U.S. Airmen Prisoners in WW-II (1943-1944) at St Catherine's School, Bucharest
Surviving members of the Association of Former Prisoners of War in Romania sent touching notes to Dan Dimancescu after seeing photos of themselves in the documentary Knights of the Sky directed by Nicholas Dimancescu. Three ex-airmen (B-24s) have now seen themselves in the film. In 2013, they decided that a special fund collected over the years would be donated in 2014 to the Inocenti program in Romania in thanks for the favorable treatment they received when incarcerated. This is expressed the accompanying email messages from Beth Ciullo, the daughter of 91-year old John McCormick.
In March of 2015, a memorial ceremony was held in Bucharest to honor the airmen who died during the rais.
Surviving members of the Association of Former Prisoners of War in Romania sent touching notes to Dan Dimancescu after seeing photos of themselves in the documentary Knights of the Sky directed by Nicholas Dimancescu. Three ex-airmen (B-24s) have now seen themselves in the film. In 2013, they decided that a special fund collected over the years would be donated in 2014 to the Inocenti program in Romania in thanks for the favorable treatment they received when incarcerated. This is expressed the accompanying email messages from Beth Ciullo, the daughter of 91-year old John McCormick.
In March of 2015, a memorial ceremony was held in Bucharest to honor the airmen who died during the rais.
Photo left of airmen (circled) who recognized themselves recently:
- John McCormick (left)
- Tom Badger (rt)
- Michael Minasian (not shown)
- present-day photo shows same steps where airmen stood at in 1944
Several sites held prisoners in Bucharest at St. Catherine's and near Gara de Nord; a third was at Timisul de Jos between Sinaia and Brasov. The building is unchanged to this day. Wounded airmen were treated comfortably at a luxury hotel in Sinaia.
- John McCormick (left)
- Tom Badger (rt)
- Michael Minasian (not shown)
- present-day photo shows same steps where airmen stood at in 1944
Several sites held prisoners in Bucharest at St. Catherine's and near Gara de Nord; a third was at Timisul de Jos between Sinaia and Brasov. The building is unchanged to this day. Wounded airmen were treated comfortably at a luxury hotel in Sinaia.
Many airmen who died were buried at a special cemetery near Sinaia and then repatriated in 1947 to U.S. cemeteries.
Photos at Timisul de Jos courtesy of the Swiss Red Cross