Vernon H. Harms Sr. family shares his story as POW in Poland under Nazis

Vernon Henry Harms Sr. (1921- 2003) of Allison entered the Army, Air Corps in October 1943 at the age of 22. A simple coin toss would keep him with his crew as a gunner, but would also lead to his capture and shipment to an enemy POW camp.
Harms received his basic training at Jefferson Barracks in Missouri. Following his basic training, Harms went to gunnery school in Las Vegas, Nevada, and then to advanced gunnery school in Lincoln, Nebraska. In March 1944, Harms was sent to Ardmore, Oklahoma, for assignment to his B-17 crew. He became a waist gunner in 360th Mehlhoff Crew. This crew consisted of 10 individuals (4 offi cers and 6 enlisted men): the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier, engineer, radio operator, tail gunner, ball turret gunner, and two waist gunners. During his time in Ardmore, on April 22, 1944, Vernon Harms married Marjorie Speedy. Marj returned to Allison when Vernon received his orders that he was being sent overseas.

Read the full article in the April 28 edition of the papers.