CITY POWs North Carolina BY KATIE MEINE, AURELIA COLVIN, ELLA FORKIN AND AUDREY DAHL
A story of World War II prisoner of war camps in Wilmington,
Morning Star, published the U.S. Army’s orders: “Curiosity might draw
some to the camp and save for the discourtesy of looking at captives
could do no harm. But it is possible that some persons might gather at
the fence side for other purposes. It will be advisable therefore for every-body
to pass quickly by, for the guards will not be able to distinguish
between the conspirators and merely curious, and must treat all alike.”
The directive ensured that no one lingered near the camp or
treated the prisoners like carnival sideshow freaks. Meanwhile, matters
from the POWs’ point of view were progressing smoothly. Though they
were prisoners in a foreign country, most were glad to be removed
from the war. In addition, the Americans were following the estab-lished
rules regarding prisoners of war, and the employers of the
POWs were pleased with the energy the prisoners put into their work.
Citizens of Wilmington had become comfortable with the remote
WILBUR D. JONES, JR. / WILLIAM C. “BILL” LEEUWENBURG
POW camp near the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, but when
the original camp closed and the second camp opened downtown,
there was renewed trepidation among local residents. The Wilmington
Morning Star declared: “Citizens are already protesting the prospect of
a POW camp in their midst.”
Many didn’t like the idea of the camp being right across the street
from Williston School, while others didn’t feel comfortable with the
camp being so close to several residential areas. However, the site’s
close location to the POWs’ jobs and the U.S. Army’s refusal to build
additional POW camps made the area the perfect location. Utilizing
the sturdy buildings and grounds of a recently abandoned Women’s
Army Auxiliary Corps site, the camp was quickly and cheaply built.
The citizens of Wilmington soon grew to accept the new site and its
prisoners.
Top left to right: A historical plaque marks the location of the first Wilmington POW camp established in February 1944 at the corner of
Carolina Beach Road and Shipyard Boulevard. Soldiers fire a 75mm Pack Howitzer at the Field Artillery Replacement Training Center at Fort
Bragg, home to one of North Carolina’s World War II POW camps, circa 1941-1945. The barracks at the World War II POW camp, Camp Butner,
in Williamston, North Carolina, circa 1943-1945. Some German POWs who worked at Otto Leeuwenburg’s dairy farm in Wilmington had
served with Rommel’s Africa Korps that surrendered in Tunisia in May 1943.
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