A 'guest' of the emperor

War As My Fathers Tank Battalion Knew It

War As My Father's Tank Battalion Knew It is a podcast about the 712th Tank Battalion in particular and World War II in general. I'm Aaron Elson. Where I used to live in New Jersey there was a remarkable group of ex-prisoners of war. There was Ed Hays of Ridgewood, who traveled with his family to Berlin to meet the German fighter pilot who shot down his B-17. There was Tim Dyas, also of Ridgewood, who parachuted into the middle of the Herman Goering Panzer Division. There was Hal Mapes, the only survivor of the crew of his B-17. Across the street from me in Hackensack was Bernie Levine, who took part in what likely was the only Jewish prayer service in a Nazi prison camp. There was Bob Levine of River Edge, who would one day meet the family of the German doctor who amputated his leg. Also in River Edge there was Karnig Thomasian, a B-29 veteran of the China-Burma-India theater who became a prisoner of the Japanese.

For more information and episodes:

Myfatherstankbattalion.com

Aaronelson.com