Ewell Ross McCright
Encyclopedia
Ewell Ross McCright, of Benton
, Saline County, Arkansas
was a captain in the United States Air Force
during World War II
who was famous for maintaining secret journals detailing information about fellow prisoners of war while held captive in a German
prison camp. For his actions, McCright was awarded the Legion of Merit
posthumously in 2004.
McCright was a bombardier
on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber that was shot down over France
on 23 January 1943. McCright was captured by German forces and taken to a German prisoner of war camp at Zagan, Poland. McCright remained a prisoner until 29 April 1945, when his camp was liberated by the Third United States Army under General George S. Patton
.
During his captivity, McCright detailed the personal backgrounds and wartime injuries of 2,194 of his fellow prisoners in four journals, which he hid under the floorboards of the prisoner barracks. When he was transferred to another POW camp, McCright secretly carried the journals on a 34-mile forced march in place of food.
McCright's ledgers contained prisoner accounts of the gas chambers at Auschwitz and details of Nazi
atrocities such as the use of dogs to attack prisoners and medical experiments conducted on the prisoners. McCright's journals were presented as evidence before the allied war crime
s trials at Nuremberg
.
The ledgers were published in 1994 by Arnold Wright of Benton, Arkansas
under the title Behind the Wire: Stalag Luft III, South Compound. McCright's work provided comfort for many families seeking information about the status of their loved ones.
In 2004, McCright was the first recipient of the Legion of Merit
to receive the award for activities conducted while a prisoner of war.
McCright became an attorney
after the war and served in the Arkansas House of Representatives
from 1951 to 1953. He died on 24 April 1990 at the age of seventy-two. He is buried at Salem Cemetery
in Saline County.
Benton, Arkansas
Benton is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Arkansas, United States and a suburb of Little Rock. It was established in 1837. According to a 2006 Special Census conducted at the request of the city government, the population of the city is 27,717, ranking it as the state's 16th largest...
, Saline County, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
was a captain in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was famous for maintaining secret journals detailing information about fellow prisoners of war while held captive in a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
prison camp. For his actions, McCright was awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
posthumously in 2004.
McCright was a bombardier
Bombardier (rank)
Bombardier is a rank used in artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of corporal. Lance-bombardier is used instead of lance-corporal....
on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber that was shot down over France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 23 January 1943. McCright was captured by German forces and taken to a German prisoner of war camp at Zagan, Poland. McCright remained a prisoner until 29 April 1945, when his camp was liberated by the Third United States Army under General George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
.
During his captivity, McCright detailed the personal backgrounds and wartime injuries of 2,194 of his fellow prisoners in four journals, which he hid under the floorboards of the prisoner barracks. When he was transferred to another POW camp, McCright secretly carried the journals on a 34-mile forced march in place of food.
McCright's ledgers contained prisoner accounts of the gas chambers at Auschwitz and details of Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
atrocities such as the use of dogs to attack prisoners and medical experiments conducted on the prisoners. McCright's journals were presented as evidence before the allied war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s trials at Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
.
The ledgers were published in 1994 by Arnold Wright of Benton, Arkansas
Benton, Arkansas
Benton is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Arkansas, United States and a suburb of Little Rock. It was established in 1837. According to a 2006 Special Census conducted at the request of the city government, the population of the city is 27,717, ranking it as the state's 16th largest...
under the title Behind the Wire: Stalag Luft III, South Compound. McCright's work provided comfort for many families seeking information about the status of their loved ones.
In 2004, McCright was the first recipient of the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
to receive the award for activities conducted while a prisoner of war.
McCright became an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
after the war and served in the Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
from 1951 to 1953. He died on 24 April 1990 at the age of seventy-two. He is buried at Salem Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Saline County.