Prisoner of War Diary, Scrapbook, and Dog Tags of an 8th Air Force Bombardier

The group is comprised of the P.O.W. journal, scrapbook, and dog tags of Lieutenant George Oliver, who served as a B-17 Bombardier in the 562nd bomb squadron, 388th Bomb Group, of the 8th Air Force. Oliver flew multiple combat missions against the Third Reich, receiving the Air Medal with oak leaf clusters, before being shot down in July of 1944 and being made a prisoner of war in Germany. The scrapbook is approximately 12-1/4 inches by 14-1/4 inches, with 24 pages containing materials relating not only to Oliver but to the service of friends and relatives in the war. These materials include newspaper clippings, photographs, and mementos. Also within the scrapbook are the telegrams which reported Oliver as missing in action and then a prisoner of war. Additionally, the group includes a notebook that was provided to prisoners of war by the YMCA, and this notebook contains a journal in which Oliver recorded experiences as a prisoner at Stalag Luft I, beginning in July of 1944. The journal section appears to be about 22 pages, including experiences and the names and addresses of other prisoners. On other pages in the notebook Oliver drew cartoons and sketches, including sketches of the barracks and a portion of the camp. He also apparently made rubbings in the notebook of both his prisoner of war dog tag and his American dog tag.