Information - POW Stalag 2b - Parent Unit 0019

My Grandfather is Pete N Lunstad and he served in WWII.

Our family has very limited information about his time spent in the service due to him not willing to talk about his experience. He often referred to this time when asked as to let bygones be bygones. I can only imagine with a very heavy heart the things he witnessed and was subjected to during this time in his life. I am attempting to retrace his steps and would greatly appreciate any help with directions on how to uncover more about his time serving.

Enlisted on May 6, 1942 in Missoula, Montana
Parent Unit: 0019
Parent Type: 06
Arm or Service: Corps of Engineers
Arm or Service Code: CE: Corps of Engineer

POW information -
First Report: 02-19-1943
Area: North African Theatre Tunisia
Detained by Germany
Camp - Stalag 2b Hammerstein 99 Work Camps in V
Last Report: 06-12-1945
Pete did mention that he was part of the Death March.

He was a POW for approximately 2 years and 4 months. During this time his oldest brother received notification from the US Government that Pete had died.

I would greatly appreciate any information anyone might have on my grandfather or any advice on how to find out more about this time in his life. Thank you in advance.

 

Hi,

You could try applying for service records via: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/, however, there may not be any copies as the archive where the records were stored was damaged by fire in the 70's.

Mark

 

Thanks Mark - I did look here at the Veterans Records. Should I look in other areas as well?
Jennifer

 

It appears I buggered up the link, sorry about that.

The Veteran's Records area was the area I was trying to link to. Did you send a request for any records they may have, as they aren't published online?

Mark

 

Parent Unit 0019 would indicate he was in the 19th Combat Engineers. There is a very good WWII Engineer website/forum that you may want to contact. They seem to have some information on the 19th Engineers. Here are a couple of links that they have which discuss the 19th Engineers:

www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/engforum/index.php?showtopic=6092

www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/engforum/index.php?showtopic=1960


Presuming the date of 19 Feb 1943 is the date he was first reported as MIA, as opposed to his first being confirmed as a POW, that would correspond with the battle at Kasserine, Tunisia. So, it is possible that he may have been taken prisoner at that battle.

The HyperWar website has an online version of the official US Army history (aka "The Green Books"). In the volume titled Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West, you may want to read Chapter XXIII, Rommel's Thrust Through Kasserine Pass. The 19th Engineers are mentioned a few times.

Here's a PDF of an article titled "Engineers in North Africa" which mentions the 19th Engineers. The following is an excerpt:

There is also a documentary on YouTube titled, The 19th Engineers No Longer Exist, which covers the Kasserine battle using veteran interviews:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8oXpwtbLZk&feature=youtu.be

 

Yes, I requested those records last Monday. How long does it generally take to hear a response? Thanks so much for all you help. Words truly can't express my gratitude.

Jennifer

 

TD_Tommy776 -
WOW! So thankful for your reply.
We believe he was captured at Kasserine Pass as well. It's nice to know that others think so as well.
Also thank you for the video link - my son who is 9 years old is helping with the research as he has a true interest in the history of WWII. I previewed the link and will show him it tonight.
Everything you listed is greatly helpful.
Many Thanks
Jennifer

 

You're welcome, Jennifer. I was pleased to come across the video. There's nothing like hearing from the veterans themselves what it was like. It gives a sense of what your grandfather might have experienced. If you are interested in more veteran stories, the Veterans History Project website has a video of a WWII veteran who was a POW at Stalag II-B (aka 2B). I was not able to watch all of it, so I'm not sure how much of the video covers his time at the POW camp.

 

Thank You ... I will try and attempt to watch the other video you suggested. He did occasionally speak of his time as a POW but just snippets of information. He did say he was a member of the death march.

It's very emotional for me as my grandfather and I where extremely close. Not a day went by as an teen or adult that I didn't talk to him daily or see him. My grandfather trusted everyone and would literally give anyone anything if they asked for help. He once handed over the keys to his car to a stranger with only a phone number from the guy. Car was returned by the months later full of gas and in excellent condition. My grandfather never worried about.

Amazes me that after everything he saw, endured and overcame that his spirit was still true. Words can't express my gratitude.

 

my Grandfther was a POW at stalag2b, i have his journal while he was a POW, he wrote about the match through germany. I will look up your grandfathers name and see if he signed the journal.

 

Donald A Mccormick signed my grandfathers war journal, it was good to hear his story andknow that they marched together.

 

Hi Justenm,
You have a journal? What an interesting read that would be. Would you mind checking for my grandfather, Mitchell Burgess?

 

Hey everyone! I just came across this forum and would like to give you my grandfathers info and see if you could give me any details about it.
CLARENCE EDWARD GOODWIN- ARMY
1st report= 9-13-1943
State of residence=41/ALABAMA
Type of organization= 036
Parent unit=7116
Area=98/NORTH AFRICAN THEATRE:ITALY
Last report=6-12-1945
Detained by Germany
Camp=003/STALAG IIB(2B) Hammerstein West Prussia 53-17

 

According to the website www.axpow.org:
Clarence E Goodwin of Pell City, AL served with 142nd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division. He was a POW at Stalags 3C, 2B, 7A, and 2D.

I also found a great new article about him from 2014 at: discoverstclair.com/remembering-veterans/shorty-goodwin/

 

Hi Justenm,

Just saw your post about your grandfather having a journal from Stalag 2b. I don’t know if you can help me or not. But my father to was on the death march and his name was Robert Breon. If you would ever have a chance to look and see if my father is mentioned I would be more than grateful. Plus maybe there something you have that might help me out also. I have just learned of a person who I believe was another POW and I know his one name is Carlos and I believe his last name is something like Coons. But that I am not sure about as when my father finally mentioned him he was dying from a brain tumor, and some of the words are not clear. I have been trying and trying to find any information about this person because apparently he helped carry my father when he couldn’t walk due to being wounded in the hip with mortar Fragment ( which went straight through his compass and into his hip but the feeling I was always given was that count this is what helps saved his life and the compass is still in our family and it is heartbreaking to even look at, at least for me ).

If by chance you have anything on either of these people I would be more than grateful to learn about it. Thank you in advance for your help and consideration

Dorothy

 

Hey Dorothy,
I will look, its been long time since i checked this page sorry i have missed your message.

 

didnt see your Grandfathers name, but im sure they marched together.

 

could not find your fathers name in the journal. i am planning within 5 years to go march the route my grandfather was forced to March. acccording to his journal he met up with hundreds of other POW's fro other camps along the way