You’re correct. We also had some German POW’s not far from my home area in Maryland. There was a camp in Somerset County, I believe.
I have long admired Rommel. I think his retreat from El Alamein is without a doubt one of the outstanding feats of a leader of any side in any war. The man was a genius and cared deeply for his troops. I have never heard any ill spoken of him by any veteran in Europe or here.
Montgomery, of course did not defeat Rommel at El Alamein. Thanks to the boys at Bletchley Park and the British RAF in the Mediterranean, Rommel’s supplies and fresh troops were sunk before reaching Africa. Rommel and Patton had similar styles.............rapid movement. Montgomery never moved until he had amassed overwhelming odds in his favor no matter how long it took. That was quite evident in Normandy.
I find it interesting how throughout the war, the same people keep cropping up. I’ve almost finished writing a book which has a lot about the runup to Torch. Nonfiction.
History is fascinating and all the tales should be preserved.
Rommel was a great man. IIRC Nazis had tried to pressure him to mistreat or kill prisoners and he would have nothing to do with Nazi evil. That was no small thing in the Third Reich.
He was a member of the plot to kill Hitler and paid for it with his life.