Photo By Spc. Julian Winston | Pfc. Abbygail Alvarez, an automated logistical specialist assigned to Foxtrot Company,...... read more read more
Subscribe
SPREMBERG, Germany—On Jan. 26, 2025, a group of U.S. Army Soldiers, civilians, German veterans, and descendants of the prisoner(s) of war, or POW(s), marched up a hill with perseverance in the small German town of Spremberg. As the group reached the summit, they saw the final stop of their arduous 60-mile journey. They had just completed the final steps of an honorary long march meant to recreate the steps many allied POW(s) were forced to embark on during the final winter of World War II during a forced evacuation of the ‘Stammlager der Luftwaffe Nr. 3 Sagan,’ or ‘Stalag Luft 3’ POW camp in Zagan, present-day Poland.
The Long March has been held annually since 2005, but this year marks its 80th Anniversary of the event. It is the second time U.S. Soldiers across Europe, both stationed and on rotation, have volunteered to march in the footsteps of the POW(s).
“It is an honor to come and walk in the same footsteps as the POWs did,” said 1st Sgt. Corrie Heffner, the senior enlisted advisor for Foxtrot Company, V Corps, stationed in Poznan, Poland.
The Long March took place across three days, with marchers stepping off on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, from the POW camp in Zagan. Not all participants were able to complete the march, a stark reminder of the gruesome conditions POW(s) had to face when embarking on the same journey decades ago. Pfc. Abbygail Alvarez, an automated logistical specialist assigned to Foxtrot Company, V Corps, was one of the youngest participants in this event.
“[Marching for] the first few miles, it wasn’t bad at all. I’m like, ‘Yeah, I can go through this.’ And then, after a while, my lower back started to hurt,” said Alvarez. “I will definitely do it again, but definitely be more prepared [next time].”
On the first leg, the marchers made multiple historical stops, including a church, a community center and a horse stable. Some Soldiers were able to stay in the barnyard, experiencing the same conditions the POW(s) endured during the original march.
"Inside that structure, [the POW(s)] did not have any warm clothes; they just had what was on their back," said Heffner. "It was cold, it was very drafty [and] it was actually colder inside the building than it was outside."
Towards the final leg of the march on Sunday, Jan. 26, marchers were cheered on by the deputy mayor and local supportive personnel who greeted them with refreshments. Despite how challenging this march was for the participants, it educated a new generation to learn about the atrocities committed and the horrors experienced by those who survived the war.
Reflecting on his participation in the 80th Anniversary of the Long March, Heffner felt it necessary to show solidarity.
"Just following in their footsteps and honor[ing] the memories of these service members who gave up a lot...and luckily survived, it is something I will carry with me."
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2025 12:57 |
| Story ID: | 489865 |
| Location: | SPREMBERG, BRANDENBURG, DE |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Long March through history: Soldiers, veterans and descendants retrace steps of ‘Stalag Luft 3’ POWs, by CPT Zemas Andargachew, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
