PENNELL, Samuel Alexander

Name: Samuel Alexander PENNELL

Born  4 January 1923

Birthplace: Columbus, Georgia

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 21

Died 16 February 1983 in Columbus, Georgia, age 60

Service: USAAF

Service ID: 34684485

Service Rank: Staff Sergeant

Duties: Waist Gunner

Air Group: 8th Air Force, 93rd Combat Bombardment Wing, 385th Bomb Group, 551st Bomb Squadron

Airbase: Great Ashfield, England

Aircraft: B-17G 42-31762 “Junior,” aka “Crashwagon III”

Date shot down: 12 June 1944

Fate of crew: 1 KIA, 7 captured after parachuting, 2 evaders (MARTINI and Pennell)

Evasion summary: Sheltered in St. Denis le Ferment with WATSON and BARHAM. Within Picourt network penetrated by DESOUBRIE.

Date captured: 7 August 1944

Capture summary:  Arrested with WATSON and BARHAM. Driven by DESOUBRIE to pick up a German officer, then on to Gestapo HQ.

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar 3 with MARTINI, PERRY, BASTABLE, GIBSON, HIGH, HODGSON, PRUDHAM, SONSHINE, ROBB, R MILLS, WHELLUM, SPLINTER SPIERENBURG, R TAYLOR, ALLEN, HARVIE, LARSON, CARR,  MCLAUGHLIN, MOSER, PETRICH, ROBERSON, STEVENSON, VINECOMBE, and ZEISER. After transferring to another train, the men were joined by LAMASON, WATMOUGH, SCULLION, JA SMITH, HEAD, WATSON, and C HOFFMAN.

Buchenwald ID: 78289

Notes on Buchenwald internment: Dysentery, malnutrition, extreme weight loss. Received experimental injections. Witnessed executions in crematorium basement.

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, Center Compound 

Kriege ID: 8184

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag VIIA, Moosburg, by train from Spremberg after forced winter march, 27-30 January, arriving 4 February 1945.

Notes on SVIIA internment:

Liberation: 29 April 1945 by Patton’s Third Army.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

VA status:

Notes on Post-War period: Denied any recognition as having been in Buchenwald, not included in Army list of Buchenwald airmen because his name had been overwritten by that of a prisoner arriving much later, who was assigned the same number. See papers below.