home front.
One of the highlights of the day was an address given by former POW, Mr. Heino Erichson. Mr. Erichson was a serving with the Africa Corps when captured by British Forces. Due to overcrowding in British Camps he was send to the United States. After a short time in Camp Hearn he ended the war in a POW Camp in Kentucky.
If you find yourself anywhere near Hearn, Texas you might consider stopping at the Camp Hearn POW Camp Museum. Its well worth your time to stop and explore a part of history seldom covered in the detail it deserves. They are open Wednesday thru Saturday 11:00AMto 4:00PM.
You certainly fit right into that era...but then you'd miss out on the glocks!
ReplyDeleteThank's Cher,
ReplyDeleteWish you could have been there. It was fun.
Oh wow. I really need to come back up there.
ReplyDeleteBTW, there are POWs from that camp buried in the Veterans Cemetery in San Antonio. Bruce and I went there to get pictures of them. I will dig up the information and send it to you, there's some really interesting story behind it.
Imagine a couple of stones with German Iron Crosses with swastika's in a National Veteran's Cemetery. And a few Japanese too.
Thanks Charlie,
ReplyDeleteI had heard that. We discussed Saturday that the POW dead not returned to germany (I'm guessing they had no surviving family to request the bodies) had been moved to San Antonio. If you have pictures that would be great.