Frank W Ristau

LT. FRANK W. RISTAU
Second Lieutenant Frank W. Ristau, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Ristau, 329 Babcock Street, has arrived safely in England, according to word received by his parents.

Lieutenant Ristau entered the Air Corps in 1940. He received his pilot's wings at Luke Field, AZ on August 27, 1942. In August 1943, he was promoted from Flight Officer to Second Lieutenant.

Among the numerous bases at which he has been stationed are Godman Field, Fort Knox, KY and Bowling Green, KY.

Lt. Frank Ristau Reported Missing

LT. FRANK W. RISTAU
Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Ristau, 329 Babcock Street, have received a War Department notification that their son, Lieutenant Frank W. Ristau, has been reported missing over France on July 18.

Lieutenant Ristau went overseas in December 1943. He entered the Air Corps in 1940 and received his pilot's wings at Luke Field, AZ on August 27, 1942. He was promoted from Flight Officer to Second Lieutenant in August 1943.

His parents recently received an Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster that were awarded him last June, while the young pilot was based in England.

Prisoner of War of German Army

LT. FRANK W. RISTAU
Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Ristau, 329 Babcock Street, were advised on Sunday, through the International Red Cross, that their son, Lieutenant Frank W. Ristau, United States Army Air Corps, who was reported, on August 5, last, as missing in action over France as of July 18, was a prisoner of war of the German government and that a letter would follow.

His parents recently received an Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster that were awarded him last June, while the young pilot was based in England.

Eau Claire Fliers Coming Home After Being Liberated

Three Eau Claire fliers and a St. Paul sergeant, formerly of Eau Claire, have been liberated from German prisoner of war camps, according to word received by relatives here.

They are Captain Thomas R. Litchfield, First Lieutenant Frank W. Ristau, Sergeant Robert Field, all of Eau Claire, and Staff Sergeant Robert Knobel, St. Paul, former Eau Claire resident.

Captain Litchfield is the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Litchfield, 1411 South Farwell Street. His wife, Harriett, and two-year-old daughter are residing at St. Charles, MN at present. She received a cablegram Tuesday, saying he was safe and well and would return soon. The Captain had over 50 missions completed when he was reported missing over Germany on July 31, 1944, while flying a fighter plane. He was commissioned on July 3, 1942 and went overseas in March 1944. He holds the Air Medal with two Silver and two Bronze Clusters.

First Lieutenant Ristau is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Ristau, Sr., 329 Babcock Street. They received a telegram from the Adjutant General's Office, stating that he was returned to military control on April 29, 1945. He became a prisoner of the Nazis after be was shot down over France on July 18, 1944 and was at Stalag Luft 3. He was on reconnaissance patrol when reported missing. Commissioned in August 1943, he went overseas in December 1943.

Sergeant Field, radio-gunner on a bomber, is the son of Andrew Field, 627 Fifth Avenue. He was reported missing over Germany on April 22, 1944, while on a mission from Italy. A cablegram received by his parents Tuesday said that he is well and will be home soon. He entered the service in August 1942 and went overseas in January 1944.

Staff Sergeant Knobel, son of Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Knobel of St. Paul, former residents here, has been liberated by the British. He was in Brussels at the time he wrote the letter, telling his friends and parents he had been freed. The Sergeant has been a prisoner of the Germans at Stalag Luft 4 since June 22, 1944.

Contributed by Lee Z. Mathison Carrollton, Texas June 9, 2003

I was a member of Lake Street Methodist Church and so was Tom Litchfield. The church has a regular mailing called the Circuit Rider, and they always sent it to service men. I recalled having read in it that Tom had been shot down and was believed to be a POW.

Shortly after entering the Moosburg POW camp as part of the 14th Armored Division, I went to the area housing American prisoners and asked if anyone knew a Tom Litchfield. One of the guys sitting on the floor knew Tom and, within minutes, Tom and I were together. Tom told me that Bob Field and Frank Ristau were also prisoners and, a few minutes later, I was with all three of them. We were all classmates at Eau Claire Senior High School.

Before I found Tom, I had given away to other prisoners anything I had in the jeep that they might want (candy, cigarettes, etc.,) so I returned to our mess sergeant and "restocked," so I could come back and make sure my Eau Claire friends were able to have the pleasure of sharing a "10 in One" ration. This was a box that contained enough for one man for ten days or for ten men for one day. It was something we received toward the end of the war and it contained, by far, the best rations we had. It held lots of "goodies," and my Eau Claire friends enjoyed dividing the "10 in One" three ways.

I saw Tom Litchfield and Bob Field often after the war; unfortunately, Frank Ristau later lost his life in a flight during the Berlin Airlift.

After the war, the 14th Armored Division became officially known as "The Liberators." We have a reunion convention every year. The reunions are held in various cities across the USA. We always contact the POW organization in the area of the convention and invite any POW liberated by us at Moosburg to be our guest at our meetings and dinners. They are invited to share their thoughts if they care to.