Lt. Co. K, 38e d'infanterie, 2e division d'infanterie américaine. Entré à l'hôpital militaire de la rue Jean Jean Macé le 27 juin 1944. Transféré au stalag 221 le 27 juillet 1944. Il s'évade le 5 août à Saint-Martin-de-la-Place.

 "André Rabache, correspondant de la BBC, responsable principal de quatre officiers américains revenant à leurs lignes en toute sécurité. Dans le wagon il y a 19 officiers et 8 blessés. Le wagon était très sale due à la poussière de charbon . Il avait seulement un jour de 8 cm comme entrée d'air dans la paroi, un seau et très peu de nourriture. Ce wagon était prévu pour 40 hommes. Il y avait avec nous trois correspondants de guerre français( Pierre Bourdan, André Rabache et Pierre Gosset). qui avaient été capturés près de Rennes avant que la ville ne soit libérée. Les Français nous ont apporter de l'eau dans une bouteille et un peu de nourriture. Des messages ont pu être échangés dans les bouteilles. Nous sommes partis de Rennes en direction de Nantes. Il y eut un changement de locomotive. L'arrêt a duré 5 heures...Dans ce convoi, nous étions environ 300 Américains, dont 20 officiers, et environ 300 Sénégalais. Le 6 août, nous quittons Angers pour Saumur. La Résistance nous avait donné des lames de scies. Comme nous étions assez loin des lignes américaines, nous avons décidé de sauter cette nuit .... Avec un canif on a découpé autour du verrou de la porte du wagon celle-ci a pu s'ouvrir. Entre 22h30 et 23h30, 10 d'entre-nous ont sauté sur la voie près de Saint-Martin-de-la-Place.
"Près Lion d'Angers le 5 août, il y avait deux trains de prisonniers à côté du notre: un convoi de civils français accusés d'appartenir à la Résistance, et un autre convoi de soldats allemands emprisonnés. Il y avait environ 1500 Français, assez bien traités, et 500 Allemands qui étaient enchaînés aux mains et aux pieds, les uns à l'autre et très maltraités .... Le convoi dans lequel nous étions et celui avec des prisonniers français étaient réunis le 7 août à 20 km de Saumur, avec 80 gardes, 50 de la SS et 600 prisonniers alliés."

"2nd LT Joseph G. EGAN Co. K, 38th Infantry, 2nd U.S. Infantry Division, U. S. Army
Andre RABACHE, BBC correspondent, primarily responsible for four American officers returning to their lines safely. In box car with 19 officers and 8 wounded. Car was filthy with coal dust and had only three inch slit for air. There was a bucket for a latrine and very little food. The EM’s (enlisted men) were put 40 in a car. There were with us three French war correspondents who had moved into Rennes before it was taken. A Corps G-2 (intelligence officer) had told them it was in our hands. He had gone through the town in a tank, but the Germans had let him go and closed in behind. The three were Pierre Bordeaux (BOURDAN), Andre Rebeches (RABACHE) and one other (Pierre Gosset). The French were allowed to bring us water in bottles and got in some food as well. Messages passed back and forth in the bottles. We went from Rennes to Nantes and 10 minutes after entering the Nantes station, the Resistance had stolen our engine. It was not found for 5 hours….Four three days we tried to get from Nantes to Segre to Angers, and again and again were halted by blown track. At night on the 5th a note in a bottle led to an actual attack on our train by the Resistance about Lion d’Angers. They were not strong enough to succeed, and seemed afraid of shooting us in the confusion. ….We had about 300 Americans, including 20 officers, and also about 300 Senegalese on this train. Finally we got as far as Angers on August 6 and went on toward Saumur. The Resistance had given us files and saws. As we were getting farther and farther from the Americans, we decided to jump out that night…..With a penknife we cut around the fastening and finally got the door loose. Between 2230 and 2330 10 of jumped off the train (near St. Martin de La Place).
Near Lion d’Angers on 5 August there were two prison trains beside our own: A train full of French civilians accused of belonging to the Resistance or opposing the Germans, and a train full of German soldiers going to prison. There were about 1500 French, fairly well treated, and 500 Germans who were shackled, some hands and feet, some to each other and very badly handled….The prison train on which we were and the one with French prisoners were both unloaded about August 7th 20 km from Saumur, where 80 guards, 50 of the S.S., held about 1500 French and 600 Allied prisoners
First a group of 4:
André RABACHE and Pierre BOURDAN
The other French war correspondent (GOSSET)
Major Walter C. HERNE ou (HEARNE )(370 Air Group, Scottsdale, AZ)

Next a Group of 3:
Lt. R. J. THOMPSON (38th Infantry from Spokane Washington)
Lt. Ralph D. SHREWSBURY (79th) of Caneyville, KY
Lt. PICKETT (35th Infantry)

Next:
EGAN and Lt. Erle R. RICHARDSON of 121 Infantry
Lt. Donald R. FISHER (749th Tank Bn) from Gibsonia, Pennsylvania

Other believed to jumped:
Lt. Francis G. FOGARTY (Pittsburgh Pennsylvania)
Capt. Charles HALL (San Antonio, Texas)

Three stayed hidden at the Stalag:
Capt. R. BOUSFIELD (Wakefield, W. Yorkshire, England)
Major F. J. BAILEY, Jr. (Dorchester, Massachusetts)
Lt. A. B. CLARK (Indianola, Mississippi)
Source: Jo Anna Shipley
 

Combat Infantry Badge Bronze Star Purple Heart   Presidential Unit Citation

(Source: Jo Anna Shipley (Louisville, KY  40204)