Humanity During Conflict: Mighty Eighth Airmen Interactions With Civilians & Soldiers in Europe.

Section IV: Stories from Belgium & the Netherlands

The area around Belgium & the Netherlands was the site of several crashes, as aircrews often had to pass over to head towards their missions in Germany. Once the planes had crashed, the crews had to navigate marshy wetlands & Axis forces that patrolled around the major cities. Civilians & members of the numerous resistance groups tried to help the stranded airmen as often as possible. Robert Fortnam performed an emergency landing in the Zider Zee & managed to traverse the large irrigation canals with the help of a local man. While Fortnam was eventually caught in the city of Amsterdam, he had the kindness of a whistling man to help him avoid capture for three days.

Reproduction Photograph of Wagner with members of the Belgian Underground. Seperate notion reads “Leon, Jacques, myself.” James Wagner collection | National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force.

Robert Grimes & his crew jumped from their plan as it crashed into a field in Belgium. Grimes was separated from his crew & was bleeding profusely from a bullet that had pierced his leg. He managed to stumble upon a Belgian woman, who begrudgingly decided to help him. Despite the threat of being killed if she were found to be assisting an American airman, the unnamed lady moved Grimes around the countryside & Brussels. As he moved around, Grimes interacted with doctors, nurses, & members of the Comte to help him make his way to freedom.

Reproduction photograph of Wagner with a young woman of the Belgian resistance. Her name is listed as Leonie Trenteseaux. James Wagner collection | National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Museum.

James M. Wagner was an airman that stayed with the Belgian Underground for over a month. While his story is brief, he managed to take photographs of the resistance members that helped him. These men & women kindly aided Wagner in his hour of need when it would have been just as easy to turn him into the Axis forces.  They chose to defy the easy path & instead strove to aid Wagner, & many other airmen evade capture. Their acts of compassion & bravery helped contribute to the overall war effort.

By: Michael Elmore