The German pilots knew our location and would fly over our camp often
and very low. One day we saw a large bomber go over with a smaller
plane sitting on top of it. They were probably testing something new
as none of us had ever seen anything like that. Another day a plane
flew very low over us at very high speed and it mystified us. After
the war we learned that the Germans were testing Jet planes and these
were the early ones undergoing testing. One day one flew very low
over us and just after it disappeared over the treetops there was a
loud explosion, a ball of fire and smoke going up. We knew it had
crashed and we yelled and clapped... just trying to let the German
guards know how we still felt about it.
It was getting to be colder weather and the Red Cross sent us
warmer clothing. I got a GI overcoat which was very heavy and came
down to my ankles. I also got two blankets, one a beautiful British
Royal Air Force blanket. It was dark blue and very thick, With the
air force insignia in the center. There was snow and that part of
Germany had weather about the same as upstate New York. We were cold
most of the time. I put my flannel pajamas on under my clothes and
didn't take them off for several months. It was too cold to bathe
very often and our clothes were getting quite dirty. I was still
wearing the logging boots I had bought in California and my feet were
always cold. I was again wearing the orange sweater that came down to
my knees so I must have been a sight.
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