European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Veterans Day Wii nurse tells epic tale of escape no t a Mitt Una it t c Nim pm by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington a every Veteran has a Story. But Agnes Jensen Mangerich has a Saga. Mangerich who told her Story during an interview at her Home in Bethesda md., was one of 30 americans who crash landed behind enemy lines while on a Mission of mercy in world War ii. On nov. 8, 1943, Mangerich 12 other army flight nurses and 13 male medical specialists from the 807th medical air evacuation so left their base in Catania Sicily for a 90-minute flight to Bari Italy to pick to wounded soldiers. R the c-47�?Ts four member Crew expected rough weather but Low Cloud cover and loss of radio Contact prevented them from Landing in Bari and they finally lost All sense of direction. In a search through the thick Clouds for a Clear Landing spot they crossed the Adriatic sea which runs along the East coast of Italy. Growing desperate As the plane ran Low on fuel the Crew found a Large Field and made a hard Landing in mud. Except for a minor head injury suffered by the Crew chief everyone was of. A i remember wanting to walk around the plane to see How badly the propeller was Bent but i never got that far a recalled Mangerich then a second lieutenant. People ran toward them across the Muddy Field. They wore Homespun clothes had rifles Slung Over their shoulders and carried ammo belts and grenades. The 30 americans ecstatic to be alive after the harrowing flight did not feel threatened. A they Shook our hands and when i saw the italian looking Caps they were wearing i wondered where in Italy we were a Mangerich said. One of the men spoke enough English to Clear up the mystery. They had crash landed in German occupied Albania. Their rescuers were part of the local resistance. After grabbing everything salvageable from the plane the group walked about a mile to a Safe House. That night the co Pilot and several albanians burned the plane so enemy patrols would not find it. For the next two Days the medical team did Little but huddle around a fire waiting for the partisans to make arrangements to get them Back on Friendly ground. The albanians gave them firewood but no food so they ate the meager rations that had been in the plane. The americans had no Way of knowing that they would need every minute of that rest. Their 1,000-mile journey to safety a most of it on foot a would take 62 Days. On the third Day under a sunny november sky they set out. The nurses army Issue Flat Black shoes quickly disintegrated Over the rough terrain. When they arrived at Berat the tiny one Street albanian town exploded with an overwhelming greeting. A the Street was lined with people who cheered and threw Flowers at our feet a Mangerich said. A the word had gone ahead of us that we were an invasion Force. They thought we were their liberators. Here we were begging for help and they thought we were going to help  once the townspeople got Over their disappointment they divided the americans among their Homes. Man Gerich stayed with Kostic Steffa who spoke English and acted As interpreter for the group. A few Days later the germans shelled the Little town. The nurses and soldiers abandoned Berat with the townspeople and eventually got a ride in a Bright Orange realizing the colourful truck was an easy target for ij3u panes it some of the americans decided it would be safer travelling in the Woods. The others unaware of their decision stayed on the truck. Mangerich and her group of More than a dozen hid in Bushes along the Road waiting for the bombing to Stop. Eventually an albanian boy found them. Although Nisi English was limited he told them his name was Johnny. The americans told him about the rest of their a amp a Bow they wanted to find them. Johnny nodded. Thinking he understood the group wasted several Days following him Over trails through the Woods. F a no a ant began feeling the Strain of too Little Rood and too much exercise. Boils bouts of dysentery and toot problems caused the Young americans More discomfort than they a Ever experienced before. And Ney women about what the army might have told their ,1 Tro i a Jiwu w us nay Iii Aib me ii ugly Arelers devoured mythical Holiday meals and then Dis a we do with the leftovers. A a reamed of food in technicolor. It was All we r talked about a Mangerich said. A we All agreed that Agnes Jensen Mangerich in her army uniform during world War ii left and at her Home in Bethesda. A amps Chuck Vlinch the meal we most wanted was Steak mashed potatoes peas a big salad Straw Beny Shortcake with whipped Cream and piping hot Coffee a Mangerich s group finally caught up with the others who had stayed with the truck. Steffa the interpreter was with them but three nurses were missing. Steffa sent a runner to Contact British troops in Albania and the americans with their guides continued their journey crossing albanians second highest Mountain m a blizzard. Mangerich had lived through harsh Winters in Northern Minnesota where she was born but the storm on that lonely Mountain nearly finished them off. The runner found them two weeks later and delivered a message from the British calling for a rendezvous in four Days at a town not too far away. The anxious americans reached it in two Days. A when we had an objective we could move a Mangerich said. A we were very relieved when we arrived and standing in the town Square was Captain Smith of the British forces to meet  s memorial to keep stories alive Mangerich a Story is one of Many tales of military women that will be kept on computer tapes at a memorial to be built on a four acre site at the Entrance to Arlington National cemetery. The women in military. Service for America foundation has raised $2.5 million of the $15 million needed for the memorial. The five year of Tut raising deadline ends next year but officials said they probably would ask Congress to extend the time. Donations can be sent to Wimsat dept 560, Washington . 20042-0560. A a the looked like god a she said remembering the High snowdrifts around him. The three nurses were still missing. The British forces gave the group new boots socks scarves and gloves. There was still Little food but they were Able to clean up and rest. When Mangerich celebrated her 28th birthday on . 3, the British somehow supplied ice Cream knowing How americans enjoyed the dessert. A few Days later guided by a feisty British officer and a sergeant they began their trek to the Adriatic coast. On the second evening one Man became ill and a nurse came Down with hepatitis. The group was forced to Stop for a few Days until they got better. A your medical supplies were gone by this time a Mangerich said. A we did no to have anything but  the British officer Gavin Duffy a hot tempered irishman led the group Over the trails and kept in touch by radio with the allies who gave him reports on enemy activity. But sending and receiving Clear messages was sporadic because of the mountains. In mid december a radio message told them a . Intelligence agent who had landed on the Adriatic coast was trying to find them and help them to safety. But the group was far away in the mountains. And Duffy continued to get reports of enemy movement and possible fighting in a Valley they would have to Cross. Just before Christmas Duffy told the group that it was not Safe and they would have to turn Back. While backtracking they passed a Field Large enough for aircraft to land. The american pilots convinced Duffy to radio the allies for planes to pick them up. But Stormy weather foiled the Rescue attempt. They waited in a House for 10 Days until the weather cleared. Finally a garbled message got through saying planes would be dispatched the next Day. The americans watched helplessly As 18 . Patrol planes and two c-47s flew by the open Field. They were unable to signal them because the enemy was nearby. A it was one of the prettiest military air shows in be Ever seen a Mangerich said. Even though the aircraft had scared the germans who ran for the Woods the group  risk giving away their position. Disappointed they returned to their shelter that night. A few Days later they were informed that the fighting had slowed and they again set out for the coast. Along the Trail they stumbled across capt. Lloyd Smith the american agent who by Luck had picked the same route. Smith told the group they would have to travel at night because of heavy enemy activity and recommended a full Days rest before setting out. But the group refused to wait. They began marching at 5 . And soon hit knee deep Snow m the mountains. After an hour or so they reached a temperate Valley where figs dates and oranges grew. I was so tired that to keep going All i could do was concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other to get Down that Hill a Mangerich said. In a town in the Valley they found women wearing Western clothes chairs to sit on and heavenly hot Tea. She said. A Best of All there was sugar. We Hadnot seen sugar since we left  a or jul sort hour of rest the americans piled into a truck. The truck stopped twice when it met other vehicles and the passengers jumped out and hid in Case they were the enemy. They briefly rested at a British shelter and Man a eff fell asleep in the Corner of a room with a potbellied stove. Before Sunrise they were off again to Cross one last Mountain. On the other Side of that Mountain was a British outpost on the Adriatic sea where a boat would take them Back to Bari. The three missing american nurses were found two months later. They Nad stayed with an albanian family in German occupied Berat until they could sneak out. Decades later in 1983, most of the group gathered for a reunion in Columbus Ohio. The albanians and britons who helped them were not there and one of the nurses died in a car Accident while in route to the event. Another nurse died last april