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A
sleepy cotton field, two miles NE of McLean,
Texas held 3,000 German prisoners of war from 1943 to 1945, as
part of a national program during WWII.
Eventually, before the war ended, more than 425,000 prisoners of war
were held in the U.S.A. Texas had 33 camps.
The prison site included 25 to 30 buildings of various sizes designed
to house the prisoners. Guards, and support personnel needed for security
and sustenance. At first, horse-drawn wagons and equipment were used
to save fuel for the war effort. Many local civilians worked at the
camp as secretaries, nurses and in camp maintenance.
The town of McLean gained little from
the camp as supplies were shipped in by the government. Citizens were
invited to attend movies and other programs held at the camp and some
rationed supplies were sometimes contributed to town organizations.
At times, prisoners were allowed to work in leased crews to help pick
cotton or hoe weeds from crops.
The prisoners arrived by train, were lined up on the main street of
McLean by armed guards and marched
two and one-half miles out to the compounds. Citizens were almost
in shock as the troops marched through town as many wore bloody bandages
and empty gun holsters on their belts. Many feared for their families
with the prisoners living close by.
There was little trouble from the prisoners who were only too happy
to be out of the battle zones and safe from injury. A few escapees
were quickly captured and all trouble-makers were shipped to other
prisons immediately after causing trouble. German troops from both
the North African campaign and the Normandy Invasion were housed at
the camp at different times.
Within days after the armistice the prisoners were removed, the camp
declared war surplus and an auction was held to dispose of the camp
and its buildings. Some were torn down for the materials and others
were removed to new locations. The land was sold back to local farmers.
Today, the McLean Public Airport runway cut through the heart of the
old compound. A careful search of the site finds only strange configurations
of trees planted by the prisoners, ditches and concrete foundations
where the wash and shower areas were located. A Texas historical marker
stands at the SE corner of the prison grounds.
A good display of old photos, interviews, letters from both civilians,
guards and former German prisoners and souvenirs made by the prisoners
are featured at the McLean/ Alanreed Area Museum located on main street
in McLean. Read more about the subject
in a book, The McLean P.O.W. Camp by Delbert Trew. [Order
Information]
© Delbert Trew
See also
POW
camp stirs memories
McLean,
Texas
World
War II
Amarillo
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