Fort George G. Meade: The First 100 Years

136 THE FIRST 100 YEARS
cattle car. He never saw them again.
Kogut was put to work on a farm in the Black Forest.
The farmer was in the German army so Kogut never met
him. The farmer’s wife was very kind to Kogut and he
never forgot it.
After the war, Kogut came to the United States and
went to work for the Department of Defense, eventually
at Fort Meade. Kogut and his wife settled in Laurel in
1971, and both their children are Laurel High School
graduates.
On a trip to France, Kogut told Violette he wanted to
go see the farm in the Black Forest. They drove to it and
met the farmer, who still lived there. His wife had died,
but the farmer recognized Kogut’s name because his wife
talked about him so much over the years. The farmer told
Mike and Violette Kogut all about his wartime experiences
and revealed that he had spent a few years as a captured
POW–at Fort Meade.
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(Pg. 132) A guard tower at the Fort Meade Internment and
POW camp. Inmates lived in tents until temporary wood
frame buildings were constructed.
(Pg. 135) German and Italian POWs form up to be assigned
their work detail each morning behind Bldg. 4553.
(Map) of POW detention camp at Fort Meade. (Bottom)
Enemy POWs repair US uniforms in the basement of Bldg.
4553.