TYCHOWO, Poland – Eighty years after his liberation from a German prisoner of war camp, 101-year-old Lester F. Schrenk returned to the site of his captivity, Stalag Luft IV in Tychowo, Poland, on Friday, March 22, 2025.

“To be back here in Poland after all these years, it’s truly a blessing,” Schrenk said, his eyes twinkling. “There was a time when this place held painful memories, but that anger, that resentment… it has no place in my heart anymore.”

Schrenk, known as “Les,” was a Sergeant in the U.S. Eighth Air Force, serving with the 92nd Bomb Group, 327th Squadron. He was captured on Feb. 22, 1944, after his B-17 bomber, “Pot O’ Gold,” was shot down during “Operation Argument,” a raid on the German airfield Aalborg-West in Denmark.

He managed a daring escape from the plummeting aircraft moments before it crashed, parachuting to the ground and into the hands of the Germans. His capture marked the beginning of a harrowing 15 months in captivity.

Stalag Luft IV housed mostly American POWs, but also held captive airmen from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, as well as Polish, Czech, French and Norwegian service members.

Schrenk endured brutal interrogations and the deprivation of war as a prisoner. He found solace in writing poetry with his fellow American prisoners, clinging to hope amidst the uncertainty. He often reflected on the German ace who shot down his plane, questioning why he was spared.

“I’m glad I lived to talk about it,” Schrenk said. “I put all the bad things behind me a long, long time ago.”

On Feb. 6, 1945, Schrenk joined some 8,000 men from the camp on what became known as the “Death March.” The prisoners were given their remaining Red Cross parcels and forced to march under guard about 15-20 miles per day for 86 days.

Schrenk served as a ball turret gunner, assigned to the 327th Bombardment Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force, stationed at RAF Podington. His story of service and survival against unimaginable odds continues to resonate.