{"id":4358,"date":"2025-12-22T04:26:31","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T04:26:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/world-war-ii-veterans-held-captive-at-same-pow-camp-meet-more-than-80-years-later\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T04:26:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T04:26:31","slug":"world-war-ii-veterans-held-captive-at-same-pow-camp-meet-more-than-80-years-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/world-war-ii-veterans-held-captive-at-same-pow-camp-meet-more-than-80-years-later\/","title":{"rendered":"World War II Veterans, Held Captive at Same POW Camp, Meet More Than 80 Years Later"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Les Schrenk and Casey Bukowski already share a special bond as World War II veterans. After all, not many from the Greatest Generation are still alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But when Schrenk, 102, and Bukowski, 101, met for the first time to celebrate Schrenk\u2019s birthday in November, the veterans realized they shared way more in common than simply serving in WWII.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Both men were staff sergeants<\/li>\n<li>Both were gunners on B17 bombers<\/li>\n<li>Both were shot down by enemy forces on the same day \u2013 Feb. 22, 1944<\/li>\n<li>Both were captured and spent time in the same prison of war camp\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Schrenk told CBS News Minnesota that he\u2019s corresponded with many POWs from World War II through the years, but \u201cevery one of them is gone for a good number of years now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He was a bit shocked to find out about Bukowski, that he was still alive, and that they shared so many wartime experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Planning the Special Meeting\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Getting these two veterans together took some work. Schrenk lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, while Bukowski\u2019s home is near Buffalo, New York. But their friends, Mike Johnson and Jared Cummins, another veteran, started corresponding and when they learned about their near identical stories, they knew they must arrange a meeting. They selected a date and time and chose the St. Paul Air Force Museum as the place.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bukowski admitted to feeling somewhat apprehensive about the meeting, especially sharing memories with another POW, but once he met Schrenk, he felt at ease.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cActually, unbelievable. Because I had doubts about what would occur and how to approach this thing,\u201d Bukowski said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For Schrenk, the rendezvous was a pleasant way to celebrate birthday No. 102.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure role=\"group\">\n<article data-embed-button=\"image\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.with_caption\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"ef84a267-21aa-40c6-9003-26f3ba63ebe4\" data-langcode=\"en\" class=\"embedded-entity\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"field field--image field--label-hidden\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images03.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/les_1_.jpg?itok=CrRuKX0L 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"591\" height=\"698\"><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images03.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/les_1_.jpg?itok=CrRuKX0L 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 992px) and (max-width: 1199px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"591\" height=\"698\"><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images03.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/les_1_.jpg?itok=CrRuKX0L 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 991px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"591\" height=\"698\"><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images03.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/les_1_.jpg?itok=CrRuKX0L 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"591\" height=\"698\"><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article><figcaption>Les Schrenk. (Photo from CBS News Minnesota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>So Close to Each Other\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When Bukowski and Schrenk hopped into the cockpits of their B17s on Feb. 22, 1944, they didn\u2019t realize their lives would soon change.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bukowski suffered injuries when his plane was shot down.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI lost my eye at that time and had a shrapnel wound, and I was knocked out,\u201d Bukowski said. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Both pilots bailed out, deploying parachutes. The Germans grabbed Schrenk in Denmark, and Bukowski was captured in Germany.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s amazing. We were practically shaking hands, and yet, we didn\u2019t know each other,\u201d Bukowski said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>They were sent to the same POW camp and subjected to the same deplorable conditions. Forced against their will, they were even subjected to an 86-day death march. Many of their comrades didn\u2019t survive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all had very severe dysentery, fleas, lice, and bed bugs. And, of course, the cold,\u201d Schrenk said.<\/p>\n<p>To make the situation worse, the march came during the infamous winter of 1944-45.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cActually, they told us that it was the worst winter in many years. The coldest winter,\u201d Bukowski said.<\/p>\n<figure role=\"group\">\n<article data-embed-button=\"image\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.with_caption\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"3057ebfc-6e88-48d9-bea0-012586012662\" data-langcode=\"en\" class=\"embedded-entity\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"field field--image field--label-hidden\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images02.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/casey_1_.jpg?itok=x4fPiIqj 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"621\" height=\"691\"><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images02.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/casey_1_.jpg?itok=x4fPiIqj 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 992px) and (max-width: 1199px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"621\" height=\"691\"><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images02.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/casey_1_.jpg?itok=x4fPiIqj 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 991px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"621\" height=\"691\"><source srcset=\"https:https:https:https:\/\/images02.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/casey_1_.jpg?itok=x4fPiIqj 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" width=\"621\" height=\"691\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"621\" height=\"691\" src=\"https:\/\/images02.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/casey_1_.jpg?itok=x4fPiIqj\" alt=\"\" typeof=\"foaf:Image\"\/><\/p>\n<p>  <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article><figcaption>Casey Bukowski. (Photo from CBS News Minnesota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Finally Saved, End of the War\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>After more than a year in captivity, the veterans\u2019 prayers were finally answered. Liberation day.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>American troops liberated Burkowski about the time British soldiers freed Schrenk.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFinally, for us, the war was over, and we were able to think of going home,\u201d Bukowski said.<\/p>\n<p>Both veterans were likely within earshot of each other as POWs and on the death march, yet more than eight decades passed before they could eventually meet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As they started talking and swapping stories, old photos were passed around. That\u2019s when they noticed another odd coincidence. Posing in flight crew photos, they\u2019re positioned in the same spot \u2013 back row, second from left.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe each brought our own memories back to each other,\u201d Bukowski said. \u201cWe were together but didn&#8217;t even know it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>While so much time has passed since the days of 1944 and 1945, both Schrenk and Bukowski are in relatively strong health, physically and mentally.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are both quite mobile and can clearly remember what happened even 80-some years ago,\u201d Schrenk said.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, Schrenk flew back to Europe to visit some of the World War II battle sites. He told WBZ News in Boston that he\u2019s traveled overseas before, which helped him heal and make amends with former enemies.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter the war, actually tracking down the German pilot that shot me down, going to visit him, and becoming friends,\u201d Schrenk said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>    Story Continues\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<p>Read the full article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.military.com\/daily-news\/investigations-and-features\/2025\/12\/19\/world-war-ii-veterans-held-captive-same-pow-camp-meet-more-80-years-later.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Les Schrenk and Casey Bukowski already share a special bond as World War II veterans. After all, not many from the Greatest Generation are still alive.\u00a0 But when Schrenk, 102, and Bukowski, 101, met for the first time to celebrate Schrenk\u2019s birthday in November, the veterans realized they shared way more in common than simply<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/images02.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2025-12\/wwii_vets_2_.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-defense"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4358"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4360,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4358\/revisions\/4360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}