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WWII POW Survivor Broke Silence on Trauma
7 Apr
Summary
- Survived a year in a German POW camp after his bomber was destroyed.
- Spoke and wrote extensively about veterans' hidden trauma.
- Died at 102, leaving a legacy of awareness for the Greatest Generation.
Norman Bussel, who survived a harrowing year as a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany, passed away on Tuesday in Peekskill, N.Y., at the age of 102. His B-17 bomber was destroyed over Berlin in April 1944, leading to his capture and subsequent imprisonment.
During his nearly year-long captivity, Bussel endured extreme hardship, including meager rations and capricious cruelty from his guards. He returned home to Memphis in the summer of 1945, grappling with severe nightmares, claustrophobia, and survivor guilt.
In his retirement, Bussel became a tireless advocate for veterans' mental well-being. He co-founded a support group and testified before Congress, bringing national attention to the psychological toll of war and captivity on the Greatest Generation.
