Stalag Luft IV - Stalag Luft I - the Death March

I'm researching my grandfather's experience in WWII. Herman A. Schroeder passed away in 1991 and never talked about the war to anyone in the family. He was a B17 tail gunner in the US Army Air Force. His plane was shot down over Holland and his crew parachuted to safety (with the exception of the co-pilot A. Galle, who was captured and murdered by the SS). He was a staff sergeant, and I understand the Nazis respected rank and treated the officers better than the enlisted men.
I'm trying to determine if he participated in the infamous Death March when Stalag Luft IV was evacuated, or if he was transported by train or other vehicle to Stalag Luft I (because of his rank).

His German POW file mentions two transfers ("versetzungen") the first on 12.12.44, which states as the reason for transfer ("Grund der Verstzung") is Dulag Wetzlar (which is the camp where he was initially interrogated) and the new Camp Stalag IV. The second date is a bit blurred (handwritten) but could be 26.1.45, and the reason just "Verlegh". I have his diary which he kept in Stalag Luft I, which mentions "Barbed Wire Buddies" from Stalag Luft IV, with their names and addresses (half are British names and addresses).

One US government POW archive has a record of him, which under "camp" mentions: "Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16" which seems to be a very common entry on many of these records, which suggests they all suffered the same fate. This must be documented somewhere.

Any advice or insight is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for the encouragement. I’m hopeful someone will know the answer or provide some insight.

 

My grandfather kept a diary while he was imprisoned in Stalag Luft I. In it, he recorded the names and addresses of several fellow prisoners from the US. This was in a section entitled "Barb Wire Buddies - Stalag Luft #4" I am reproducing the names here in case anyone knows the fate of these men and if by chance their families might have some oral history passed down to them that might shed additional light on what happened to my grandfather:

Frank Del Gado, 839 E. 83rd St, Los Angeles, CA
William E. Taylor, 165 Ridge Street, Ironwood, MI
Kenneth La Salle, 56 McIntyre Street, North Bay Ontario
Gasper Pizzolato Jr. P.O. Box 385 Plaquemino, LA
Charles G. Porter, Lexington, AL
Paul F. Somerville, Fort Neal Parkersburg, WV
Everette Coates, Wake, P.O., VA
J.V. McDonald, Jr. Route 1, Forney, TX
Jack H. Odgen, 9173 Avis Ave, Detroit MI

 

I am also listing the names of his Barb Wire Buddies from Stalag Luft I Barth in case anyone has any oral history passed down about their experience in the camp:

Raul Saba, 6127 Prospect Ave., Dallas, TX
George P. Paulk, Bartow FL
Wilbert R Pasquini, 927 Pennline Paulsboard, NJ
Dallas A. Prior, 1100 S. 24th Street, Mt. Vernon, IL
James R. Martin, Delton Manor, Benecia, CA
George W. Foster, Rt. #5, Lexington, N.C.
Clinton H. Fuel, 128 Hall St. Malvern, AK
Lester A. Griffin, 2005 S. W. 62nd Court, Corrigables, FL
Andrew Alcarese, 630 Wyanoke Ave. Baltimore, MD
Harley J Wilds, Box #69, Blountstown, FL
Henry A. Iler, Rt. #1, College Park, GA
William F. Rutan, 230 Shirls Ave. Washington, PA
Charles B. Rose, 420 13th St., W. Palm Beach, FL
John R. Smith, Dolores, CO
Richard L. Sipes, 556 Wilson Ct. York, PA
Alvin T. Powers, 2806 N. E. 11th, Portland OR
John W. Goodwin, 909 E. High St. Jeff City, MO
Robert K. Porter, Rt. #6, Danville, VA
Henry C. Rhodes, 210 Pine St. Covington, VA
Roy E. Loyless, 7238 Sherman, Houston, TX
Ralph M. Persun, Jr., 930 Cometory St. Williams Port, PA
Harold F. Uebel, 8009 Mc Gee Ave, St. Louis, MO
Floyd E. Ragsdale, Honea Path, SC
Randall L Powell, 408 E Delaware St, Evanville, IN
Billy H. Page, 1015 Dawson Ave. Long Beach, CA

 

Billy Huffman Page: Billy Huffman Page (1923-1984) - Find a Grave... Deceased 23 Oct, 1984 and Interred in Riverside National Cemetery, CA.

Harald F. Uebel: Harold Frederick Uebel (1925-2004) - Find a Grave.... Dec 19 Jan, 2004 and interred in Florida National Cemetery.

Roy E. Loyless: Roy E Loyless (1925-2017) - Find a Grave Memorial. Dec. 2017 and interred at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Kerrville, TX.

The above are just the ones I tried to find.

I bet almost all of those guys are dead by now but you're looking for a relative who may know something or can find some unpublished memoirs or notes. I know the Germans tried to move their PoWs away from the Allies but sometimes the Allies (both Soviets and Americans) moved too fast for the Germans.