Chapter 4

While Newkirk often thought of the desperation of the family and their possessions, he followed his commander's orders and reluctantly stayed away from the site. However, with Hogan's assent, several underground members passed by the area a few times over the next months, and reported that there were no signs of activity. Meanwhile, the prisoners had other things on their minds. The pace of the war picked up, and clandestine activities increased as the Allies got closer.

April, 1945

To no one's surprise, Klink gave up the Stalag without a fight. The Germans were quickly moved away from the area, and now called a POW camp in England home. They were fortunate that, due to extenuating circumstances, they were not languishing in one of the many large POW pens set up in the areas the Allies now occupied.

All of the prisoners, as well as their captors, suffered the last few months of the war. About a dozen men left camp for hospitals in the rear the same day the American tanks rolled up to the gates. The remainder departed in convoys that took place over several days. Only the Barracks chiefs, department heads, the few officers, and all the men quartered in Barracks 2 remained, receiving appropriate medical care while being debriefed by intelligence.

Hogan did not forget about the crates, and once things settled down a few days after liberation, he arranged to have the crates removed and brought to camp.

The group of newly liberated prisoners paused at the entrance of the small cave first explored by Newkirk the year before. Miraculously, it appeared the camouflage outside the cave had not been touched since the team was last there. Even more miraculous was the fact that the Allied bombardment during the American advance did not collapse the interior.

The squad of soldiers accompanying Hogan and his men had the prisoners wait until they could determine that the cave was safe and free of German soldiers.

"It's all clear, Colonel," the lieutenant in charge of the squad reported. "The crates are right where you said they would be. No sign of tampering. The triggers you set are still there. We'll get some lights working, and then you can go in."

A larger group than originally planned asked to tag along, and Hogan gave his permission. The colonel, accompanied by his core team, Olsen, Goldman, Wilson, Lieutenant Waverly, and Mayer Seligman, a Jewish chaplain sent over from another unit, filed into the depths of the cave. They all paused at the site where the crates stood.

Both Waverly and the Jewish chaplain said a small prayer over the boxes, and when done, they nodded at Hogan.

"We're ready to move them out," Hogan told the American squad.

Goldman stepped up. "Colonel, what if someone, such as the people who hid these, or a friendly neighbor even, returns here and finds these missing? Won't they think the Nazis stole the crates and burned the stuff?"

The American lieutenant stepped forward. "There will be plenty of patrols and occupying forces around here for quite some time. All someone has to do is ask. Once we leave the area, we'll make sure someone knows about it."

"We'll inform our local contacts." Hogan stepped back. He nodded to his men, who followed him out of the cave.

"Colonel, you and your men can go back to camp. We'll get these loaded on the truck and follow you." The lieutenant then began organizing the removal of the crates.

It was a quiet ride back to camp. Once the soldiers moved the crates into the recreation hall, two corporals from the American squad opened the lids and stepped back.

Waverly and Seligman peered inside the first box. They gently rummaged through the books for several moments, carefully returning the collection to its original state.

"We'll get an inventory of these. I hope that we can find some initials or dedications in one of the books," Waverly stated.

The two chaplains then turned towards the second crate. Newkirk and Hogan were already standing over it, and they stepped aside so the chaplains could get a closer look. Goldman came forward, and Hogan stepped back. "Go ahead," he told Goldman, who then stood right next to Newkirk.

Seligman let out a breath. "Oh, my." He glanced at the ceiling and then looked at Waverly, who waited for a moment before speaking.

"I think that may be a marriage certificate, Mayer. Beneath the prayer shawl."

"Let's have a look." Seligman gently removed the wrapped shawl. "Can you hold this, Sergeant?" He handed it to Goldman, who helpfully took it from the chaplain's arms. Seligman then picked up the roll, straightened it and took a long look, his lips moving silently as he read the Hebrew. "You're correct. It is a marriage certificate."

"That may help us find who these things belong to," Newkirk said, now aware that the task would be difficult and that the chance of the family being alive was very slim.

"We'll do what we can," Seligman said, as he continued reading over the certificate. He looked up, and rubbed his eyes. "You all look like you can use a break. I can start with the inventory. I can get help from some of your colleagues in intelligence."

Wilson now had his arm around Goldman who, while holding the prayer shawl, had backed away. Hogan could see the medic speaking with the sergeant, and he left the two alone. The colonel noticed Olsen and Carter seemed a bit paler than normal, and even Kinch seemed fatigued.

"Colonel Hogan, I think we all need to get some rest," Wilson said, echoing the chaplain. The medic, acting as mother hen to the remaining group, was used to getting his way, and he knew the medical team assigned to the remaining liberated prisoners would back him up.

"Wilson's right. Let's go." Hogan headed for the door, and not wanting to disobey both the medic and their commanding officer, everyone else followed without an argument.

Wilson caught up to Hogan. "Any word from the brass as to how much longer we have to stay here?"

"Maybe another day," replied the colonel. "And then they'll fly us all to London. I'm hoping we can get the continental Europeans back over here as soon as possible. I just wish the Krauts would give up and surrender already."

"They're desperate and crazy." Carter commented to Newkirk. Both were following a few paces behind, and heard the conversation. "They won't surrender. Not yet."

"They know what they did, and they have to answer for it," Newkirk replied. When everyone got word of the horrors unleashed on the Jewish population of occupied Europe, plus the many other innocent civilians, they all reacted differently. Newkirk was immediately ready to leave camp and slit the throat of any Nazi he came across.

At the time, it took all of Hogan's leadership and command skills to keep the prisoners calm. By then, Klink was in his own world of denial and fear, and was not surprised to find out that Hogan knew more than the Kommandant originally suspected. It was, after all, no secret that prisoners all over Germany had access to clandestine radios.

"We're all going to have to answer for it." Goldman, now less shaken than before, continued the conversation once they got back into the hut. "Something should have been done. It wasn't, and by then it was too late."

"What are you talking about, Roy?"

"We turned away…" Goldman stopped. He could see out the window from his bunk, and he spied Lieutenant Seligman hurrying across the compound. "Looks like the Rabbi found something. He's heading over here."

The men all hopped down from their bunks once they heard the knock. One of them opened the door, and the chaplain strolled in. "Sorry to bother you all, but I have some information. Lieutenant Waverly is on his way over." He smiled as LeBeau handed him a mug. "Thanks."

"It's real coffee," LeBeau happily noted.

"Ah, here he is," Seligman said as the door again opened.

"I'll get the colonel." Kinch tapped lightly on the office door, and opened it when he heard Hogan's voice. The colonel was on his top bunk, immersed in a book. "Colonel, the two chaplains are here."

Hogan closed the book, and hopped down. He placed the volume on his desk and then followed Kinch into the common room.

Once everyone settled around the table, Lieutenant Seligman explained what he found.

"We took a good look at all the books, and we found a dedication written in several of them. Nothing uncommon. To my daughter on her birthday. Those type of words. We managed to find two names. Edith and Maxim. But, the marriage certificate contains the full Hebrew names. From that, we have the last names of the couple, and we can extrapolate fairly accurately what the German first names may be."

Newkirk pushed his way forward. "So, what are they?"

"My best guess would be Jakob and Sara," said the Rabbi. "And their last name is Binder."

Newkirk turned to Hogan. "We need to find out what happened to the Jewish population in this area," he said. "And then maybe we can find these people."

"May I remind everyone we are still fighting a war," interjected Major Braxton, one of the SOE contacts instrumental in running Papa Bear's operation. No one noticed when he quietly entered the hut. "We've got millions already dead, people wandering all around Europe, and the Russians to deal with. Plus, more debriefings back in London."

"Colonel, we can't just leave these crates here!"

Hogan silenced Newkirk with a look. He then pursed his lips, and wrapped his arms around himself. "That's crystal clear, Major. However, I think we can still somehow contribute to helping victims of what is sure to be a massive humanitarian disaster, as if the refugees, destruction and killing aren't bad enough. Tell you what. I will compromise. I know some people that can help with this, and I can leave some men here to assist the Rabbi. Say for a week. And then they'll be sent back to London."

"Four days, Colonel Hogan," was Braxton's reply.

Newkirk immediately stepped forward. "I volunteer, sir. Just let me family know I've been delayed."

Hogan smiled. "I had a feeling you would, and I'll make something up to tell them. Wait," he said, as his entire team joined Newkirk. "I said some, not all. Two are plenty."

"I think I can get permission to stay a few more days," Seligman offered.

"Fine. Then it is you, Newkirk, and Lieutenant Waverly. Sorry, Goldman, you're leaving with us. Medic's orders." Hogan waited for the protests to die down before speaking again. "Thought you would all jump at the chance to get out of here."

"Well," Carter looked down at the floor and shuffled. "I thought we'd all be leaving together, that's all. And this is an important mission." The sergeant's face clearly showed his disappointment.

HhHhH

"I'll be back before you have a chance to even miss me," Newkirk told Carter and the rest of his mates the next day. Hogan and the remaining prisoners were ready to ship out. The camp would remain open for a short while, and then the engineers would collapse the tunnels and fill them in. Once there was no remaining sign of the operation, plans were to use the facility for refugees or homeless Germans.

"Good luck, Peter." Kinch shook Newkirk's hand. "Chaplain. Hope you enjoy your short stay in our barracks."

"Look at all the space you two will have here. The whole hut to yourself!" Olsen gave Newkirk a friendly slap on the back, and then left.

Soon only Carter and LeBeau remained. LeBeau gave a last look at the hut he shared with Newkirk for almost 5 years. "Can't believe I'm finally leaving."

"You won't miss this, Louis." Newkirk, now seated on the bottom of one of the bunks stood up and looked out the window. He smiled and turned. "I guess I'll have to take the lookout."

LeBeau laughed, and then stated, "No. I won't miss this."

"Neither will I." Carter said as he and Newkirk exchanged a look. The two then hugged, LeBeau joining in at the last moment.

Newkirk extricated himself. A bit embarrassed, he straightened himself, and then nonchalantly lit a cigarette. "Blimey, fellas. I'll see you in a week."

"No, you won't. It won't be a week," said Hogan, who had slipped inside. "They are giving you three days. That's it. Time to get moving."

Waverly and Newkirk looked at one another. "Well that just tears it, Guv'nor." In frustration, Newkirk threw his cap down on the table.

"You are lucky we got that much. Right now, this is low on the list of priorities. You can thank Major Braxton for the three days. He apparently had a discussion with Wembley, and then the two went to bat for us."

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence. Then, Newkirk picked up his cap. He faced Hogan. "Thank the major and Colonel Wembley for us. We'll do our best, sir."

Hogan gently grasped Newkirk's arm. "I know you will. He turned to the chaplain. "See he stays out of trouble, Lieutenant." The colonel winked at Waverly, who nodded and smiled back.

"See you both in a few days." Hogan then left the hut.