"They were Kind of Peace-Loving"

Introduction

During World War II, the United States captured and detained over 425,000 enemy military members in prisoner of war (POW) camps across the nation.[1] Nebraska had three main POW camps at Fort Robinson, Atlanta, and Scottsbluff.  There were also branch camps throughout the state, and the Sioux Ordnance Depot became one of these. The government intended for the POWs to help with the labor shortage in agriculture, but the POWs who arrived in Sidney also helped with work at the Depot. 

The Geneva Convention of 1929 specified the living conditions, working conditions, and employment opportunities for POWs. One of the rules said that POWs could not do work that directly impacted the war:

"Work done by prisoners of war shall have no direct connection with the operations of war. 

In particular, it is forbidden to employ prisoners in the manufacture or transport of arms 

or munitions of any kind, or on the transport of material destined for combatant units."[2]

So, for the Depot to use them, the Personnel Division had to get creative with where they placed the POWs.

Italian POWs

The first POWs to arrive in Sidney were from Italy. These POWs served in a variety of roles, including those of tractor operators, engineers, carpenters, cooks, post exchange clerks, hospital attendants, landscape gardeners, typists, laborers, automotive mechanics, and more. Depot leaders were careful to avoid violating the Geneva Convention. 

One of the most famous POW stories at the Depot is that of Emanuele Campanella. Born in 1921, Campanella was just shy of his twentieth birthday when he was drafted into the Italian Army during World War II. He served as part of the Italian Corps of Engineers. Campanella was captured in Tunisia by British forces before being transferred to American control in 1943. 

He was sent from North Africa to Norfolk, Virginia, and finally to the POW camp in Scottsbluff. A few months later, he and 300 other POWs were transferred to the Depot, where Campanella worked as an electrical mechanic. He tells more of his story in the interview with Dr. John Elliff below.

Once Italy surrendered in 1943, the Italian POWs became part of the 70th Italian Quartermaster Service Companies. In these Italian Service Units, the POWs received relatively more freedom while on government land. They wore American military uniforms with "Italy" stitched on them. Soon after, the Depot began receiving more German POWs. 

German POWs

Many memories of the German POWs demonstrate a clear distinction between them and the Italian POWs, mainly in their desires to work. In an interview from the 1980s, one woman remembered the German POWs causing quite the ruckus at the Depot. Lois Stewart was a forklift operator and office assistant during the war. She remembered:

"The German [POW] was driving a truck, and supposedly he knew how to do this, but he

 deliberately drove into the fire wall and broke out a lot of bricks."[5]

Campanella's love story is perhaps the most remembered in the local community. In the clips below, he talks about his future wife, their marriage, and his eventual return to America. 

Conclusion

Despite the different perceptions of the two groups of prisoners, both the Italian and German POWs contributed greatly to the Depot's war effort. Although they could not assist with ammunition handling or other jobs directly connected to war work, the POWs helped to meet the Depot's goals through their labor in other positions. Their interactions with the local community and the return of a few to America show why they were some of the Depot's highly-valued employees. 

Visit the Fort Sidney Museum and Post Commander's Home to view the Sioux Army Depot exhibit and learn more about this history!