Historic Newpaper Articles

Russians Captured With Nazi Riot at Fort Dix; 3 Commit Suicide

According to Major George B. Paul, Fort Dix public relations officer, the disorder occurred at 9 A. M. when the prisoners barricaded themselves in their compound. During the action that followed, seven prisoners received minor gunshot wounds and two others were injured slightly. Three United States soldiers also received minor cuts and bruises. The prisoners who were assembled at Fort Dix last week to be returned to Europe expressed their protests against such action. Officers and enlisted men after barricading themselves in the barracks rejected all appeals to come out. When ordered by Lieut. Col. G. M. Treisch of Trenton, N. J, prisoner of war camp, commander, to send their three highest ranking officers out of the building to discuss the situation they also refused. Soon after these demands were rejected smoke was seen coming from a barracks window. Guards then received gas masks and tear gas grenades After the firing of tear gas grenades into the barracks a large number prisoners, armed with knives from mess kits and wielding clubs improvised from mess kits and wielding clubs improvised from furniture, charged out of a rear door.

The first man out attacked Lieut. Clifton Freeland, cutting him slightly on the hand. The group then charged toward Lieut. Ira Frieder, who was struck on the head by a club. Pfc. George Gerzonich, a guard, was stabbed in the arm.

They then ran toward a group of enlisted men, who opened fire with carbines and sub-machine guns, wounding seven of the prisoners. One other was injured in an unsuccessful attempt to scale the wire fence surrounding the compound.

The situation was brought under control within thirty minutes. An investigation of the barracks showed that three of the prisoners had committed suicide by hanging themselves from the rafters. The dead were identified as Second Lieut. Feoktist Kalinin 2d, Lieut. Ignaz Nasarenko and Pvt. Felip Spotow.

Movement of the prisoners to their scheduled embarkation point was effected and the wounded, who received hospital attention, are expected to join the main body.