Edward Quigley
Edward Quigley was inducted in the Army Air Force in 1942, in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in early 1943. Lt. Quigley received instructions to report to Topeka, Kansas, where he was assigned to a B-24 Bomber as part of the 392nd Bomb Group. His unit was sent overseas, and stationed at a base in Wendling, England. During the early months of 1944, they flew missions targeting airfields and factories with the goal of destroying Germany’s ability to wage war.
On April 8, 1944, Quigley was a co-pilot on a mission to bomb an airbase outside of Brunswick, Germany, when their formation was hit by German fighters. Almost immediately, two engines were hit and the plane caught fire, sending the B-24 into a circular spin. With no hope to recover the plane, the crew began to bail out. Quigley remembered, “I did not want to leave that plane over the middle of Germany, but I had no choice. I parachuted down into an open farm field and was now an official guest of the Third Reich.”
As he gathered his parachute, he was swiftly captured by two German soldiers and brought to the local town jail and interrogated by an SS officer who confiscated all of his personal belongings. After several days in solitary confinement, Quigley was transported by boxcar to Stalag Luft 1, in Barth, Germany. Upon his arrival at the camp, he was assigned to Barrack 7, which held about 140 captured Allied officers. Every morning, the POWs were awaken by the loud shouts of the German guards and lined up outside for roll call.
While they weren't tortured or abused, the conditions at the camp weren't ideal. The food was sparse, the living conditions were rough, which caused many POWs to die from the cold or starvation. Throughout his time at the Stalag, Quigley and his fellow prisoners dug over 100 tunnels, none of which had reached the wire. Due to a secret radio in his barrack, they received five minutes of BBC News radio every day which gave the POWs vital information on the progress of the war. This kept their spirits and morale high, as every broadcast would detail the rapid American advance across Europe.
In April 1945, Allied forces were closing in on Germany, and the Soviets were just miles away from Stalag Luft 1. One morning, the POWs woke up to find that the German guards had left their posts and were headed toward the American lines to surrender. Within 24 hours, the Russians arrived at the camp, liberating thousands of Allied POWs. Quigley was a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany for over a year.
Upon his return home, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant just before his discharge from the Army Air Force.
The WWII Veterans History Project had the privilege to interview Mr. Quigley and capture his stories. His interview can be viewed on our website, and many artifacts from his time in service can be seen in the Traveling Museum of WWII. On April 21, 2018, Edward Quigley passed away at the age of 96.
Edward Quigley proudly wears his Bombardier and Navigator wings in this wartime portrait.
On July 14th, 1945, Edward Quigley married his longtime sweetheart Jane Carey, while he was still on active duty. During his time in Stalag 1, Edward wrote Jane dozens of letters ensuring her that he was being treated well and for her not to worry. They were married for 71 years until her death in 2016.
This is the original tag that was issued to Edward Quigley upon his arrival at Stalag 1. The number "4450" was his official POW number at the camp, and is stamped on his tag as well as written on all of the letters that he sent from home to his fiancée Jane.
Some of the incredible letters written by Edward Quigley home to his fiancée Jane while he was in Stalag 1.
"Six buddies from Chicago heading to Santa Anna, California, for basic training. Short stop at El Paso, Texas." Edward Quigley is standing on the far left.
A Certificate of Appreciation presented to Edward Quigley by the Army Air Force for his service during WWII. It is autosigned by General "Hap" Arnold.