Theodore Lawrence Chafin was born April 14, 1911 in Hartford, Sebastian Co., Ar. to Frere L. "Fred" & Maggie Earl Webb Chafin. May 8, 1913 Theo's father passed away at the age of 25 yrs from TB. May 1, 1937 Theo married Helen Marie Capps in Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. On March 19, 1942 Theo and Helen were divorced. June 18, 1942 Theo married his second wife, Ruthie J. Johnson in Taylor, Texas. October 16, 1940 Theo registered for the military draft at Rogers Elementry School in Fort Smith, Ar. There are 2 different dates for his enlistment in the US Air Force, March 21, 1941 and March 31, 1942. The 1941 date shows up on more records. Theo was listed as a M/Sgt on his later records. (In one record it was inferred that he was in the Army Air Force and another simply says Army Infantry) September 22, 1944 Sgt. Theodore Lawrence Chafin was reported as a POW being held in Germany at Stalag 3C Alt Drewitz Brandenburg, Prussia 52-14. More personal stories from other men and their time in this prison camp can be found HERE. Scroll down the page until you come to the personal stories. A week or so after his return to the States S/Sgt Theo Chaffin was asked to speak about his time in the prison camp to help raise awareness of the need of money for the War Bonds. The link below has both clippings and a translation of them since they are such poor quality. S/Sgt Chafin continued with his military service in the National Guard at Fort Smith, Ar. until April 14, 1971. Theodore Lawrence Chafin passed away January 6, 1973 at Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. and is buried in the National Cemetry at Fort Smith, Ark. World War II Prisoners of War Data File, 12/7/1941 - 11/19/1946 SERIAL NUMBER 37107624 NAME CHAFIN THEO L GRADE Sergeant SERVICE CODE Army ARM or SERVICE Infantry DATE REPORT Sept 22, 1944 STATE OF RESIDENCE Arkansas AREA European Theatre: Germany LATEST REPORT February 28, 1946 SOURCE OF REPORT Individual has been reported through sources considered official. STATUS Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated DETAINING POWER GERMANY CAMP Stalag 3C Alt Drewitz Brandenburg, Prussia 52-14 Blytheville Courier News Blytheville, Arkansas May 14, 1945 14 May 1945 ARKANSAN TO TELL EXPERIENCES IN NAZI PRISON AT BOND SHOW Top entertainment and a colorful description of life in a German prison camp will be included in the show program tomorrow night planned at Ritz and Roxy theaters to benefit the Seventh War Bond campaign which opened today. Pfc. Theo Chafin of Fort Smith, Ark., prison of the Germans four and a half months with most of the time in a camp at Kustrine, 40 miles east of Berlin, will tell of his capture, life in the prison camp and his release as an added feature to the technicolor motion picture show "It's a Pleasure", starring Sonja Henje and Michael O'Shea. The school band will play and Paul Pryor will lead the audience in the singing of the national anthem before the returned soldier speaks. The screen attraction will follow. The show, to begin at 7:30 o'clock will be held at Ritz theater with admission to be purchase of a War Bond. Private Chafin, freed the last of January when the Berlin-bound Russian drive enveloped the prison camp area, also will tell of his liberation by the Russians and how they fought their way to Berlin. Returned to the United States last month, Private Chafin's story of his experiences are expected to add to the movie attraction, acclaimed as Sonja Henie's top performance in her ice skating and acting career. How the American prisoners first were fired upon by the Russians who did not know our soldiers were intermingled with the Germans but were extended every courtesy possible when the prisoners managed to reveal their identity...how the freed prisoners "lived off" the country as the Russians did...how the Poles treated them like kings...how Red Cross packages saved their lives...how Russian girls and women worked guns on tanks, fought alongside regular soldiers...seeing Berlin burn...these are some of the experiences Private Chafin will tell those who attend the show. ... Blytheville Courier News Blytheville, Arkansas May 15, 1945 Transcription by Damon Elkins Guest is Pfc Theo Chafin is guest speaker at Ritz Theater to assist in effort to sell E, F, and G war bonds. Purchase of a bond also serves as ticket for the program. Because of the large crowd expected to attend the special entertainment tonight, to benefit the Seventh War Bond Campaign here, tickets may be purchased at Ritz Theater this afternoon for tonight's performance to begin at 7:00 o'clock. "Price" of ticket is a war bond with each purchaser receiving a ticket when his bond is purchased at the ticket office which opened at 1:45 p.m. A colorful description of life in a German prison camp and seeing Berlin burn after joining the Russian troops, who liberated the American prisoners, will highlight a program also featuring the motion picture film "It's A Pleasure", sparkling music by the school band, and singing of the national anthem by the audience. Pfc. Theo Chafin of Fort Smith, who arrived home three weeks ago following his liberation, will speak informally of his experiences. Mrs. Wilson Henry will lead the school band in the music to follow singing of "The Star Spangled Banner", led by Paul Pryor. Sonja Henie and Michael O'Shea are co-starred in the technicolor film featuring ice skating by Miss Henie, many times Olympic winner. This benefit performance, at which Mr. and Mrs. O. W. McCutchen will be host and hostess, is expected to swell the amount of bond sales made in the drive which opened yesterday. The War Bond sale got off to a good start yesterday with the sale of ? in E, F and G Bonds. Loy B. Rich, chairman for North Mississippi County reported that 11 committees started their work and were making good progress. Five committees in the city of Blytheville and 14 committees in the rural sections are getting ready to start their work which is expected to bring in a substantial volume of ? sales. Mrs. W. H. Minyard has been ? chairman of the house, to honor ? following her successful work in the last campaign, and will have this work started before the end of this week. The boys on Okinawa are having a hard job of wiping out the Japs on that island. ...meet the war bond quota... back them up. ...bonds are on sale at the banks, the post office, the picture shows and the office of the committee in the Chamber of Commerce... at the City Hall. ______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________