Dunav Bekstvo (Escape Across the Danube)

Šumadija-1943
“Overnight American bomber squadrons heading to Romania over Smeredevo were shot down by the Luftwaffe and our brave boys of the State Guard on the ground. Our Romanian allies in turn were saved and we hope the best for them and their war against the Soviet dog. Živeo Nedić i naše spasenje!” read a Serbian Nazi propaganda speaker on state radio. The prisoners were waiting to see if there would be any new arrivals. “Stanimir do you expect anyone to come by” asked Major Stone “It was Americans wasn’t it?” Stanimir responded “Yeah, why?” replied Stone. “Americans have a tendency to run and there was that thing Jackson said about the Chetniks” said Stanimir “Oh yes they think you can trust them”. Stanimir and Stone were head of the camp’s escape committee, Stanimir was a Serb from north eastern Croatia and Stone was from Yorkshire. “There’s a truck” said Stanimir after a brief silence. The guards brought a man out of the back of the truck and he was in an US airman’s uniform. “They’re bringing him to Dietrich” added Stone.

The guards brought the airman to the commandant’s office. Commandant Dietrich was speaking to the local Chetnik senator and his main commander. “Herr Commandant we have found this American airman” one of the guards told Dietrich. “I’m sorry gentlemen but we must speak again” said Dietrich leading the Chetniks out the door. One of the guards gave Dietrich the airman’s personal effects which included an ID. “Captain Boris Novak from San Diego, California, parents Ivan Novak and Maria Santos, languages Spanish, English and Croatian. Croatian, you are a Croat therefore you’ll be treated as such…” “My mother is from Mexico if that makes any difference” interrupted Novak “YOU ARE A CROATIAN DOG AND YOU WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH IS THAT UNDERSTOOD CAPTAIN NOVAK” shouted Dietrich “In this camp we have barracks A, B, C, 1 and 2. The numbered are reserved for the Yugoslavian prisoners while the lettered for other. You may mingle with your fellow Americans if you wish as all five barracks are in the same compound. Go speak to Deputy Commandant Becker in the next office. Dismissed Captain” Dietrich then added. Novak spoke to Becker “I’m the new prisoner” he said to him “But you’re an American” replied Becker and Novak told him that he was told to speak to him because of his Croatian heritage. Becker then led Novak to his new quarters.

“Marijo did a new prisoner arrive here?” asked Cvita and Marijo replied to her “An American according to Stanimir”. It was Sunday, the only day the Yugoslavian prisoners got off work and most of them were passing the day as best they could. “Marijo is that him there?” Cvita asked again “He’s in an American uniform, most be from here originally if he’s with us”. Marijo was from Dalmatia and Cvita was from the same town as Stanimir and both of them had tried escaping on more than one occasion. Cvita also doubled as the camp’s medic when needed.