The following is as an OCR scan which probably has some of the usual OCR 'typos' remaining.

I first met Russ [Russell I. Maurer] in Avon Park, Fl in 1943 while undergoing operational training. He was the Operations Officer. We later went on to MacDill Field and then to Lake Charles, La.

When posted for overseas my name was not on the list. Russ was doing me a favor and said that he was going to keep me with him for training other pilots. Dumb me, I said I was trained and would have to go sometime so I went. Turned out not too good as I was shot down on my 47th mission. Was with the French for 10 days; Turned over to the Gestapo by a collaborator in Paris, In civilian clothes; spent 4 weeks in solitary confinement in Frenns Prison in Paris; evacuated from Paris two days before Paris was liberated; five day box car ride, no food and little water, to Buchenwald Concentration Camp; Was among 168 Allied Airmen, 82 Americans (3 B-26 pilots); where we existed until being rescued by the Luftwaffe, not before 2 had died from the horrible conditions.