SPARTA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Jim Sutcliffe — a World War II veteran who survived being held captive in a German prisoner-of-war camp — has died.
He lived to the remarkable age of 102.
According to his obituary, Sutcliffe was born in Ionia, Michigan, but relocated to Sparta, Tenn. in their retirement years because his late wife hailed from the area.
NewsChannel 5 interviewed Sutcliffe back in November, then 101 years old, as a part of a Veterans Day story. The World War II Army veteran regaled us with stories from his service in the European Theater of the war. But some stories were easier to tell than others.
"It was a terrible war, a terrible war. Civilians were killed, the Jews that were killed," Sutcliffe told us in the interview. "War is hell, war is hell."
Only months into combat, Sutcliffe and others in his company were surrounded by German soldiers and were taken prisoner. He was forced to do hard labor.
"We would work on the railroad tracks and get it closer to the terminal," he said.
The only thing that kept his spirits high was the desire to get back home to his beautiful bride.
"She had long black hair and she had big brown eyes. So I was hooked," said Sutcliffe, with a grin, back in November.
After eight months in a camp behind enemy lines, Jim was finally set free by his captors just days before the Americans arrived. "Relief, great relief that we made it through there. You thought back about some of the fellas that didn’t make it through," Sutcliffe remembered.
Jim's stories, memories and sacrifices will continue to live on. Not long ago, Jim and his daughter, Rita, compiled his memories into a published pamphlet.
"Other people can read it, feel a little bit for it, know a little bit what it was like," Sutcliffe told us back in November.
Sutcliffe's first-hand account of the war is now on display at the White County American Legion Hall, available for anyone to read upon request.
But you don't have to travel to Sparta to read it. We've attached a copy online here.
Jim Sutcliffe's family is planning a Celebration of Life service for later in May.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
