Daring Prison Escapes | Nazis in the Arizona Desert | 4

Colonel Holden was sent to overhaul Camp Papago Park due to its substantial operational issues and security failures, which had led to numerous escapes and damage to the camp's reputation.

Security Breaches and Escapes History Before Holden's Arrival

Before Colonel Holden's arrival at Camp Papago Park, the camp experienced several significant escape attempts that exposed its vulnerabilities.

Prisoners Escape With Forged Documents, Exposing Camp Security Vulnerabilities

In February 1944, five prisoners escaped the camp by forging documents and sneaking out on the back of an Army truck, intending to cross into Mexico. Two were apprehended in Tucson after police became suspicious due to their German accents. Astonishingly, Camp Papago Park personnel had not noticed any prisoners were missing until they were informed by the Tucson Police Department. This escape laid bare the gaps in the camp's security systems.

Prison Breaks Highlight Camp's Failures

That same month, four additional prisoners managed to escape, leading to nine prisoners breaking out within a month. Though eventually recaptured, their successful escapes were widely publicized, marking a pronounced failure for both the camp and the Army.

Investigation Finds Unmanned Stations, Unlocked Gates

The Army sent investigators who uncovered shocking security lapses within the camp that facilitated these escapes.

Guards Skipped ID Checks and Vehicle Searches, Enabling Prisoner Escape

The Army investigator discovered that the camp's guards often neglected to perform ID checks and neglected to search vehicles leaving the compound, even after prior escapes used a vehicle. Additionally, the investigation found unlocked gates and unmanned stations, further highlighting the lack of discipline and oversight.

Prisoners Undeterred by Camp's Remote Desert Location

Despite the camp's remote desert location, which might ordinarily act as a natural deterrent, prisoners were undaunted and still attempted escapes, taking advantage of the lax security protocols.

Prisoner's Murder For Aiding U.S. Damaged Camp's Reputation

An inc ...

Captain Jurgen Vattenburg, the most prominent German naval officer at Camp Papago Park, displayed both dedication to his country’s war effort and unyielding loyalty to Nazi beliefs, complicating the lives of his captors.

Vattenburg: Dedicated German Naval Officer and Nazi Believer

Vattenburg’s military career was initially stymied by the Treaty of Versailles but saw a resurgence with Hitler’s rise to power. As a result, he climbed the ranks in the expanding German Navy and became a U-boat commander. His capture by the British and subsequent handover to the Americans led him to Camp Papago Park, where his ardent Nazi ideology fueled his role as a thorn in the side of American authorities.

Vattenburg, Highest-Ranking German Officer at Papago Park, Acted As Liaison to Complicate Captors' Lives

At the camp, Vattenburg acted as a liaison between the German prisoners and their American guards, purposefully complicating the lives of the latter. He was adamant about the observance of Geneva Convention guidelines and leveraged them to demand treatment appropriate to his rank, often voicing complaints about camp conditions.

Concerns were raised by other camp officials regarding Vattenburg's request for gardening tools. Officials feared these could be used in an escape attempt, and his defiant attitude served to disrupt the order among American guards.

Vattenburg Urged German POWs to Resist Cooperating With Authorities

Vattenburg’s influence over other POWs was marked by his abili ...

A meticulously organized escape from Papago Park POW camp unfolded due to a blind spot and well-coordinated efforts by German POW officers, including the crafty Jürgen Wattenburg.

Blind Spot Found by Vattenburg and Officers in Compound 1a Perimeter

Within Compound 1A at Camp Papago Park, German officers discovered a security oversight: a blind spot not visible from guard towers. This vulnerability, located near a wooden shack used as a laundry room and adjacent to a wooden coal bin, was hidden from view by the laundry room and Compound 1B, making it an ideal tunnel entrance point.

Using Trigonometry, They Calculated the Precise Tunnel Length

The officers, leveraging trigonometry skills honed through naval experience, established that a 178-foot tunnel would bring them to a telephone pole on the camp's edge. Under the leadership of Hans-Werner Krauss, prisoners in Compound 1A were divided into three-man digging teams, rotating in 90-minute shifts at sundown with a garden shovel as their primary tool.

Officers Organized Prisoners In Compound 1a Into Digging Teams, Using a "Fistball" Field to Conceal Dirt

To conceal the dirt from the tunnel excavation and acquire additional digging tools, Vattenburg secured permission to level a section of the camp for fistball—an inventive ruse that integrated seamlessly into the camp’s recreational activities.

Escapees Gathered Supplies and Made Plans For Getaway

In preparation for their escape, the teams stockpiled supplies throughout the fall of 1944, selected for their durability in the desert heat, such as crackers. They also dyed their uniforms to minimize the risk of detection post-escape and pilfered maps from the guards' unlocked trucks.

Stole Food, Dyed Uniforms, Built Collapsible Boat to Float Down Gila River To Mexico

A trio of ambitious escapees even built a collapsible boat to navigate the Gila River towards Mexico. Vattenburg, exercising discretion, chose 28 men to partake in the escape, organizing their exodus into intervals of 20 minutes between groups.

Escape During Compoun ...

Following a daring escape, the manhunt for German prisoners from Camp Papago Park unfolded over the Christmas holiday of 1944, captivating the nation and leading to varying outcomes for the escapees.

Prisoners Flee Unnoticed Until Christmas Eve Afternoon, Gaining Head Start

Guards Realized Prisoners Were Missing, Alerted Colonel Holden and Law Enforcement

Vattenburg and his cohorts managed to escape without notice until Christmas Eve afternoon, providing them with a substantial head start. It was only at around 4 p.m. on December 24th that guards discovered they were missing. A low-ranking guard was the first to notice when only 39 out of the expected 62 men were present at roll call. Cecil Parcell, the Assistant Provost, took charge as Colonel William Holden, the camp commander, was off duty.

In 17 Days, Only Vattenburg and Two Teammates Escaped Capture

Escapees Found Hitchhiking, Wading Through Rivers, or Discovered by Civilians and Authorities

The manhunt that ensued over the next seventeen days saw one team of escapees after another being apprehended. Most were found trying to blend in by hitchhiking or attempting to traverse the terrain but thwarted by the elements or civilians. A driver who became suspicious of one hitchhiker's German accent alerted authorities, leading to capture. Others surrendered, like the pair that gave themselves up after one suffered a cactus infection. Two cowboys and members of the Tohono O'odham tribe stopped more escapees, with some being discovered as they unsuccessfully tried to use a homemade boat on the dry Gila River.

Vattenburg and Companions Eluded Capture For Weeks In the Desert, but Were Caught In Phoenix

Despite these captures, Vattenburg and his two remaining teammates managed to elude capture for weeks. They had camped out in a cave a few miles from Papago Park and survived for approximately two weeks post-escape. Unfortunately for them, after sending his teammates to downtown Phoenix for a newspaper, their absence was noted, and Vattenburg was arrested by ...