NEW YORK TO NORTHERN IRELAND

"My tour of duty was to be from 4 pm to midnight. On this hot day, I reluctantly left the afterdeck of the "Gripsholm" where, from her berth at the American Export lines in Jersey City, I had been surveying the opposite New York skyline. I went below to the section reserved for the "disturbed" passengers. It was 23 Aug 1944, and I was aboard the vessel in the capacity as a registered nurse [1].

The "Gripsholm" had been taking on passengers, since early morning, preparatory to sailing for Goteborg, Sweden, where she was to exchange over 1,000 German POWs detained in the United States and Canada by both of those countries and England. Approximately 20% of these exchange men were confined to the "disturbed" section. This space had been renovated from peace-time usage to compact and escape-proof quarters, which circumstances required.

The "disturbed" passengers were no longer prisoners after they boarded this neutral vessel. They were resting, lolling in their bunks, showering, or participating in games which had been provided for their entertainment. A long rumbling of metal upon metal, soon followed by swaying motions of the deck beneath us, indicated that the voyage had begun. Little did I know of the adventure before me.

The clatter of the ascending anchor and chain sent our patients to the port-holes where they clamored and took turns gazing at the passing sights of New York harbor and the skylines of New York City and Jersey City. They gazed at the Statue of Liberty, too, and all the while they were engaged in a subdued excited discussion in their native tongue. I became angry at myself for not having studied the German language in my school days.

I soon overcame my remorse by questioning some of the patients and received an affirmative response to my, "Do you speak English?" One man told me that the Germans were amazed to see how quickly New York City had been rebuilt again. No amount of reassurances, on my part, would convince him that New York had not been bombed. He said the message had reached the Germans secretly in their prison camps here and in Canada when New York had been bombed and destroyed.

I think now that this visual affirmation alone penetrated the hard capsules of their superior egos and proved to them what liars their own leaders were. The sumptuous meals served them, too, shattered their morale, and when they arrived home to their meager rations, nostalgia no doubt satiated their hunger on many occasions.

On the long circuitous voyage, life became a rather routine affair. I spent my days sunning and exercising on deck. The morning's leisure was broken by a trip to the ships-store where personnel were able to purchase cigarettes, chocolate, soap, etc. at a reduced cost. These ordinary items were of great value for use in bartering with the Germans, and we made full use of them to obtain souvenirs [2].

Fraternizing with our enemy's soldiers was not permissible or desirable [it was wartime]. However, being in such close contact with these men, as our positions required, demanded a certain amount of formal rapport, and I was determined to discover the nature of the beast. I soon found that beneath their stoic exteriors there was a great loyalty to their homes, wives, sweethearts, and friends.

An inquiry to one of these [German] men usually brought forth a wallet and a proud display of photos of happier days. There was a longing to return to their once peaceful pursuits as merchants, tradesmen, and farmers, but only in a victorious Germany. That point was conclusive. Several young Nazis expressed a determination to emigrate to South America where great things were to in store for the "Conquerors."

German hospital corpsmen were assigned to short tours of duty, and they worked under our supervision. They carefully re-rolled and reused bandages when changing dressings - we learned the reason for this later. The mental cases had previously been classified at the institutions where they had been detained in this country, and we were constantly alert to homicidal and suicidal tendencies. Several attacks upon our men did occur, but the attackers were soon subdued by their saner countrymen. One exceptionally depressed case almost succeeded in suicide. He slashed his wrists with a razor-blade. How and where he obtained it was not determined.

A medical corpsman [American], who had been a civilian chemist, told me of an incident which had taken place during his first hour aboard the vessel [in New York]. The corpsman, needing orders [for some job], went to an officer's stateroom, knocked and [innocently] entered. The officer was being entertained, and the absence of wearing apparel and decorum caused the corpsman to make a hasty retreat. It seems that several female ship employees were entertaining eager guests for a remuneration of ten dollars per visit. He rationalized his own lack of funds by lamenting dissolutely about the leadership qualities of his superior officers.

In the early evening, musical therapy was an effective soporific. Several harmonicas, a banjo, and a guitar appeared, and small groups joined to sing songs of the homeland, and many of our own American songs were popular. I spent one evening helping a [German] lad translate "You Are My Sunshine" into German language. It was to be presented to his girl friend on his arrival home [in Germany].

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