Biography

Tom Greenway was born on June 5, 1909 in Booneville, Arkansas, USA. He was an actor, known for Rawhide (1959), Big Timber (1950) and Have Gun - Will Travel (1957). He died on February 8, 1985 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. His plane was shot down over Italy, and he spent fourteen months in Italian and German prison camps.

Served as a top turret gunner in a B-17 during World War II, with the rank of staff sergeant, in the 301st Bombardment Group of the U.S. Fifteenth Air Force. On February 14, 1944, during his 11th mission with the marshalling yards in Verona, Italy, as the target, his plane was attacked by German fighters and flak and was shot down. Two of his crew members were killed. Sergeant Greenway and 7 other crew members were captured by the Italians and handed over to the German Luftwaffe. They eventually were imprisoned in the notorious Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow, Pomerania, near Germany's Baltic Sea coast (today in Poland).

On February 6, 1945, Sergeant Greenway and about 8,000 other POWs in the camp set out on a forced march that would be called the "Death March". The prisoners were given remaining Red Cross parcels and were allowed to carry as much as they could. The westward march from Gross Tychow lasted approximately 86 days. They were forced to march under German guard about 15-20 miles (24-32 km) per day. There was much zigzagging, to escape the encroaching Soviet Red Army from the east. After marching 40 days, Sergeant Greenway fell out and could walk no further. He was then put on a train to continue traveling westward. He was liberated by British troops on April 11, 1945, and taken to an Allied military hospital in Hamburg to recover before being sent home to the USA.