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I'm writing to you about my uncle, Col. Michael J. Stroff Jr. I saw him this past weekend and he retold some of his stories and since he is in failing health, I wanted to pass them on to you for inclusion in your site. He is currently 83 years old and remembers his time spent in the UK like it was yesterday.

After completing flight school in the United States he was sent to England in 1943 for training and active duty. He was the pilot of a B17. Not sure of the group or squadron.

On only his second mission, he was shot down after his bombing mission over Bordeaux France on 12/31/43. He thinks 47 planes were involved and over 20 were shot down that day. After having 3 engines shot out from under him, he was still able to crash landed his B-17 on the French coast.

All his crew survived. He evaded for 1 day but, was was eventually captured. After a few days of captivity a German Major was brought to speak with him. The Major did not interrogate him, but really was just interested in talking with him. He ‘liked’ Americans and spoke very good English.

He was then put on a train and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. During the trip, he was strip searched 3 times by the Germans, but he was able to hide his hack-saw blade from his survival kit. He had hidden it in a finger of his flight glove. He gave the blade to others on the train so they could cut through the steel bars and escape. He thinks approximately 16 were able to flee that night. He could not go with them since he was injured in the plane crash (his front teeth had been knocked out and he'd broken a few ribs from slamming into the steering column.)

He spent the duration of the war in a prison camp in Germany and was released after VE-Day. He continued to serve in the US Air Force during Korea and Vietnam.

He is proud to have help the English in their fight against the Germans.

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