My father was in the army and was a diesel mechanic for the supply trains. His unit served under General Patton when he stormed across France. Later on he was sent to Aroostook county (potatoes land and very cold) Maine to serve as a guard in a German POW camp. The prisoners were kept busy cutting down trees and at the trades. One prisoner crafted an exquisite hope chest that is still in the family
From time to time a POW would escape and would eventually be found working in a German restaurant in Boston or NYC. There was no heavy punishment for escaping, it was treated as a joke. This was late in the war when everybody knew Germany was going to be defeated
...and lest anyone might forget, your Dad was just as much an integral part of the effort as the 0311 on the front line.