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THIS PA E DE LASSIFIED IAW E 12958 D ur i n g th e n i gh t o f 3 1 J anua r y - 1 F e b r ua r y , 1 10 t r a ns p o rt pl a ne s t o ok o ff f o r th e s t il l fi g h t in g no r th e r n p o c k e t . H e r e a l i g ht e d t r ia n gu l a r - s h ap e d dr op z o ne , m a r k e d w ith a r e d - l i gh t e d s w a s t ika , w a s e a s il y di s - c e r nibl e , a n d th e r a dio b e a c o n w a s i n op e r a t i o n . A b o u t 9 5 o f th e a i r c r a ft s uc c e e d e d i n d r opp i n g th e i r l o a d s o n t a r ge t . O n th e fol l ow i n g e v e ni ng 10 8 a i r c r a f t t o ok o ff f o r th e no r th e r n p o ck e t , a n d a pp r ox im a t e l y 8 5 a c c om - pl i s h e d th e i r m i s s i o n s . T h e dr op z o ne w a s s t i ll c l e a r l y d e fi ne d o n th e n i g ht o f 2 F e b r ua r y , a n d r e m a i ne d v i s ibl e unt il ab out 2 4 0 0 h o ur s , a ft e r wh i ch it w a s s e e n n o m o r e . T h e l a s t m e s s a ge f r o m th e p o ck e t w a s r e - c e i v e d a t a r m y g r o up h e a d qua r t e r s a t 2 3 1 5 h o ur s : X I Co r p s ha s fo u ght w ith ifi s di v i s i on s t o th e l a s t m a n a ga in s t a m a n if ol d s up e r i o r it y L . on g l iv e G e r m a n y ! 12 3 T h e fi r s t 12 H e - l l l s di s p a t ch e d on t h e n i gh t o f 2 F eb r ua r y w e r e s e nt t o de l iv e r th e i r l o a d s a nd t o r e p o rt th e i r i m p r e s s io n s o f c on dit i o n s i n th e po c k e t by th r e e p r e a r r a n g e d c o de w o r d s S . e v e n r e p o rt e d th at th e y h a d det e c t e d noth in g a nd m a de no dr op s , th r e e dr opp e d pa rt o f th e i r l o a ds , a nd o ne r e p o r t e d th a t h e h a d s t il l de t e c t e d s i gns T h . e r e up on th e r e m a in in g l b He i nk e l s w e r e di s p a t c h e d . Or a l inte r r o ga t i o n o f th e r e t ur n in g c r e w m e n r e v e a l e d t h at th e po ck e t a r e a w a s no l o n ge r de f in e d th , a t a f i r e w a s r a gin g in th e no r th w e s t e r n c o r ne r o f th e t r a ct o r w o rk s , th a t l i gh t s app e a r e d e v e nl y di s t r ib ut e d t h r o u gh o u t th e a r e a , th a t a v eh i cl e c o lum n w ith l i ght s w a s ob s e rv e d m ov i n g fr om th e n o rth e a s t i nt o th e t r a ct o r -w o r k s , th a t s ig na l f i r e in a l l c o l o r s w a s v i s ibl e i n th e t r a c t o r w o rk s , th at pa r a ch ut e fl a r e s w e r e ob s e r v e d , a n d th a t th e r e w e r e no s i g ns o f c ont i nue d f i ght i ng . T h i s , c oup l e d w ith th e e n d o f r a di o t r a n s m i s s io n s i , ndic a t e d th a t r e s i s t a nc e in th e no r th e rn p o c k e t h a d c o m e t o a n e nd . F a c in g fi e r c e c o m ba t a n d th e r av a g e s o f s ta r v a t i on a n d i nt e n s e c o l d o n th e b itt e r s t e pp e s , s ol di e r s o f th e S ix th A r m y h a d s ur r e nde r e d onl y a ft e r th e y ha d be c om e t o o w e a k t o c a r r y a r m s , a ft e r th e i r ha nds w e r e s o f r o s tb itt e n th a t th e y c ou l d no l on ge r h a ndl e th e i r w e a p on s , a nd w h e n th e y h a d fo un d th e m s e lv e s w ith o ut a m m uni t i on a ga i n s t v a s t l y s up e r i o r e n e m y f o r c e s F . o r th e s ur v iv o r s th e i r s uff e r in g w a s t o be c o m e c o m pl e t e i n S ov i e t c a p t iv it y T h . a nk s t o th e de v ot e d e ff o rt s of G e r m an a ir c r e w s h , o w - e v e r it h , a d at l e a s t b e e n p o s s ibl e t o fl y abo ut 30 0 00 , w o un de d rn e n o ut o f th e p o c k e t 12 ` . . E di to r ' s N ot e : Ov e r 9 0 , 0 0 0 m e n f el l into So v i e t c a p t i v it y in t h e Sta l i ng r a d ba tt l e s f , e w o f wh o m ev e r l iv e d t o r e t u r n , o r w e r e p e rm itt e d t o r e t ur n h , om e Se . e M a ns t e i n , pp 3 37 34 7 39 5 F . , , . o r m o s t o f th e Six th A r m y H itl , e r s c o m m e nt s i r on ic a ll y c a m e t r ue : "Wh e r e th e G e rm a n s o l di e r s t a n ds h , e r e m a in s , a n d n o p ow e r on e a r th s h a ll dr iv e hi m f r om it " S . e e S ch r o e t e r , p 2 3 5 . . 329 THIS PA E DE LASSIFIED IAW E 12958
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