During World War II, the United States established a German POW prisoner camp in the Papago desert of Scottsdale.
The camp was known as Camp Papago Park.
Imprisoned were mostly U-boat navel personnel which included U-boat commander Jürgen Wattenberg.
The prison guards were unaware that Wattenburg and some of his men were digging a tunnel from the prison which would exit close to the Crosscut Canal.
The prison guards believed that the prisoners were building a field to play Soccer.
The plan was to use some boards upon which they would use in order to head towards Mexico via the Gila River which led to the Colorado River and thus obtaining their freedom.
However, what they didn't count on was that the rivers of Arizona were dried up at that time of the year.
On the night of December 23, 1944, the commandeer and 24 of his men decided to carry out their plan.
When they reached the end of the tunnel they found themselves with a dried up river.
Eventually they were all captured and returned to the POW camp.
The POW Papago escape is the largest escape of its nature in the history of the United States.
During World War II, the United States established a German POW prisoner camp in the Papago desert of Scottsdale. The camp was known as Camp Papago Park. Imprisoned were mostly U-boat navel personnel which included U-boat commander Jürgen Wattenberg. The prison guards were unaware that Wattenburg and some of his men were digging a tunnel from the prison which would exit close to the Crosscut Canal. The prison guards believed that the prisoners were building a field to play Soccer. The plan was to use some boards upon which they would use in order to head towards Mexico via the Gila River which led to the Colorado River and thus obtaining their freedom. However, what they didn't count on was that the rivers of Arizona were dried up at that time of the year. On the night of December 23, 1944, the commandeer and 24 of his men decided to carry out their plan. When they reached the end of the tunnel they found themselves with a dried up river. Eventually they were all captured and returned to the POW camp. The POW Papago escape is the largest escape of its nature in the history of the United States.
List of historic properties in Scottsdale, Arizona