EX-LUFTWAFFE OFFICER SAYS HE SAVED U. S. FLIER'S LIFE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300500009-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 1998
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: November 5, 1953
• Content Type: NSPR

WASHINGTON PC 6T
NOV 5 1953
Approved For Release 2000/06/30 : CIA-RDP75-00
Former Foes Meet Here
x-Luftwaffe Officer Says
- Saved U. S. Flier's Life
German news c L or visit-
ing Washington told yesterday
how he saved an American
flier's life in World War II-
and found him here a couple of
days ago.
The newspaperman, Willy
Popp, 33, was a first lieutenant
in the German Luftwaffe, he
said, when he prevented Ger-
man civilians f he
lien Mai _ .f Barge Q, McCa
o one1 McCafferty, who lives
at 4208 23rd. st. No., Arlington,
and i's stationed at the Penta-
gon, said he remembers Popp
1 and that he feels grateful to
him for the treatment he re-
ceived. But the Colonel said it
was news to him that Popp had
saved his life.
"It may be true," Colonel Mc-
Cafferty said. "I wasn't aware,
however, that my life was in
danger. The guys who got their
hand-&4n me showed no partic-
ul animosity."
Several American bombers
were shot down near Magde-
burg on September 14, 1944.
Some of the airmen bailed out;
two were captured and shot.
McCafferty was in danger of
being shot, but he first had to
be cut down from the tree into
which he had parachuted.
Popp, stationed ire a r b y,
learned two Americans had
been shot, and a third was
vilians away at pistol point.
Then he had the flier taken
to the airport where he was
based, and looked after him
pending his transfer to a pris-
oner of war camp.
Popp, along with other Ger-
man newspapermen, arrived in
Washington last Sunday on a
45-day tour of the United States
under the State Department ex-
change program. At the State
Department he produced the
slip of paper on which McCaf
ferty had written his name. Mc-
Cafferty was found.
The German and the Amer-
ican met at the department
Tuesday and compared notes.
Approved For Release 2000/06/30 : CIA-RDP75-00001 R000300500009-1