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Last Name: ` COTTLE	First Name Middle Initial: CLYDE J		Nick Name: 'RED'
Street: 2063 SUMMERHILL RD	City & State: TURKEY, NC		E-Mail:
Zip: 28393-8711	Phone:		Spouse: DORIS D
Conflict: WW II	Service Branch: Army Air Corp		Unit: 303 BG
Theater: ETO	Where Captured: KORNBURG		Date Captured: 01/13/45
Camps Held In: WESLER,STALAG 13B			How Long Interned: 0 days
liberated / repatriated: liberated	Date Liberated:		Age at Capture: 21
Medals Received: AIR MEDAL W/3 CLUSTERS, PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ETO MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN W/3 BATTLE SERVICE STARS, WW II VICTORY MEDAL, POW MEDAL
Military Job: TAIL GUNNER		Company: SEVERAL - P.T.S.D.
Occupation after War: SALESMAN - MGR. RETAIL

Military Bio:

Clydie's crew were hit by flak 1-13-45 durring a mission in Mannheim, Germany in the right wing. Their B17 got on fire, and the crew was ordered to bailed out, the plane blew up one minute later. By photo all came out. Clyde's crew fell into little town called Kornburg. Clyde fell in a tree, and when he came too the Germans were waiting. There Ball turret man broke his leg. They had to walk through snow 4’ thick with only a crew of three, it was really hard to walk with flight clothes on and while carrying there B.T. crewman. They went to a small town where they were greeted by people that spat on them. Luckily they moved the crew fast. They were later taken to a camp called Wetzer just to keep them from freezing to death. The next day they were taken to Obervaal, an Interrogation Center. Clyde spent one week there. He was fed by slipping a plate of food under the door, treating them like they were dogs, and the food was bad. Clyde left there and went through Frankfurt R.R. Station. He was attacked by a civilian who twisted his arm and messed it up. From there he was sent to Nurenburg 13B and 13D Stalag where they were in a building with bunks 3 high. Two men had to sleep with one another on a bed of straw just wide enough for one person. Lice were rampant, and it was pure hell! Clyde and others were so hungry all the time, they never had time to think of their families. Clyde and others later received two Red Cross parcels. At times clyde was so weak he couldn’t get to bathroom in time. The time he spent as a POW messed his mind up. When Clyde was walking around the compound he remembers a young boy, 19 years old that went wild and ran to climb the fence and was shot dead as he got over the last strand. Never to this day did Clyde forget this P.T.S.D. He is now 76 years old. He was late getting out in the snow for count and was beaten on his back one time. One time an American comrade fell into the toilet. Clyde and others had to get down in the mess to pull him out – (very stinky). They were mostly with British that bellyached all the time.