News-Info-Alerts

Re: The POW Olympics

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: September 02, 2003

Truth is stranger than fiction.

While a hot war raged in a frigid climate, both geographically and politically, a bizarre event was staged in Pyongyang, that defies description and understanding 50 years onward.

The POW Inter-Camp Olympics, November 15-27, 1952, was an actual event featuring Allied POWs - American, UK, Korean and others in athletic competitions. Propaganda in the extreme, the North Koreans even printed a booklet on the "games".

One must see and read it to believe it. Camp No. 5 came in First Place; 2 US POWs scored the highest personal bests; there were foot races, sack race, hurdles, high jump, pole vault, shot putting, tog - o - war, team events, entertainment, an American Olympic Torch Bearer, a Turkish Middleweight champion and even a cheer leading section.

Bert Kortegaard has created a wonderful resource for this unknown event from the Forgotten War. He has carefully recreated all the lists featuring Names, Nationality, points scored , events, Serial Numbers and more. Surviving participants have offered remembrances. Please visit at:
http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/Names_In_Infamy.htm