Big Band Behind Barbed Wire (WW2, war, bomb, general)

[Tracysherm]

In doing some family history research, I discovered a cousin of my grandmother who served in WWII. But the more I dug, I found that the story was bigger than just him, and I had to share what I found, to these guys would not be forgotten.

After being shot down in German-occupied France after a successful bombing raid, my cousin, age 20, was taken prisoner by the Germans. After a brief period in an interrogation center, he and a bunch of other captured Air Corps officers were taken to the POW camp Stalag Luft III, in Sagan Germany, which is now Zagan, Poland.

Here's my grandmom's first cousin, Lt. William Runner.

Stalag Luft III was supposed to be the most state-of-the-art and humane prison camp, sort of the jewel in the Luftwaffe's crown. On the surface, the Germans who ran the camp adhered to the Geneva Conventions, and they boasted of the wonderful amenities the prisoners, all Allied Officers, had access to, like a theater, swimming pool, athletic field & courts, a library, and educational facilities. In reality, it was still very much a prison, and there was never enough to eat, and the Germans would give excuses for why the prisoners were not getting their Red Cross care packages.

People who are not history or WWII buffs may have still heard of Stalag Luft III, as it was made famous in the movie The Great Escape, which portrayed the true story of a bunch of British RAF Officers who escaped in 1944. Most of those who escaped were re-captured and executed. Hogan's Heroes is also supposed to be loosely based on Stalag Luft III. Of course there wasn't the lovable Sergeant Schultz and bumbling Colonel Klink, but the prisoners did have an extensive network of tunnels, secret radios, and other secrets they kept from their Nazi captors. Although there were few if any actual successful escapes, these secret efforts or "X activities" certainly maintained hope and kept up morale among the prisoners.

One thing that was well known even to the Germans, and that clearly kept up morale was the "Big Band" that was organized among the American prisoners in the South Compound. Big Band music was all the rage during that time, and it seems that many of the officers had some musical experience. Some time in the middle of 1943, a band was put together called the Luft Bandsters (or Luftbandsters). For at least part of the time, the band director was a Major named Hal or Al Diamond. All the musical instruments had been donated by the YMCA. In October 1943, when my cousin arrived, he was quickly recruited, as he was an accomplished trumpet player who had briefly played with The Woody Herman Band in New York city, as a 19 year old college kid.

Poking around the internet, I can find a handful of mentions of the Luft Bandsters (sometimes misspelled "Luft Bansters") and how they could probably have compared to any of the respected, famous big bands of the day.


Here is a link to two pictures of the Luft Bandsters performing:
Luft Bansters





Here's another:



Info and references on the Luftbandsters:
A POW Story from Stalag Luft III | Designitcorp's Blog

Here's a story told by a guy named Frank Murphy that mentions my cousin, Lt. Bill Runner, and the band:
Behind the Wire - 2

Here is another guys' stories that mention the band and "Dusty Runner" who I think might be my cousin, but I'm not certain:
Legacy Page

Legacy Page



Here's an obituary of a guy in California named Leland Forsblad, who arranged the music for the Luft Bandsters as a prisoner and later went on to a musical career:
Leland Forsblad



Here's a document from the War Department on Stalag Luft III that mentions the band:
Stalag 3 & 13D
"The "Luftbandsters", playing on YMCA instruments, could hold its own with any name band in the U.S.A. according to those who heard them give various performances."


The band apparently only existed from mid-1943 until January 1945 when the Germans decided to evacuate the prisoners to camps deeper within Germany (the Russians were getting close). The guys were marched for days, through miles of snow and freezing temperatures, before they were crowded onto train cars and taken to another prison camp, Stalag VIIA at Moosburg, Germany. This place was evidently a hell-hole, but they would not be there long. On April 29, 1945, the 14th Armored Division came rolling in, and after a firefight, liberated the prisoners. The freed POWs welcomed General Patton when he arrived 2 days later.

My cousin decided to stay with the Army Air Corps and went into pilot training at Randolph Air Field in Texas after the War. Unfortunately, he died in a terrible car crash near the base in August 1946 at the age of 23.

I was amazed at the story of these men: Fighting for our country, getting shot down and captured, and while prisoners, forming this band that for about 18 months entertained the prisoners and guards alike, whose lives all needed some joy at the time. As some of the stories I've linked say, when they were playing, they could transcend their circumstances and forget, briefly, where they were. And I'm sure the music did the same for their audiences.

I watch History channel and history documentaries all the time, and I've never seen even a mention of this band in any documentary. I wish someone would even consider making a TV movie about them. I can't believe that there weren't even any family stories about my cousin and his band. I just don't want these men to be forgotten; and as they say, once you post something on the internet, it's there forever. If anyone else finds any related info, please share it here. I fear that all the men who participated or saw the band are dead by now. If you know the names of any other members of the Luft Bandsters, please post them as well.


More Info on Stalag Luft III:
AFHI Virtual Museum

Research of WWII B-24 POW Stalag Lufts of WW2

USAFA Stalag Luft III Home Page

Here is a story written by my cousin's pilot, Robert Slane about his time in the camp and his escape attempts. He also mentions my cousin several times, in this and in another essay in which he describes his crew, including my cousin, being shot down. He wrote a book, which I've ordered but haven't yet received.
http://www.91stbombgroup.com/91st_ta...III_escape.pdf


God Bless the Luft Bandsters, and all the men who served our country in WWII.

[NJGOAT]

Thank you for sharing the story. It was something I was passively aware of (not the Luft Bandsters per se, but that the prisoners had bands and sports teams), but I really enjoyed reading the stories you found. The personal stories and experiences are what make history come alive and seem more real.

[sasesq]

In the second photo, that is my father playing the sax. He is still alive and remembers the Luft Bansters. In the top photo, he is second from the left. Ira Salz.

[email]SAS604@optonline.net[/email]

[Tracysherm]

Oh my God!!!! Could you ask if he remembers my cousin, Lt. William Runner? I've been putting together a bio of him, based on scraps of info I've found online, my ancestry research, and the book written by Robert Slane. I'd appreciate any small memories he might have of Bill. I learned from the Slane book that Bill also acted as band leader for a while, he was called "Dusty" Runner, and there's picture of him conducting the band at a July 4th celebration in the camp.
Your dad is the one who stands out most to me in those pictures, like he's looking right at us.

Since posting this, I found Bill Runner's grave, and arranged for the local American Legion to put a medallion and flags on it.

I wish someone would do some type of story on the Luft Bansters! Maybe a journalist, a documentary film maker, or even a history or music grad student. I don't want their story to be lost to history!

I'll direct-message you with my e-mail, in case your dad has any info at all to share. I didn't think any members would still be living! Thank your Dad for his service to our country, and for what he did for the others with the band.

[Tracysherm]

I just wanted to "bump" this thread, since I just read again about my relative on this Memorial Day. RIP cousin.