I heard this story about my group that occurred after I was rotated. A Roumanian officer got to Italy and gave info re: a POW camp. A pilot in my group flew to this Roumanian camp, escorted by P51s and picked up many US airman and brought them back to Italy. This was before the war was over.

That was Rumanian Fighter ace Capt. Constantin Cantacuzino who flew an Me 109 with a crude American flag painted on the side to the airbase where 15th AF HQ was located. Inside the fuselage he had Lt. Col. James Gunn formerly of the 454th BG who’d been a POW. 38 Flying Fortresses were sent to an airfield near Bucherest and brought home 1100 + POWs. This was in August or September 44 if memory serves.

Dan