Prisoner of War (POW) Oct. 7, 1944 Staff Sgt. Hormerte was from New York City, although his family had a summer home in Equinunk, Pennsylvania a small community on the New York boarder where he would spend his summers. He was a Radio-man/waist gunner on a B-17 and was shot down over Germany. He ended up in a Stalag-Luff Camp for non-coms. He became valuable because he could speak German, which the guards did not know about. The day would come when a new batch of American prisoners was delivered to the camp and several were put in his barracks, one of which was a tall young blond haired youth named William Ackerson. Like all "new" incoming prisoners, each one was suspect for being a German "plant". So the new young blond haired prisoner was trying to convince others he was an American... they asked this new prisoner where he was from? and he answered: Hancock, New York (which happened to be just a few miles from Equinunk, Penna.) and Homerte was very familiar with Hancock. Staff/Sgt. Hormerte stepped forward and inquired.. "so you say you are from Hancock, NY? what's the name of the ice cream shop in town and where is it located? Ackerson cocked his head and answered immediately: The Kandyland and it is under the only traffic light in town. Hormerte said: "he's all right.. (what German spy would know that). Both Bill Ackerson and Buster Hormerte would return. Bill became a History Teacher in Hancock and Buster became a florist in NYC and kept his family's home in Equinunk, Pa.