Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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Newcomers to this area and sometimes those who have been around a few years often are surprised that a German POW Camp was located just beyond the present spillway area of the dam at the end of World War II. The camp was built to house 150 prisoners.
Evelyn, who now is deceased, worked in the Corp of Engineers office for many years. She told me a story a number of years ago about a visit to the camp in 1946. Her remembrance won first place in a Herald sponsored essay contest, “I Remember When.”
At the time that she visited the camp, there were only 35 to 40 prisoners remaining and they were waiting for final orders to return home. She and a friend were invited by military personnel to be guests at a delicious dinner in the camp that was prepared by the prisoners. One thing that she especially remembered on the menu was chocolate pie — a treat since sugar, chocolate and butter had long been on the food shortage list.
Army Capt. David Bates was responsible for this detachment in the Denison area. He was a World War I veteran who had been recalled with the rank of captain and later worked at the Citizens National Bank here.
The compound didn’t attract much attention except for the high wire compound, according to Evelyn’s essay. After the tour, she said she delved a little deeper into the history of the camp by reading files and talking with civilian crew foremen.
The German prisoners, about 10 percent of whom spoke English, were brought to the camp for a planned three years in 1945. This particular group had been held in the Central Camp Howze Prisoner Compound in Gainesville, then was a part of the Tishomingo, Oklahoma, work group. Prisoners from camps at Powell and near Tishomingo had worked earlier during the building of the Denison Dam.
The compound here included wooden barracks much like those that housed U.S. servicemen. A high fence surrounded the area and guard towers were placed in four locations as precautions. The men were from varied walks of life and many were trained tradesmen.
DONNA HUNT: Denison was site of German POW camp
I had no idea that was down there in Denison. I wonder if they have any museums.
Evelyn, who now is deceased, worked in the Corp of Engineers office for many years. She told me a story a number of years ago about a visit to the camp in 1946. Her remembrance won first place in a Herald sponsored essay contest, “I Remember When.”
At the time that she visited the camp, there were only 35 to 40 prisoners remaining and they were waiting for final orders to return home. She and a friend were invited by military personnel to be guests at a delicious dinner in the camp that was prepared by the prisoners. One thing that she especially remembered on the menu was chocolate pie — a treat since sugar, chocolate and butter had long been on the food shortage list.
Army Capt. David Bates was responsible for this detachment in the Denison area. He was a World War I veteran who had been recalled with the rank of captain and later worked at the Citizens National Bank here.
The compound didn’t attract much attention except for the high wire compound, according to Evelyn’s essay. After the tour, she said she delved a little deeper into the history of the camp by reading files and talking with civilian crew foremen.
The German prisoners, about 10 percent of whom spoke English, were brought to the camp for a planned three years in 1945. This particular group had been held in the Central Camp Howze Prisoner Compound in Gainesville, then was a part of the Tishomingo, Oklahoma, work group. Prisoners from camps at Powell and near Tishomingo had worked earlier during the building of the Denison Dam.
The compound here included wooden barracks much like those that housed U.S. servicemen. A high fence surrounded the area and guard towers were placed in four locations as precautions. The men were from varied walks of life and many were trained tradesmen.
DONNA HUNT: Denison was site of German POW camp
I had no idea that was down there in Denison. I wonder if they have any museums.
