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McCright was a bombardier on a B-17 bomber that was shot down over FranceThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. on 23 January 19431943 is the common year starting on Friday. Events January January 4 End of term for Culbert Olson, 29th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Earl Warren. January 11 The United States and United Kingdom give up territorial rights in China. January 1. McCright was captured by German forces and taken to a German Prisoner of War camp at Zagan, PolandZagan is a town in western Poland with 28,300 inhabitants (1995). Situated in the Lubusz Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Zielona Gora Voivodship (1975-1998). Towns in Poland.. McCright remained a prisoner until 29 April 1945Events January January 5 The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet government of Poland. January 7 British General Bernard Montgomery holds a press conference in which he claims credit for victory in the Battle of the Bulge. January 12 World War II: when his camp was liberated by the US 3rd Army under General George S. PattonGeorge Smith Patton, Jr. November 11, 1885 December 21, 1945), was a leading American general in World War II. Early life Patton came from a long line of soldiers who fought and often died in many conflicts, including the American Revolution and, in parti.

During his captivity, McCright maintained four ledgers that detailed the personal backgrounds and wartime injuries of 2,194 of his fellow prisoners. McCright hid his journals under the floorboards of the prisoner barracks. When he was transferred to another POW camp McCright secretly carried the journals on a 34-mile forced march in place of food.

McCright's ledgers contained prisoner accounts of the gas chambers at Auschwitz and details of Nazi atrocities there such as dogs tearing prisoners apart and medical experiments conducted on them. McCright's journals were presented as evidence before the allied war crimes trials at Nuremberg.

The ledgers were published in 1994 by Arnold Wright of Benton, Arkansas under the title "Behind the Wire: Stalag Luft III, South Compound." McCright's work provided comfort for many families seeking information about the status of their loved ones.

In 2004 McCright became the first recipient of the Legion of Merit to receive the award for activities conducted while a prisoner of war.

McCright became an attorney after the war and served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1951 to 1953. He died on 24 April 1990 at the age of 72. He is buried at Salem Cemetery in Saline County, Arkansas.