aynsley andras staff writer
Inside the prisoner of war camps, a team of guards, workers, and overseers ensured the prisoners were supervised and cared for, with many duties extending beyond maintaining order. The camps employed staff in the kitchen, dining hall, and medical services.
A certain number of guards, sometimes as many as 10, were required for each prisoner to ensure supervision, says Glen Falgoust, a journalist who researched the Donaldsonville POW camp.
“When he didn’t have anything to repair, he would take them and put the POWs in the flatbed truck,” says Everet Hallback, whose father worked as a mechanic at one of the prisoner of war camps. “Then transport them and kind of watch and see what would make sure they all wouldn’t run away and stuff like that, and he just brings them back.”
Linda Theriot, secretary at the Houma Military Regional Museum, says, “Not only the guards but the property owners, treated them good. Some did not want to go back home.”
Inside the prisoner of war camps, a team of guards, workers, and overseers ensured the prisoners were supervised and cared for, with many duties extending beyond maintaining order.
The camps employed staff in the kitchen, dining hall, and medical services.
A certain number of guards, sometimes as many as 10, were required for each prisoner to ensure supervision, says Glen Falgoust, a journalist who researched the Donaldsonville POW camp.
The work continued for the guards when the prisoners were sent to work in the fields.
“When he didn’t have anything to repair, he would take them and put the POWs in the flatbed truck,” says Everet Hallback, whose father worked as a mechanic at one of the prisoner of war camps. “Then transport them and kind of watch and see what would make sure they all wouldn’t run away and stuff like that, and he just brings them back.”
Linda Theriot, secretary at the Houma Military Regional Museum, says, “Prisoners here were well taken care of and the guards, not only the guards but the property owners, treated them good. Some did not want to go back home.”
Even though the prisoners were treated well, there were always consequences for the prisoners’ actions when things went wrong.
Falgoust says in 1944 a mild revolt occurred after some prisoners escaped and were recaptured. It ended with the prisoners being placed on bread and water while in confinement. This caused almost the entire camp to refuse to work, and prisoners asked for a truce and more food.
