WILMINGTON — Kay Fisher from the Clinton County History Center spoke to the Wilmington Rotary Club about the prisoner of war camp in Wilmington during World War II.
Fisher stated the the prisoners of war included Nazis as well as those prisoners opposed to Nazi doctrine. Prisoners were from Italy, Germany and Japan.
There was fear if the prisoners were not treated well, then U.S. could suffer retaliation on its prisoners overseas. Prisoners were first processed in Casablanca.
The Civil Conservation Corps constructed housing with 155 camps and 511 branch camps, with 250-750 prisoners at each camp.
The Hubert Barrett property on Doan Street in Wilmington was the location for the Wilmington camp and housed 250 POWs with about 50 U.S. personnel there.
Oct. 13, 1945 marked the end for the prison camps.
Bob German, a guest of Rotary, also shared his remembrances of the camp.
