Touring POWs in Bayonne

Today in New Jersey history:

July 15, 1944: Bayonne police officer Al Shipetofsky arrested three Italian prisoners of war from the Port Johnson Terminal POW camp in Bayonne who were wandering the city unguarded. The prisoners were returned to the camp and incarcerated. After Italy surrendered in World War II, Italian POWs in America were given the chance to join “service battalions” performing support duties for the American military, and were given a certain amount of freedom in return, although touring Bayonne unescorted was not among the enumerated privileges. The several hundred Italian POWs in Bayonne were members of the 305th Italian Quartermaster Service Battalion, and worked loading vehicles on ships. Italians were also held in other camps in New Jersey, including Fort Monmouth, Belle Meade, Cavan Point (Jersey City), Raritan Arsenal and Camp Kilmer.