A Wartime Log: Who is Chester L. Strunk?by Francisco Ortega

Primary Source Introduction

The primary source document that I chose for my reaction paper is a journal by Air Force

Lieutenant Chester L. Strunk. The journal was provided by the YMCA (Young Men's Christian

Association) through the Red Cross to wartime soldiers imprisoned in Europe during World War

II. Entitled, "A Wartime Log: A Remembrance from Home Through the American Y.M.C.A",

the journal served as a tool for soldiers to express themselves through writings, drawings, and a

mix of other types of visual expressions.

Distributed to Prisoners of War (POW), the "Wartime Logs" were often confiscated by the

Germans. Those lucky enough to be able to hold on to their journals were able to produce great

visual artifacts of soldiers' experiences in captivity. Some commonly expressed themes included

a longing for freedom, boredom, fatigue, hunger, missing loved ones, as well as more routine

matters such as military ranks and the physical layout of the prison camp. The ways soldiers

expressed their thoughts ranged from formal writings to cartoons and sketches.

In addition, I have selected to use the online primary source "Wartime Logs" from other

American prisoners in order to compare them to the themes evident in Lt. C.L. Strunk's journal. I

will direct students to Guests of the Third Reich: American POWs in Europe in order to access

journals by other Allied military soldiers. The journals are fascinating in their ability to convey

the sentiments and aspirations of camp prisoners. My hope is that students can get a glimpse into

the lives of those who overcame the challenges of internment during World War II.

The online prisoner journals can be found at: http://www.guestsofthethirdreich.org/camp-life/

Lesson Unit Objectives

Students will answer guiding questions based on Lt. C.L. Strunk's "Wartime Log". Based on the

information in his journal, students will assess how he came to be imprisoned and what his

experiences were like on a daily basis. Students will analyze the text to assess to what extent his

condition are a reflection of the living conditions, thoughts, and experiences that a typical

prisoner may have experienced and speculate on how much of it may have been fabricated.

Along with studying Lt. C.L. Strunk's "Wartime Log", students will compare his experiences to

other military prisoners' journals found online at Guests of the Third Reich: American POWs in

Europe. Students will analyze and discuss prevalent themes that are shared amongst the journals

and investigate for insights into the unique experiences of individual camp prisoners.

Activities:

Students will do the following:

Read and re-read Lieutenant Chester L. Strunk's "Wartime Log" Paraphrase key parts of the text Answer text-based questions with evidence Summary Organizer "Evidence Gathering" Worksheet

Materials:

1 Text Selection Text-Dependent Questions

1 Summary Organizer "Evidence Gathering" Worksheet LCD Projector

Text:

Source: Lieutenant Chester L. Strunk, , "A Wartime Log: A Remembrance from Home Through the American Y.M.C.A", personal journal, (Geneva, Switzerland: The War Prisoners' Aid of the Y.M.C.A.)

Online source: "Camp Life." Guests of the Third Reich. Web. 12 Dec. 2015. http://www.guestsofthethirdreich.org/camp-life/

Key Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding ...as a whole.

CCSS.LA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Procedure

1. Silent Reading: Students will scan through, read, and study silently for 15 minutes, or a

reasonable amount of time Lieutenant Chester L. Strunk's "Wartime Log".

2. Choral Reading: Students and teacher now read the various poems from pages 5 and 7 in

Strunk's "Wartime Log" out loud while matching prosody and pacing. After and during the

reading, students are encouraged to underline and highlight key words and difficult to understand

vocabulary. Words that are misunderstood may be circled and have an arrow written out with

annotated comments and questions.

3. Text-dependent Questions: Students will answer questions based on the primary text provided.

Students will gain a better understanding of the text and the use of language including

vocabulary words.

4. Summary Organizer Worksheet: Students are provided an individualized copy of the handout.

Students are given instructions on how to understand the components of the handout as teacher

projects it on the overhead screen with an LCD projector. Students are instructed to

highlight/underline/circle any words to which they may not fully know the meaning. Students are

highly encouraged to purchase a Basic English Dictionary and bring it to class daily.

5. Think-Pair-Share: Students are instructed to read the excerpts individually and quietly. After a

short segment of time, students are instructed to share out their thoughts with a partner. Students

then share out their responses to the teacher while the teacher types and projects the responses on

the overhead.

Some students will require additional time to look over their responses. Teacher will walk

around the classroom and check for understanding. Teacher will look to see that students have

understood the excerpts and will verbally verify with individual students that they understand

and can paraphrase short segments of the passages.

6. Differentiating for Special Needs: Students with Special Needs are provided with a word bank

of each of the handouts with typically difficult to understand key terms and their definitions. The

handout is created in conjunction with the Special Education teacher based on the reading

comprehension levels of the specified students.

7. Students will complete the Visual Analysis of a "Wartime Log" Handout. Students should take

the time to understand and analyze each of the visuals as well as look up the ones available on

the website: http://www.guestsofthethirdreich.org/camp-life/.

8. Lastly, the homework is for students to identify at least 3 questions with respect to each of the

excerpts and visuals provided in the handouts. Students must be prepared to engage in a Socratic-

type discussion with other students for the following class. The question must not have been

addressed in the Test-Based Question or the Visual Analysis Handout. Students will earn full

credit for asking a higher level critical thinking question. Examples would include, "To what

extent does..." or "Predict what will happen if Strunk had...."

Text-Dependent Questions: "Dejection", "Krigie Lament", and "Unqualified Opinion" Poems, 1944. (pgs. 5 and 7 in Strunk's "Wartime Log")

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the primary text.

1. Based on the poem entitled "Dejection" on page 7, describe how Strunk came to be imprisoned.

2. How would you characterize the tone of the poem?

3. Analyze the poem entitled "Krigie Lament" on page 5 and characterize Strunk's mood and state of mind. What feelings are reflected in his writings?

4. How would you characterize the living conditions of the prison camp he is interned? What in the poem leads you to believe this?

5. How would you describe Strunk's daily experiences in his poem on page 5 "Unqualified Opinion"?

4. Speculate to what extent any of Strunk's writings may have been fabricated? If not, is he credible? How so?

5. Overall, after analyzing all three of Strunk's poems, have you ever felt any of the feelings he expresses in his writings? How would you feel if you were in his situation?

Summary Organizer Worksheet: Murder Incorporated- German Propaganda (Page 11 in "Wartime Log")

Excerpt: "The physiognomy of the American flyer Williams permits to be included that not only the names but the crews are descended from the Chicago underworld.

The designation MURDER INCORPORATED chosen by the American fliers themselves indicates strikingly and understandably what these men do. England has prided itself that it enters the war ostensibly without sufficient preparations and that in it fulfilled in the course of the war the lack of which it had in the beginning.

The terror over the German cities struck women and children who were at home while the fathers stood at the front. This sacrifice has an influence on the soldiers at the front.

The responsible ones who give these orders charges them to carry their bombs to Germany and drop them their explosives where they have virtually fallen over residence, over exclusively residential targets in the suburbs of large cities, over clearly immune homes of sick and old people, and not in the least over hospitals.

Key words:

Summary:

In your own words:

Summary Organizer Worksheet: Headquarters Army Air Forces, 1944. (Page 35 in "Wartime Log")

Except: "Dear Mrs. Strunk, I am writing you with reference to your son, Second Lieutenant Chester L. Strunk, who was reported by the Adjutant General as missing.

Further information dated July 31st has been received which indicates that Lieutenant Strunk was a crew member of a B-17 (Flying Fortress) bomber which departed from Italy on a bombardment mission to Polesti, Rumania on July 28th. Full details are not available, but the report indicates that during this mission at about 12:16 p.m., while over the target, your son's Fortress sustained damage from enemy antiaircraft fire but followed the formation, losing altitude rapidly, until it reached Bijelopolje, Yugoslavia approximately fifty miles from the Adriatic Coast. The report further states that at this time your son's bomber was seen to fall to the earth. Several parachutes were observed in the vicinity of the descending plane but due to adverse weather conditions, the crew members of accompanying planes were unable to give the exact number. No further observations were made..."

Key words:

Summary:

In your own words:

Visual Analysis of a "Wartime Log"1. Do any of the images below and on the next page clarify or enhance the textual information found in Strunk's journal? (Try imagining the same journal without the visuals and ask how effective it would be).

2. What mood or feelings do the visuals add to the journal's text? How does that mood aid the effectiveness of the information?

3. Discuss the relationship among the various visuals found in the journal and the written text. Do you see any connections? Any odd ideas not otherwise reflected in the writings? “

4. Compare C.L. Strunk's "Wartime Log" to the other journals provided on http://www.guestsofthethirdreich.org/camp-life/. Do you see any similar common themes? Differences? How so?

#1 from page 39 #2 from page 17

#3 from page 21 #4 from page 4

#5 from page 8 #6 from page 25