I am looking for records of my father's POW imprisonment during WWII. I believe he was captured in Normandy, France and spent approximately seven months in a LeMans camp and sailed from Marseilles to camps in Mississippi and North Carolina. Eventually he

Peter,

There are several series within Record Group 389: Records of the Office of Provost Marshal General held at the National Archives in College Park, MD that could provide you with more information regarding his POW status during WWII.

The following are a few series that you might want to check for information:

1. Former German Prisoner of War Files, 1945-46 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/849159)

2. Rosters of German Nationals in U.S. Custody During World War II (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1067497 )

3. Records relating to German Prisoners of War during World War II, 1943-1952 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/876973)

4. Records relating to Enemy Prisoners of War during World War II (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/865093)

I hope this helps with your research. If you need any more assistance, please feel free to contact us archives2reference@nara.gov or visit us in-person. 

Dear Mr. Gauss,

You might be able to find information about your father and his German military service in the microfilmed Captured German Records that are part of Record Group 242 National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized | National Archives. You can find information about these records at the following website: Captured German and Related Records on Microfilm | National Archives

For specific questions about these records, please contact the Textual Reference unit at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. The email address is Archives2reference@nara.gov.

Additionally, the personnel records of World War II German prisoners of war were returned to Germany.  For access to these records, you would need to write to the Deutsche Dienstelle (WASt), Postfach 51 06 57, D-13400 Berlin, Germany. The web site is http://www.dd-wast.de/.

And finally, German Army, Air Force, and Waffen-SS Paybooks (Soldbücher), Service Record Books (Wehrpaesse), Basic Military Record Books (Wehstammbücher), and Health Books (Gesundheitsbuecher) were returned to the Federal Republic of German by the Department of the Army through the US High Commissioner for Germany during 1953 and 1954. For access to these records, you would also need to contact the Deutsche Dienstelle (WASt) listed above. You can also contact WASt for World War II German Armed Forces and Navy personnel information.

Good luck with your continued search!