Albert Story Narrative Chapters 8 & 9

Interned in Turkey Part III

Several things occurred during the winter of 1942 that had considerable bearing on our lives. The German advance into Russia was halted at Stalingrad and the Japanese advance into the Pacific was halted, first at the Battle at Midway and then in New Guinea. The Germans began to retreat back from Russia and the Americans had landed at Guadalcanal in the Pacific. Things were looking up for the Allies. The Turkish Government wanted desperately to be on the winning side this time. They suffered terribly after World War I. (Remember Lawrence of Arabia?) Accordingly, Ismet was replaced with a man who spoke English and relationships became much friendlier. Also, we were allowed to sign paroles on a daily basis. That is, we could sign out during the day but we had to be back in by ten at night. In other words escape was still an option. We took advantage of this freedom by going through Ankara from one end to the other always being sure to check in by ten. Then just as our population was dwindling by twos and threes, another B-24 landed. This plane was on a reconnaissance flight from North Africa over Italy and Greece. That increased our group by ten.  

Meanwhile, our people continued to disappear down the rope by twos, threes and one time, four people went out. It was obvious that they were getting the officers out first. The exodus then finally moved on to the enlisted men- highest rank first. The Turks never seemed to figure out what was going on. On one occasion I put the rope down, went in, sat down and waited. Then two or three pistol shots rang out from outside. I quickly ran and pulled the rope up, coiled it under the bed and waited nervously to see what had happened. After what seemed an eternity, the guards came in escorting Cpl.John O’Connor. He was ashen but seemed unhurt. John had become something of a loner. He had become surly and the powers that be decided perhaps it was time to get him out. He later told us that when questioned by the guards he had claimed that he was trying to get out to meet a woman he had met earlier in the day. The guards seemed to buy his story. We were lucky that on this occasion only person was involved. Had more people been involved, the Turks surely would have discovered the rope. That would have ended escape attempts, at least for a while. John never got another chance to escape. He was still with us to the end. He later rejoined the 376th and was in on the famous low-level mission over Ploesti.

One incident occurred that gave an idea how we were getting out of the country. Jimmie Briscoe and David Coward decided they would try to escape on their own. They had become friends with a marine who was assigned to the U.S. Military Attaché’s office. This marine sergeant managed to purchase two train tickets from Ankara to Ismir, which is on the south coast of Turkey. They evidently boarded the train and made it all the way to Ismir. We knew nothing about this escapade except that they were missing. A few days later a spokesman from the embassy came and gave us all a stern lecture. He stated that the allies had a plan for getting us out of Turkey and independent actions like that could jeopardize the entire plan. What happened to them gave us a hint about how our other guys might be getting out. They got off the train in Ismir, took a taxi to the British Consulate, went up and knocked on the door and announced that they were American airmen and needed help. After a while the Consul returned and told them there was nothing he could do and that they would have to leave. They were disconsolate but they left not knowing what to do. Fortunately for them there was a British ship in the harbor. The consul called the ship’s captain and told him the situation. The captain then called the Turkish police and told them there were two deserters from his ship and asked if the police would please be on the lookout for them. The police spotted the “deserters” and promptly delivered them to the ship. Coward returned home but Briscoe was later killed on a mission over Italy.

Charlie Collum and Enoch Kusilavage, both of whose pictures are in the photo of us eating, tried an escape on their own. They were drinking one night and the more they drank, the more they wanted to leave that place. So they marched down the stairs to the guard post where Satalmoush happened to be on duty. When he tried to stop them Enoch hit him and knocked him out cold. When he came to, Satalmoush started yelling for the Captain of the Guard. I think Ismet was still in charge at that time. The Captain called and notified the authorities who arrested the two drunken airmen at the train station trying to purchase tickets out of there. As a result of this escapade, Charlie spent about three months in jail. Enoch, who was charged with striking a guard, was still in prison when we left the country. To be continued…      

Chapter 9 Interned in Turkey IV

One of the problems we encountered as internees in Turkey was that we all began to come down with malaria. First one and then the other felt the effects of this disease. We all eventually suffered from it. I was hospitalized twice with it. The disease starts with a strange light-headed feeling which progresses to chills and shakes and finally one’s temperature rises to around 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The entire sequence lasts for twelve to fourteen hours. During this time the patient cannot keep enough covers on. He feels he’s freezing. The fever slowly abates and by the next morning he feels relatively good. Next day, the same cycle starts over again. This goes on for a week or so until the drug, quinine, begins to take effect. Then the patient slowly recovers only to come down again at some later date. The feeling one experiences during an attack is hard to describe. Every bone, joint, and organ hurts. Your head aches, your eyes hurt. Everything hurts and you feel as if you cannot get warm.  It wasn’t until I returned home where I had a relapse and was treated in the military hospital at Pocatello, Idaho that I was finally cured with two new drugs, Atabrine and plasma. More affective drugs are available now but at that time those were the latest available. Up until WW II, quinine was the best drug for malaria. 

It was in the Turkish hospital that I witnessed the pure hatred the Russians had for Germans. I was in a ward with a Russian flyer we called “George”. He was from Leningrad now called Petersburg. He spoke some English. While we were there a very sick German internee was brought in and placed at the far end of the long room. When George saw this he charged down to where the poor suffering German lay and threatened to kill him. The nurses quickly found another room for the German.

Meanwhile, our people continued to disappear down the rope. This went on all through the spring until we were mostly enlisted men remaining. One night while several of us were sitting at a table talking, one person said that he couldn’t understand why the Turks didn’t just let everyone go home. Then, everyone would be happy. It was pointed out that there were fifty to sixty Allies interned and perhaps an equal number of Axis militants. He says why not let the Germans, Italians and French go their way we go our way and everyone will be happy. Someone replied,” especially The Turks” Then someone said,” Why don’t we suggest this to the embassy rep. when he comes by?” That is how we got out. Apparently, all countries involved agreed on a sort of prisoner exchange. We were delighted when the representative returned and said that all sides including the Turks agreed to this arrangement and that preparations were being made for our release.

We began to give all our civilian clothes away and make plans to get out of there. It was difficult to say good-bye to our British friends. We had lived with them for several months and had become very close. We also bade farewell to the Turkish guards. Since the Allies appeared to be winning the war, they were much more friendly. One of the last things I did before we left was to take the English speaking guard – We called him Jimmy. - into the room where Bobby Albertson and I slept and presented him with the rope, which still lay coiled under the mattress. We then waited for the bus to come and take us to the train station.