Evidence of a German POW Camp from World War 2. There were over 500 in the US, here's the Story.

We explore the site of an abandoned POW camp in Michigan. Probably the only one that still has evidence of its existence. Join us as we tell the story and recreate the camp.
💬 Let us know what you think of this adventure in the comment section below.
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Merch - restless-vikin...
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[@philcumings9436]

My father shared with me that we had a POW camp in Sparta Michigan. Kind of on the east edge of town. And I believe that the prisoners would work some of the local farms and fruit Farms since we have a huge fruit ridge west of Sparta. There is information about this at Sparta historical museum. I also heard that of the prisoners ended up staying after the war to raise families here.

[@brianlundsr1489]

Fremont, MI also held German POW's and put them to work for Dan Gerber's Fremont Canning Company, which later became Gerber Baby Foods.

[@alanchambers8762]

Camp Perry near Toledo also housed pows. Some of the buildings are preserved.

[@joemeredith7665]

I’ve lived in Michigan all my life and I never knew about this PW camp. This was a great video, very informative.

[@BobSchaar]

There was also a POW camp located on the property where the Owosso Speedway currently sits.

[@Mark-pp7jy]

Yes, right on M21. Ovid, Michigan.

[@mikebruno829]

Here in Door County Wisconsin, some POWS returned to live several years after the war because of their fond memories of living here safely ensconced in the heart of America during a time of war. We are a lovely and kind country.

[@ericscottstevens]

Certain POWs petitioned to stay after WWII. They were denied a stay and had to go to back to Germany dressed in surplus US Army clothes. Then they returned if they had connections to the communities across America.

[@michaelmayrend313]

A similar camp was in the Port Huron area of Michigan.

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

I have seen the camp on maps, but have never went to visit it. I might have to check it out after work one morning since I work in Allegan.

[@Grumpyoldman037]

I had no idea that POW's were kept in Michigan. I live in Battle Creek, so I think I will be looking into the history of Camp Custer a little more. Thank you for this story.

[@RestlessViking]

You're Welcome!

[@april906outdoors3]

If you haven’t already, check out Ft.Custer National Cemetery - there’s an entire section for German soldiers. Having names might help with your research.

[@j.r.9238]

My wife and I moved to Allegan in 1980. The Allegan librarian was friends to an ex-PW that emigrated back to Allegan with his wife and bought a farm. The Allegan pistol team had range in one of the barracks. (I only remember seeing one barrack.) FYI, two miles north of PW camp was the FCC's Allegan Monitoring Station that was actively engaged in wartime radio intelligence. There was talk of a Japanese internment camp that was proposed to be located in the area, but it doesn't appear to have materialized. (K9SE)

[@jameskietzer1960]

In Hartford. POWS worked for several fruit farmers also. After the war former POWS returned to settle in southwest Michigan.

[@Kal-zo5ym]

POWs from Allegan worked on my Grandfathers farm. One of the POWs named Otto was able to stay and work for him for many years after the war.

[@JeffGraves-pq2yc]

My father 17:30 was a MP also cook at the pow camp. He would walk to Allegan where he met my mom. My father was from Plattsburgh NY. They married and stayed in Allegan. My father became friends withe the Germans. One actually came to Mich and meet up with my dad.

[@jameskietzer1960]

@@Kal-zo5ym What kind of farm was it?

[@boe4448]

RV. Thank you for teaching me history. I grew up by Caro and didn't know any of this. I now live in AZ and did know there were Japanese POW camps here. Keep up the good work. Boe

[@etchersplace]

My Grandpa used to guard the prisoners there. Some were really nice and decided to stay.

[@andrewfavot763]

I had no clue we took PoWs in the Great Lake State, gonna check out every camp I can for sure! I mean how couldn't you!? It's WW2 right here at home.

[@MarkK-w8v]

I grew up on a muck farm in Pullman. I remember a day when an older fella stopped by and said my Grandpa had bought the place from his family. He said he remembered in the 40’s having German POW’s working the farm under guard. Thank you for completing a small piece of my own history.

[@wayne-wango-wever8393]

In Fremont Mi there was a POW camp where they had a farm camp for Gerber Canning Co. . My Grandfather was an interpreter at the camp when he worked for Gerber. At the end of the war a lot of the prisoners didn't want to go back to Germany.

[@ripperwrestling6587]

There is a building on Salzburg Rd. in Bay City that used to house German POW's, it was built in 1915 as a triple net lease housing Bay City Bank.

[@Bryan-sm1bx]

I live north of there in the Hamilton area. I drive by there all the time. My family farmed in Coloma where there was another camp. I have photos of the POWs working on the farm.

[@joyboy19741]

Hello there! I used to live right around the corner from the site through my highschool years.....Over by pine point... Before we knew it as the prisoner of war camp, there were many teenage parties had in that area lol

[@yoimstewy]

I really enjoy learning about history in Michigan such cool adventures you two go on.

[@nimroddiaries_]

Great video guys. An old timer friend said he remembers going to the camp as a summer camp after the POW's were sent home. Also claimed there was part of the camp on the west side of 42nd. I haven't been able to find any signs. Any one interested the book: Michigan POW Camps in World War II by Gregory Sumner is a decent read about these camps around our state.

[@BushMaster074]

Twin City Foods in Lake Odessa Michigan was a POW camp during WWII, there are still messages in German on one of the walls with dates in the warehouse.

[@elainesrottenbottom296]

I can't get enough of this channel! Why didn't we learn this stuff in school?

[@RestlessViking]

You are appreciated! I guess school is just a starting point for learning. (And honestly, if you were an elementary student of Poppins', you would have learned a lot of interesting stuff!) For us, the learning started after a few teachers sparked our curiosity. Their inspiration was way more important than "what" they taught. Thankfully, there are those teachers!

[@gwarfle]

You mentioned Ft Custer. The barracks we stayed in there 30 some years ago were supposed to be the same ones German POWs used. Also, there was a sand table/diorama of the training area the instructors used that was made by the POWs!

[@RestlessViking]

I stayed and trained in those same barracks a little over 30 years ago. It was quite possible they did stay there. I don't remember the sand table however. Interesting.

[@shellyR7151]

I didn't realize how many there were in Michigan...again learning more from you both about our state then in school..safe travels..love ya both..💜

[@johnhart125]

As a Michigan derived and a history addict, I love this channel. Driving backroads with fishing rod and metal detector are my hobbies now

[@freetime4051]

I never knew we had POW camps in Michigan. Always learning something new about Michigan. Enjoy your videos. Thanks again....Pete

[@scottberry5266]

Shelby mi up near silver lake had a pow camp also. The pillars where the gates were are still there. It’s now Shelby high school. Some of the prisoners were let out to work for farmers in the area. After the war, many prisoners returned to Oceania county and started their lives over as Americans.

[@davidrobbins5793]

This was fascinating. My wife was relaying that we had POW up in the UP as well. Seems so different from the Michigan we live in today. After 80 years nature has reclaimed that campground. Pretty amazing.

[@rickahlberg7020]

I'm always amazed by your research and insights into the various historical events in Michigan and other locations. Thank you again for sharing with us your thoughtful, educational and enjoyable journey! God Bless!

[@RestlessViking]

Welcome!

[@jumperjosh1732]

I really appreciate you touching on this! I too, am a realist… and you are correct, we will get through.. it’s the process that makes me nervous! Stay safe y’all!

[@auntmaryspals7978]

Very informative channel. I don't know why it was suggested other than I live in Michigan. Very glad I've found it!

[@scottgordon954]

When I lived in Sault Ste. Marie we used to go out to ride Dirt Bikes in the Raco area. That is where I first found out that there had been POW camps in Michigan. There was a small store that was run by two older sisters. We stopped there every weekend and usually spent time talking with them about the area. Their family had owned and run the store during the time the POW camp was in operation. They had some great stories about the Germans that were being held there. Every morning they would walk by headed to the woods for work detail, and in the evening walk back to the camp. The Guards would let the prisoners who wanted to spend some of their money they had earned to stop in the store and buy stuff. The sisters said that at the end of the war there were quite a few that did not want to go back to Germany, and that several had made their way back to the area after a few years to live and raise families.

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks for sharing that!

[@robertw.anderson6102]

I lived in Marquette for a while before moving back to Petoskey. And I had never heard fo Raco before (even my computer is confused, it wants to make that name Racoon).

[@grumpygord]

I remember hearing about POW's working on farms near Clarksville MI. My uncle owned a farm near Clarksville and I am not sure if the POW's worked on his farm or on a neighbor's farm but they got to know some of them. I also remember hearing about POW's who did not want to go home.

[@tonydeardorff]

The POW camp was at what is now Twin City Foods. The Freight Museum in Lake Odessa has some information, photos and artifacts about it.

[@ericscottstevens]

Many already knew their city or town was in the new Soviet occupation zone where they could be taken to the gulag. Plus if known as "visiting" in the capitalist US during the war the Soviets also frowned upon that as a possible spy in their midst. So the German POWs knew early what the best course of action was.

[@doyleowens7685]

Always learn something from your videos. Thank you

[@doughill5311]

Great story! Well done. My dad was on B-26 Marauder air crew in WWII. He decided that he wanted to be buried at Ft. Custer National Cemetery. I remember visiting there with him before he died and upon determining that his most likely final resting place would be a short distance from where the German PW's who died here were buried, the irony was very powerful to both of us. Thanks again for a valuable story.

[@jonbrzycki2593]

My grandfather is also buried at fort Custer, he fought at pearl harbor and in the south Pacific

[@mpwmu9041]

My family has a cottage on Pine Lake near Delton. They had pow Nazi's there as well working. I miss the area greatly. Great vid.

[@paulbrandon5735]

50 years ago I had a fraternity brother in Indiana whose dad was a POW housed in Ft Wayne. The camp there was ran very loosely, letting the men , who were not Nazis, work at numerous jobs in the Ft Wayne area. It was there where a young German man named Miller, met a beautiful local girl ( who happened to be of German ancestry herself) After the war he was sent home to Germany, only to return the next year where he married that young girl, and settling in Ft Wayne. Five years later, my friend was born. And they are still there, four generations later.

[@robinnowak1682]

So glad I found your channel ❤ Tom and I live in Allegan and he has taken me to that spot in the Allegan Forest. He knows lots of great spots along the Lakeshore.

[@RestlessViking]

Welcome!

[@stephenrrose]

Thank you for the educational video! Always learning from both of you! I had a friend that was a proud CCC Guy! He has passed. I learned a lot from him. Going up toward Tustin MI, there is a CCC cabin that is a small CCC museum. It was fun to walk around and learn from him. Take care.

[@mitchvanier]

Didn't know about the cactus here that's awesome

[@robertdrenten8040]

The flagpole was still standing on this site when I was a kid in the 1970s. I’ve been told of one escapee who thought he had escaped the USA by swimming to the opposite side of Allegan Lake.

[@kkuenzel56]

These are great stories! Thank you for sharing them!

[@stephenlabbe8715]

Fort Custer (between the village of Augusta & Battle Creek ) "hosted quite a few Germam POWs. They could work with local farmers & make a very small amount of $. Currently part of the base is a military training site & much of what was left is now a military cemetery. Seven POWs were killed on their way back to the fort. Some of the barracks were constructed in WW1 and are still there. Fortunately they have rehabilitated.

[@jafinch78]

I think Fort Custer was the Wardens for the POWs or whatever is termed in the chain of custody for the POWs. There were quite a few POW camps throughout the state of Michigan. When I researched for a period, I found some seemed to have been not documented or maybe classified?

[@TeutonicNordwind]

My dad and mom are buried at Ft Custer National Cemetery. On Halloween night, 1945, 16 German PW"s and their US guard driver from a work detail on a sugar beet farm were killed at the end of a work day when their transport truck was hit by a train while crossing tracks. A 17th PW jumped off at last second and survived. Many PW's had made friends with local families and often even had dinner with them at their homes. Many German PW's stayed in the US or returned after the war to make their life and raise families here. My dad was born in Montreal and moved to Detroit as a small child in about 1923 with his family, his dad looking for work in the booming city as a mechanic. Growing up in a French-speaking household, Dad often served as an interpreter as his unit, the 103rd Infantry/"Cactus Caravan" drove through France from Marseilles to the Alsace and cross the Rhein into Germany. He was pretty seriously wounded with shrapnel to the throat on Thanksgiving Day 1944 in St. Die, France and spent a couple of weeks in a field hospital before rejoining his unit. He was wounded when a booby-trapped door detonated an explosive device as he and two others entered a building while clearing the area of Germans as they did from town to town, in the drive east.

[@The_Andrew_Miles_Project]

Makes me want to find any evidence of the camp in Freeland near me. Awesome video!

[@jasonburge7054]

My great grandparents farmed west of Alma in Sumner twp. My great grandma told me about having some of POWs working their farm. She spoke very highly of them, and was sad to see them leave. She told me that on their last day working on the family farm. My great grandpa butchered a hog and she prepared a large "thanksgiving" style dinner. According to her, these particular POWs were housed at the Armory in Alma and the fairgrounds behind the armory.

[@robertw.anderson6102]

Living in Petoskey and hunting in Kalkaska, I've driven through Alma many times and never knew of POW's held there. Cool.

[@Rattles02]

Another great video! I learned about the Allegan POW camp right about the time I moved from Holland back to the east side of the state. I haven't made it back over there but maybe that would be something to do in the Fall when the weeds start dying off. I have been by Camp Pori in the UP but couldn't find any traces of it. I know there is a building on Salzburg in Bay City next to the railroad tracks that was used to house prisoners.

[@robertw.anderson6102]

Impressive amount of comments in a relatively short time.. Many of them quite interesting. Your videos really go right to heart of native Michiganders. I'm wondering what is the significance of the symbol you show at the end of your videos. I have a feeling I should probably know it's significance. I'm third generation Norweigian& Danish. You're both very lucky people. I share your interest in all thing historical. But especially Michigan, and primarily Northern Michigan history. It is such a privilege to live up here. And I greatly appreciate your videos. I've spent a good part of my life in the fields and woods of Michigan hunting and fishing. And I have canoed all the major rivers in the lower peninsula. And I'm always proud to tell someone I'm from Northern Mighigan.

[@RestlessViking]

The symbol of the two ravens represent Huginn and Muninn. They were Odin's Ravens, who fly around the world, gathering information. At day's end, they would land on Odin's shoulder and give him the news of the day. It symbolize our work, gathering stories from around the Great Lakes and reporting our findings.

[@robertw.anderson6102]

@@RestlessViking I figured it had something to due with Norse mythology. I still have relatives in Norway. They wouldn't be happy with the gap in my knowledge. Thank you for the update.

[@LadyYoop]

outstanding...as always!! The CCC really worked U.P. here, the fences on Brockway Mountain, there's a stone ship in Kearsarge, a plane in the back of some little town here...etc.

[@RestlessViking]

Interesting. Thanks!

[@TheMyeloman]

As a native Michigander (hoping to return someday very soon) I never knew any of this, and that seems like a real shame. My grandfather was in the Navy, drafted after Pearl Harbor, and as a veteran myself it makes me proud of how well we treated the PWs, especially knowing how poorly the Germans and Japanese treated ours. It’s great to hear some of those stories, and learn our history. Shame the camp was left derelict and eventually torn down though, would be a nice memorial today, and probably a great little park/campground. On that count, I think we could do better…

[@ThomasTalbotMD]

Great history. I knew about German PW Camps but not about any in Michigan. How cool!

[@curtstacy779]

The buildings were not all torn down some were sold. My grandpa bought one and raised a family in it. they are the equivalent of a mobile home you might say. don't forget the story of the prisoners making wine from the grapes growing on the property and selling it. I thought that one was neat.

[@jimtravoli5828]

I used to camp near there in the late 60's and early 70's. There were still buildings at that time. And still cactus. We brought a plant home and had it for years.

[@ab-kd3pn]

mbs airports originally was a internment camp as well

[@LisaHouserman]

I adore this channel. You do the most interesting things. Thank you.

[@christopherwassink6620]

Great video! My dad grew up just up the road in Hamilton and would tell me how they would sit by the road and watch the German PWs get transported to their worksites in trucks. I’ve looked for some history of this site and haven’t been able to find much. Your video is probably the most authoritative source on this place. Thanks!

[@VF-84]

I worked at that Heinz plant inHolland. Never knew that.

[@wendyfinlan1151]

Very interesting! It always amazes me how nature takes back an area left alone.

[@Northernnine8878]

Congrats on 20K!! Been following for a long time. Thank you for the time and effort Poppins and yourself put into making these videos to educate us.

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks so much!

[@michiganjems]

There’s so many POW camps here in Michigan

[@kylebockheim9545]

I remember hearing a story that a few of the POW's in Allegan had escaped and planned to cross L. Michigan to get to Chicago. But in actuality, they had only swam across L. Allegan and were recaptured on the other side of the lake!

[@midlifetravelers6151]

So interesting. My mom was married to an NCO and he was stationed in Louisiana near a POW camp, WWII. she had a charcoal picture portrait that one of the POW's made for her. Again, interesting Michigan history. Would be fun to metal detect this area.

[@Hcidem]

I'm glad you covered this. I thought of you two when I saw a similar video on another YT channel recently. If you visit the Custer State Recreation Area, you can find trails that wind through what appears to be a training area during the era of trench warfare. This might make an interesting episode.

[@springrain9438]

So extremely excited to find your channel!! Thank you!!

[@normsweet1710]

I was raised in Lenawee County…… I did not know there were POW camps in Mi. …….. let alone scattered all over upper & lower peninsula’s . I’ve been living in Tx. For 43 yrs. and yes those are prickly pear cactus. Great homework makes for a great vidio 😃👍❤️, Thanks to you and Poppin !

[@davidmcneil1550]

Here in Door County Wisconsin we had many POWs. Some returned after the war and remained, some marrying and some hoping to. We had many fruit orchards and needed labor to harvest the fruit. Interesting is that the POWs received a nickel for each pail while local kids got only a penny. Some of the buildings survive to this day.

[@davidpierce3386]

Thanks for the history lesson.

[@bevwyckoff2451]

I love WW2 historical fiction & read a book last fall about the PW’s working here in Michigan . I didn’t know this camp was real until your video. Thank you!

[@ThomasTalbotMD]

Really!?? What is the name of the book? I'd like to read it.

[@bevwyckoff2451]

I’ll have to try to remember. There were 4 women working in a shipyard- following their lives

[@bevwyckoff2451]

@@ThomasTalbotMDfound it! A woman’s place by Lynne Austin

[@file13whereareyou]

Great story. My high school in Lexington Ky was built by German POWs, Lafayette Senior High School.

[@kenblum4840]

I really enjoyed your video. I didn't know some of those stories about the PWs. My dad trained in an infantry unit that went to Europe in 1943. He was having some health issues, so the army assigned him to a PW camp in Trinidad, Colorado. He served for 33 months. You talked about everything he told me and then some. The prisoners were treated with dignity, and most were happy to be out of the war. Thanks for sharing and doing the research. 5 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@vincentspione]

Nice job. I had the good fortune to have researched POW camps in the US from 1980 - 2000. I worked with Prof. Arnols Kramer and met and interview many former German, Italian, Yugoslav a POWs as well as many Americans. I interviewed some of the crew of the U 505, U 234 and members of the task force that captured them. It was an eye opening experience and one that taught me about how good the American way is. Yes, over 500K POWs from many countries that fought with the Axis powers. Few Japanese though. The camps with 500 of less were generally branch camps of a larger one. My focus was primarily Camp Ruston in Louisiana and its branch camps. Thanks again.

[@evanfolwarski9534]

I grew up in Allegan and had heard a story of a small group of pows that had tried to escape and had no scale for how large America truly was. They had apparently jumped into lake Allegan thinking it was Lake Michigan with an intention of swimming to the UP where they could hide in the wilderness.

[@custodialmark]

Hear in Marfa,Texas. has one also. now an art gallery. building 98? has murals of the workers. many liked camp and stayed.

[@John-R.61]

Hello Poppin&Chuck, good to see you guys back. My dad was in ww2,south Pacific, navy. The battle of Leyte gulf.

[@barbburns2122]

Great information ! Thank you. Keep up the good search !

[@olivegreenpants7153]

They had german pows in Lansing during the war. My dad and uncle used to watch and wave as they were marched to the factories and they would wave back.

[@richardbaird9599]

When I was in my late teens much of it was still there. You could drive thru and see the plants and flowers that had been put in. In years since the DNR has tried to erase it from the area

[@robertyoung2318]

Thank you!!

[@susiscott4968]

One of my uncle’s worked with the CCC logging in Grayling.

[@jerredwayne8401]

I just spent the week at the last park ever built by the ccc, possum kingdom state park near mineral wells, Texas

[@charlesbauchat3790]

In the thumb, in Croswell, sits the pioneer sugar plant which still operates today. Across the street sits a building that once housed German POW,s that worked at the sugar plant during the war. The building became a small apt. House and I think it is also still there

[@jerryodell1168]

Reference your early comment about the CCC: The USA could use a form of CCC today. There are so many young people who are drifting with no idea of what they want to do in the future. Several of my Uncles were in the pre-WW2 CCC and learned so much that made their lives to be the most wonderful people. They were not only a benefit to Themselves, their Family, but to the entire community and the USA.

[@RestlessViking]

Agreed. Though some would say "AmeriCorps" or even the military fulfills that need. Personally, the military did many great things for me as a young man - most could be considered "tough lessons", but I learned a lot. . . quickly. My perspective and confidence changed a lot. It was a very important time in my life; probably much the same as your Uncles. The CCC seemed to have really good timing during the depression with so many that were unemployed.

[@jerryodell1168]

@@RestlessViking Agree, the Military teaches a lot of worthwhile information. I was in the US Navy for many years. (USS Canberra CAG-2, USS Dahlgren DLG-12, and USS Jouett CG-29, and several Naval stations on both East and West coasts and Great Lakes)

[@wittwittwer1043]

My Pappy fought in the ETO as a Combat Engineer in WWII. Before going overseas he trained in various states in the South. Here is a letter he wrote to my Mom from Camp Swift, Texas on Tuesday, 14 September, 1943: Phyllis Darling, I haven’t heard from you in such a long time that I decided to call you. The operator said there would be a two or three hour delay, so here I am writing. This letter won’t be nice because I’ll save the nice things for the telephone. My Company arrived here yesterday morning. Since that time I have received 38 more men, and I’m going to get 45 more of them. By wednesday noon I will have more than 250 men in the Company. I have a big motor pool and shops of my own a Company area just across the street from a big PX, a WD Theater, and about a block from the two swimming pools. Post Hq is only 3 blocks away, and all of the [2] supply branch buildings are across from my motor pool. The barracks are modern. The only bad thing is that were only going to be here 6 weeks, then we go back to Van Dorn. Wish you could travel now [Mom was pregnant] and you would already have a telegram telling you to come down to stay in Bastrop until we left for Miss. At least we could be together about five evenings a week for six weeks. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? It really seems to[o] good to be in the west again. Were only about 150 miles from Brownwood. Look on your map and see where I’m at. Swift is only about four miles out of Bastrop Texas. My new address is Co “A” 164th Engr. C Bn. 3rd Army mine School Camp Swift, Texas. [3] What do you think of that big long handle? Wish you were here now and you could take care of those old income tax blanks. Called Major Pirrung today & told him about our set-up here. He was very pleased and quite a bit Surprised when I told him I was getting another one of his platoons for the Company. I will soon have more men in the Company than he will have left in the Battalion. He should feel slighted. Hope you don’t mind Catipallers crawling all over the paper. The darned things are all over. The roaches are thick in here to[o]. They are even in my desk, and in the kitchen ______ they nearly ran of[f] with [4] it. There are a bunch of German Prisoners of war just across the street. They are really beautiful Physical specimens. There being worked like the devil to[o]. There is one German 1st Lt. in charge of the men, but guards are in charge of the Lt. My men are working like the devil, and they are beginning to look like real soldiers. Even the new men who transferred from “B” and “C” Company are liking the Company. They say we work a lot harder than they did before, but they don’t mind cause the’re learning something. Well there isn’t much news except that we had a good trip down here. Wish I could see you. Always, Glade [ED: I have made edits in brackets. Camp Swift was named after MG Eban Swift (May 1854-Apr 1938). During WWII a portion of the Camp was used to house German POWs; 10,000 at the peak. “Decided to call ….” During the war, contacting someone by long distance phone was “iffy.” See the back of the Camp Swift brochure below for the explanation (the graphics I added to this letter when I transcribed it did not copy when I posted this comment). Guessing: During WWII Walt Disney (WD) produced training and propaganda films for the public and military. I wonder if the theater mentioned here was for showing such films. Pappy’s handwriting is so bad that it took me until 07.02.2017 to find the correct spelling of MAJ G R Pirrung’s last name. He was the C.O. of the 164th ECB when it was activated.]

[@pclayton5063]

Back in the early 1950's we lived in what was once a German POW camp in New Mexico. It was called Orchard Park and was primarily used for housing lower ranking enlisted Air Force personnel stationed at Walker AFB. My dad was a SSgt at the time. The barracks were halved and turned into duplexes. I was about 4 years old at the time but still have some pictures of the place. We were only there maybe a year or so before we were sent to the UK. Mom was British and she didn't think much of the desert and New Mexico.

[@josephelden4573]

Hi guys. I'm guessing its because i subscribe to several Channels about Michigan that Restless Viking showed up in my feed one day and im so thankful it did. I've been binge watching ever since. My wife and i are not near as adventurous as the two of you. Tomorrow we leave for our 40th state park and I always look for things like you feature. Sadly, your videos show I've missed a lot! This one is perhaps a new favorite. We've been to Fort Custer quite a few times and it's fascinating with the abandoned town aspect of it.

[@RestlessViking]

Welcome!

[@stevepoling]

My uncle's house in Sparta, MI was once officers' quarters for the POW camp. I didn't know it when I was a kid, but my cousin was able to give some details of what remained of the camp when he grew up there (in the '60s). My mom & Aunt were teens when Grampa had some POWs from the camp come to help on his farm. I'm told the prisoners weren't allowed to talk to them.

[@ericscottstevens]

As a kid I lived in Rockford. Never knew the camps were in Kent county until today.

[@daviddavis1656]

This was a fascinating history review. I enjoy history and Michigan history specifically having been born and raised here. I live in Dowagiac and did not know of the other area PW camps; Coloma, Mattawan, and Benton Harbor. I am very familiar with Fort Custer having stayed there for a law enforcement training about 20 years ago in an old barracks. My in-laws are buried in the national cemetery just across the drive from the German burial plots. There are 26 Germans buried there. Ten were killed in the train accident and the others passed from health issues. Awesome as always. Thank you.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

My parents are also buried at Custer. Actually 16 were killed upon impact of the train or very shortly after in the hospital. The US soldier driver was also killed and a 17th PW jumped at the last second and survived.

[@64C10Claymore]

I live just down the road from here

[@Fires755]

Wow! Thank you

[@RestlessViking]

Welcome!

[@burtzorn4059]

Thanks so much for a great and educational video. Never knew any of this history.

[@OHUQTU]

I worked with Domingo Zepeda (RIP), who had moved to Michigan from Texas. He drove a tractor in the Grant(?) POW camp, for the farm working POW's. An army guard warned him to stop being friendly with the German POW's. My father was a "guest worker" for der Fuhrer after his capture in the Hurtgen Forest debacle. He volunteered for a "commando" work detail, and ended up in a brand new POW barracks, with POW's on one end and their Polish guards on the other end of the barracks. They were in Northern Germany, at Stalag II-B He got frostbite in his feet when they were forced to spend the night in a open, snow covered field in the middle of the 1944-45 winter, on an island near Stettin, in the Baltic Sea. When the Rissian front approached their work area, they were marched westward, to stay away from combat. One day, an eastbound German column passed them, retreating from an allied advance. A German soldier asked a Polish guard why was he still carrying a rifle, and told him to throw it away! They were liberated, not long after.

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks for sharing!

[@mestep511]

Another nice oddity of history few know of, revealed in a good adventure story by you two.

[@michaelpfister1283]

That camp looks like a summer camp for 4H or the scouts. What a difference from what they were likely expecting. Nice place to live, considering. :-)

[@sundancer3700]

Great video, love learning new things about our great state.

[@lanewhite2025]

0:27 There was one in Shelby MI. Just south down Stoney Lake Rd. On the east side of the road Was a building where they worked, farm work. Almost impossible to find now. unless you know where it was. The foundation is barely visible, today. My uncle was WW2 Captain. My dad was Korean era navy vet. They took me out and showed it to me, back in the early 80's. They said they were the luckiest pows ever, to be there right by lake Michigan. The locals, would often watch them working in the fields.

[@shirleybalinski4535]

My grandfather's neighboring farmer got some POW'S from the camp near Shelby, Michigan. He brought them home in the back of a stake pick up truck. As they crossed the PM River near his farm the Pow's started hollering & gesturing. With the guards help he pulled over & they scampered to the river for a swim. It was a hot day & dusty roads. The fRmer said it probably didn't help that he had hauled hogs to market the day before & hadn't cleaned the truck!!

[@mikerobb7443]

Weve got one here in new bern nc which is now a city park. The only remains are the concrete slabs of the cabins which are now slabs for picknic benches. It held u boat captives if i recall

[@kathleeneichler8906]

This is an amazing video, so much information, you two always deliver excellent work. *U* Kathleen

[@RestlessViking]

Thank you so much!

[@LumpyinAZ]

German PWs worked at the fruit cannery next to the Black River in South Haven.