Hell's Belle: From a B-17 to Stalag 17B : Based on the Memoirs of William E. RasmussenIt was December 3, 1943, and American warplanes were on assignment over Nazi Germany. Sergeant William Rasmussen was the ball turret gunner on the Hell's Belle, a B-17 heavy bomber. During one of its missions, the Belle was shot down and the captured American flyers were sent to the notorious German prison camp Stalag 17B. In Stalag the American prisoners of war had to deal with the harsh rules imposed by the German Commandant as well as deplorable living conditions: filth, bitter cold, starvation and disease. Told through the eyes of one young flyer, the book has non-stop action, emotion and humor, and captures the upbeat and undefeatable spirit of America's finest young men who served the United States during WWII. Randall L. Rasmussen, M.D., used his father's memoirs, "From a B-17 to Stalag 17B," as the basis for this book. Dr. Rasmussen also explored William Rasmussen's notes, the verbal history that he recorded at the local library, research material, and recollections of the narratives he heard his father tell so many times over the years. William Rasmussen was a popular guest speaker at press clubs, library clubs and service organizations in Michigan's lower peninsula near his home. His narratives were enjoyed immensely since he had a special gift of being able to captivate audiences as they shared his experiences flying over Nazi Germany and being a prisoner of war. |
Contents
7 | |
16 | |
21 | |
Bombing | 25 |
A New B17 | 34 |
Hells Belle | 39 |
SolingenLeverkunsen | 42 |
Capture | 52 |
Some Grub to Eat | 109 |
The Cemetery | 114 |
Time For a Prayer | 121 |
Camp Life | 124 |
The Ninth Life | 128 |
The Escape Committee | 133 |
A German Mole | 139 |
Mail Call | 154 |
Federal Prison to Dulag Luft | 60 |
Dulag Luft to Stalag 17B | 72 |
Stalag 17B | 80 |
A Notice Home | 93 |
Happy New Year | 167 |
The Way Home | 187 |
About William E Rasmussen | 200 |
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Common terms and phrases
8th Air Force 91st Bomb Group aircraft American flyers American POWs arrived assigned B-24 Liberator back home ball turret barracks 18 Bassingbourn Bill Rasmussen bombing boxcar Buccaneer bunk camp Cecil Charlie asked Christmas cold combat Comer Commandant crew diversionary group Dulag Dulag Luft engine England escape escort ex-flyers Falleck feet flak flew flying formation four fuselage German fighters German guards going Graham guys Hell's Belle Hornbeck hundred inside knew Krems kriegies Kurtenbach Linz looked Luftwaffe machine guns McDowell Messerschmitt miles mission morning Nazi Nazi Germany night P-47 Thunderbolt P-51 Mustang Paige Phelper plane played potatoes POWs prison Quinn radio Rasmussen Red Cross parcels Rolfing roll call Russian Sergeant ship shot shouted soldiers Solingen soup Stalag 17B staring Steiler tanks target There's thought told took top turret train troops trying tunnel turned turret gunner waist gunner wing Wingate
Popular passages
Page 17 - There our crew was assigned to the 401st Bombardment Squadron of the 91st Bombardment Group, in the 1st Wing, of the 8th Air Force.