Line Up for Boxes

We drew boxes from the warehouse by rooms. Our room sent one man for each box we were allowed. Thus if we had forty men and were allowed a half box per man only twenty men went after the boxes. Chaplain Stonesifer and I drew together. He went after the first box and the next time I went for the second. We waited in our room until our turn and went to the warehouse which was outside our quarters. We lined up in front of a counter.

Six Germans stood behind the counter and each had a Serb E.M. as his helper. We divided our group so the same number of men faced each guard. The Serb enlisted man would then get a box and open it for the first American prisoner in line. The German would then open the cans and dump the contents in bowls or cans that we had brought. Needless to say it was a mess. In the bowl would be salmon, oleo, liver pattie, cheese, and sometimes jelly. We carried the one empty box that was issued to us and they threw the cigarettes, raisins, soap, candy, sugar, and other items into it. The next man stepped up and got his food stuff. After each man received his box we were marched back into our block and went to our room. There the fun began. The two men sharing the box would meet to divide it.

We cut everything in half and took turns choosing our portion, item by item. We tried not to eat everything up at one time. However, with a gnawing hunger at our stomachs it took great will power. The never-to-be-for-gotten scene of trading took place about the time everyone finished dividing the food. It often started before. There were items that some didn't use and items that others didn't want. So we traded among ourselves. Four lumps of sugar for a K Ration cracker, salmon for cheese,etc. Some were very good at trading and came out ahead and others lost. It gave us something to do and we got the items we most desired.