Robert Manfred Abrahamson interview by JOSEPH CORTES

Robert was drafted into the Army in 1943 and was sent to Naples, Italy. During his time in the front in Italy, Roberts friend was killed in front of him. He later surrendered and was captured and taken into
a German Headquarters. He was locked in a box
car with 60 men for 5 days to be taken to a place for Prisoners of War to work. He was sent to a barn with 39 men where he would work for a year. He was evacuated during a blizzard and he walked
475 miles across Germany. One of the men he walked with died because his feet froze. After the
month of walking he was immediately forced to
work in a Sawmill for 2 months. He was liberated on V-E Day May 8,1945 and was sent to the United States in June.

Roberts experience showed me how devoted the military was to the war and the United States. Robert didn’t surrendered until he ran out of ammo and when he was captured and sent to work he would hang a American Flag he made every night. Roberts experience told me how the war had a negative impact on veterans because Robert can’t trust people the same way after having a guard with a rifle behind him 24/7 for a entire year. Roberts story affected my understanding of how prisoners of war were treated in World War 2.

https://stream-media.loc.gov/vhp/video/afc2001001_095251_mv0001001_640x480_800.mp4 Robert Manfred Abrahamson video interview