PETRICH, Michael Robert

Name: Michael Robert PETRICH

Born 8 February 1920

Birthplace: Jerome, Arizona

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 24

Died 23 April 2006 in Long Beach, California, age 86

Service: USAAF

Service ID: O-684039

Service Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Duties: Pilot

Air Group: 8th Air Force, 391st Bomb Group, 575th Bomb Squadron

Airbase: Matching Green, Essex UK

Aircraft: B-26 42-107811

Date shot down: 5 July 1944

Fate of crew: 4 KIA, 1 captured, 1 evaded and captured (Petrich).

Evasion summary: Stayed in Sorel-Moussel, where Desoubrie took them to Paris

Date captured: 25 July 1944

Capture summary: Arrested with Beck.

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar #3 with BEDFORD, MARTINI, WILSON, CARR, PENNELL, PERRY, BASTABLE, GRENON, GIBSON, HIGH, HODGSON, PRUDHAM, SONSHINE, ROBB, R MILLS, WHELLUM, SPIERENBURG, TAYLOR, ALLEN, HARVIE, LARSON, MCLAUGHLIN, MOSER, ROBERSON, STEVENSON, VINECOMBE, ZEISER  nd, at train change, LAMASON, DAUTEUIL, WATMOUGH, SCULLION, J SMITH, HEAD, WATSON, and C HOFFMAN.

Buchenwald ID: 78325

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, North Compound

Kriege ID: 8150

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag XIII-D, Nurnberg

Notes on internment: Forced march and boxcar to Stalag VIIA 2-16 April 1945.

Liberation: 29 April 1945 by units of the 14th Armored Division from Patton’s Third Army.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

VA status:

Notes on Post-War period: Interviewed in the History Channel’s 2004 documentary Shot from the Sky about Buchenwald. Interviewed about his experiences, transcript below.