Newspaper Account of Pvt. Andrew G. FREGEDE – Prisoner of War (1943-5); Chester County, Pennsylvania Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Dan Lindley . Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* 03 Mar 1943 Pvt. Andrew G. Fregede, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede, of West Caln township, has been reported “missing in action” in North Africa. The word came in a telegram from the War Department to Milton s. Bowers, vice commander of Sadsbury township defense council. According to the telegram, Pvt. Fregede has been missing since January 28. He had been in the army for about a year, having been called in January, 1942. He has a brother, John Fregede, who is now n training in a camp in New Mexico. Pvt. Fregede is one of a family of five brothers and two sisters. Besides, John, he has a brother, Jospeh, of Sadsburyville; a brother, Steve, of Rock run, and two sisters, Mrs. Betty Zaplitny, of West Caln and Mrs. Bertha Saule, of Philadelphia. ---------------------------- 05 Mar 1943 Word that Pvt. Andrew G. Fregede is reported missing in action was received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede, Honey Brook RD in a telegram from the War Department, which was received at Honey Brook. The telegram read: “The Secretary of War desires me to express his regrets that your son, Pvt. Andrew G. Fregede, Inf., has been reported missing in North African area since January 28. Additional information will be sent when received. “U.L.I.O. ADJ. General.” The telegram was not sent to Milton S. Bowers as originally reported. Pvt. Fregede began training at a camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ----------------------------- 10 Mar 1943 Pvt. Andrew G. Fregede, who was reported last week as “missing in action is a prisoner of war, having been captured by the Italians. This welcome news has just reached his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede, of Honey Brook, RD., in a telegram from the War Department. Last week the parents of the young soldier received a telegram from the War Department to the effect that he had been missn. since January 28. No further details were given, but the telegram stated that if any further details were received they would be forwarded. Mr. and Mrs. Fregede were greatly relieved to get the second telegram. It will now be possible for them to get in touch with their son through the Red Cross and exchange messages with him. He will probably be confined in a concentration camp somewhere in Italy. The Fregedes have another son in the service, John Fregede, who is now visiting his home here on a furlough and expects to return to camp on Sunday. He has been in training for eight months and is now located at Albuquerque, New Mexico. ----------------------------- 13 May 1943 Washington, May 13 (LE)- The War Department today announced the names of 236 U. S. soldiers, including 32 from Pennsylvania and four from New Jersey, who are held prisoners of war by Japan and Italy. Of the 238, Japan holds 65 and Italy 171. Among the prisoners held by the Italians is Pvt. Andrew G. Fregede, Route 2, Honey Brook. ----------------------------- 08 Jul 1943 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede, of near Honey Brook, have had two messages from their son, Pvt. Andrew Fregede, who was captured by the Italians in North Africa about four months ago and is now a prisoner of war, supposedly in a camp somewhere in Germany. The first message came through the Philadelphia Chancery office and was delivered to the Rev. Thomas A. McNally, pastor of St. Cecilia’s Catholic church here, who relayed it to the Fregede family. This message read: “Safe and sound in a transit camp in Italy. Letters following. Love. Andrew.” This message was typed but the name and address were written on it and the writing was recognized by his parents at Pvt. Fregede’s handwriting. The second message was on a card sent to Pvt. Fregede’s brother, Peter Fregede, jr., of Coatesville, R. D. 2. It was all in his own handwriting and was dated February 22, 1943. It read as follows: “Hello folks! I am doing all right here in this prison camp. I sure wish this mess was over so we could come home. Send me cigarettes and candy. Love. Your brother, Andy.” The date on this card indicates that it was written soon after he was captured. Since the message received through the facilities of the Catholic church showed that he was in a “transit camp” at that time, it is now thought likely that he is in a permanent camp in Germany. Several other prisoners of war from this area, who were reported in messages to have been in “transit camps.” Have since been reported in permanent camps in Germany. ----------------------------- 06 Jul 1944 Pvt. Andrew Fregede, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede, of near Honey Brook, who was taken prisoner by the Italians in North Africa when the Italians were still fighting on the side of the Nazis, has been released and is now with the American army in North Africa. A letter which was received from him by his parents yesterday told of his release and gave his present location as North Africa and at the same time stated that he did not expect to be there long. The letter gave few details regarding his experiences as a prisoner of war which covered a period of many months. ----------------------------- 10 Aug 1944 Pvt. Andrew Fregede, who has been an Italian prisoner of war for a year and a half, walked into his home near Honey Brook last night, and announced to his surprised family that he is back in the United Stated for good. Pvt. Fregede hinted in a letter to his family three weeks ago that he “might be seeing them soon.” Captured during the battle for Tunisia, his long confinement hasn’t hurt him a bit, his happy family said. He has been in the service since February 4, 1942, and was sent overseas after only six months training which he received at a Georgia infantry center. “I was ironing,” says his sister, Mrs. Betty Zaplitny, “When I heard a car stop. I couldn’t believe it, but I thought I heard Andrew’s voice. I ran out on the porch and there he was. I don’t remember what I said, I was too excited.” The only cloud which mars his family’s happiness is the fact that Andrew didn’t know until last night of the death of his brother, Joseph, who was killed in a furnace explosion while at work July 21, 1943. His family had tried to notify him by letter, but he says that the messages never reached him. Pvt. Fregede will be home until September 1 when he will report to a North Carolina Army camp. But he has been assured that he has seen his share of active duty in this war, and will not be sent overseas again. Although he didn’t reach home until 11 p. m., Pvt. Fregede kept his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede and his sister entertained for hours with “personal experience” stories. He says that he received good treatment and care in the Italian camp and that the Red Cross was especially attentive to the needs of American prisoners, making life more bearable with messages and means of entertainment. After the Italians released him, Pvt. Fregede went back to North Africa to wait for passage to the United States, and spent several days seeing the country which was under fire when he left it. He has a brother, Pfc. John Fregede, who is in training in an Army camp in Mississippi. ----------------------------- 24 Jan 1945 Pvt. Andrew G. Fregede, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fregede, sr., of Honey Brook, has been honorably discharged from the United States Army, after three years of service, two years of which he spent in the European theatre of operations. His two campaign stars are for fighting the French in the invasion of Africa, and fighting the Germans and Italians in North Africa. Pvt. Fregede’s wife is the former Beatrice Mae Paup, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Paup of Honey Brook. Pvt. and Mrs. Fregede are now living at the home of her parents. Out of his two years of foreign service, he spent nine months as a prisoner of the Italians, after being captured by the Germans at Faid Pass in Tunis. He was later released by the Italians and spent nine months and three days behind German lines before returning to Allied lines in Italy and being transferred to the United States. Word recently reached Mr. and Mrs. Fregede that another son, John has been advanced to the rank of corporal.