627. CHARLES "ROJO" GRANT GOODRICH (1907-1987) On September 13, 1942, while leading his group on a night bombing sortie over Sidi Hanish, Egypt, he was shot down and made a prisoner of war by the Germans. He was badly injured in the process and spent several months in the hospital before arriving, in December 1942, at the main Luftwaffe prison camp in Poland, Stalag Luft III. Here he immediately became the senior American officer by virtue of his rank - a position and responsibility he was destined to hold until the end of the war. Commonly held perceptions of life in prisoner-of-war camps tend to reflect a demoralized, apathetic crowd of men waiting for war's end. This was not the case in Rojo's camps. Here, under his leadership, the war continued unabated. Escape activity, intelligence collecting and constant demands on the Germans to meet the demands of the Geneva Accords were the order of the day. Discipline inside the wire was similar to any Air Corp organization. A broad scope of camp activities maintained high morale and physical and mental health. While these efforts produced only small results in the overall war effort, they were crucially important for the well-being of the several thousand prisoners under Rojo's authority. He and the men of his camp were deeply involved in the organization, planning and digging of a tunnel, which later resulted in the escape commonly referred to as "The Great Escape" in March 1944. The prisoners worked on three tunnels ("Tom", "Dick" and "Harry") simultaneously. After the first tunnel is discovered, they put all their efforts into completing the third. The last part of the tunnel was completed on the night of the escape, Friday March 22nd, but was found to be twenty feet short of the woods that would provide cover. Nevertheless, seventy-six men escape before one is finally spotted coming out of the tunnel. As a result of his aggressive policies vis-á-vis the Germans, his camp continuously attracted the closest surveillance and security efforts of the German authorities. He and his two thousand or more men relished this diversion of the German war effort. On January 27, 1945, the Germans, on short notice forced the evacuation of Stalag Luft III in the face of the Russian advance. Thanks to Goodrich's foresight, his camp was well-prepared for the exceedingly difficult forced march in severe winter conditions. There were no casualties from his column, and when the proper time came he encouraged escape, and 32 men jumped train en route to Bavaria. His leadership and control set an example for the several other groups in this extremely difficult evacuation. Lot of eight letters and three postcards sent by Goodrich during his captivity at Stalag Luft III, to his young daughter Catherine (except one to his wife) between February 1943 and December 1944. All letters written in pencil on folded airmail lettersheets and signed "Love Daddy", with various German and American "Censored" stamps and postal markings. The first letter, dated July 18, [1943] addressed to his wife Catherine mentions being shot down, signed "Rojo". The balance of the letters and postcards discuss camp conditions, missing home, daily activity and mostly with expressions of fatherly concern for a young child. In brief: "We prisoners are doing good...I haven't had any letters from home since I was captured...I'm practically well now...You are getting to be quite a big girl now and I bet you can do all kinds of things...I've been exercising away this summer trying to build my health up a bit...Things are about the same nothing very exciting happens...you are a lamb to send me the pictures...you look lovely...I hope you are well and happy, my little sweetheart. I think about you lots and wonder what you are doing - going to school these days I expect - and growing up to be quite a young lady...Do take good care of yourself my precious one...I think about you all the time and love you oh so very much...I'm afraid there'll be so many changes at home that I won't know my way around when I get there...". Rojo was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart for his combat service, and the Legion of Merit and the Order of the British Empire for his leadership as a prisoner of war in Germany. He retired with the grade of colonel in 1955, after 27 years of service to his country. General wear and occasional tears, else very good.   $2,000 - 3,000