Many TV stars of the 1960s were World War II veterans, but few capitalized on their service to advance their Hollywood careers.

Did you know that Russell Johnson—the professor on “Gilligan’s Island”—was a B-25 navigator in the Pacific who was shot down? Or that Dan Rowan of “Laugh-In” fame flew P-40s early in the war and downed two Japanese Zero fighters before being shot down himself? Eddie Albert of “Green Acres” earned the Bronze Star for heroism after rescuing wounded Marines at Tarawa.

One of my favorite shows from that era was “Hogan’s Heroes,” which premiered in September 1965—just over 60 years ago.

The show followed a group of Allied POWs in Stalag 13, led by Colonel Robert Hogan, who constantly outsmarted bumbling commandant Colonel Wilhelm Klink and his clueless sergeant, Hans Schultz, while running secret espionage operations right under their noses.

What made the show remarkable was the real-life history behind its cast. All four actors who portrayed recurring German characters—Werner Klemperer (Klink), John Banner (Schultz), Leon Askin (General Burkhalter) and Howard Caine (Gestapo Major Hochstetter)—lost close family members in the Holocaust and served in the U.S. military during World War II. 

One cast member had even experienced a concentration camp. Robert Clary, who played Corporal Louis LeBeau, was a Holocaust survivor who spent 31 months in Buchenwald. He was imprisoned there with 15 family members—only he and two sisters survived. Clary credited his comedic talent, which entertained the guards, with helping save his life. He would outlive all of his “Hogan’s Heroes” co-stars.

The show’s creators may have known that a real Stalag 13 existed near Hammelburg, Germany. Originally a World War I POW camp, it later became a children’s home before being repurposed as Stalag XIII-C during World War II. They cast Los Angeles drive-time DJ Bob Crane as Colonel Robert Hogan, borrowing the name from a friend of one of the show’s creators.

Then came an extraordinary twist: there was a real pilot named Robert Hogan, and he was a POW at Stalag 13.

THE REAL COLONEL HOGAN

Robert Steadham Hogan was born in Birmingham, Alabama, into a family of physicians. Initially studying engineering at Auburn University, he left school to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Forces after the attack on Pearl Harbor two years later. His engineering background helped him become a bomber pilot.

Robert S. Hogan spent six months as a POW in Stalag 13.

By November 1943, Hogan was flying missions out of Manduria, Italy, with the 723rd Squadron, 450th Bombardment Group. His crew targeted railways, oil refineries, troop positions and supply lines across Austria, northern Italy and Yugoslavia. They survived 11 missions despite heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter attacks.

On their 12th mission, however, flak tore off the left wing of their B-24, Daisy Mae, over Brod, Yugoslavia. Only Hogan and his flight engineer survived. They were captured quickly and were first held near Nuremberg before being transferred to Stalag 13 near Hammelburg.

The real Stalag 13 bore some surprising similarities to the fictional one. It had an eccentric commandant and a heavyset, good-natured sergeant. The prisoners had access to a clandestine radio, and the commandant turned a blind eye because BBC broadcasts provided more accurate news than Germany’s own reports. The only thing missing was the comic shenanigans of prime-time TV.

FROM POW TO PHYSICIAN

Hogan eventually made it home. He was awarded a Purple Heart and two Air Medals with Oak Leaf Clusters. Like many veterans, he spoke little of his wartime experiences. But he made a point to visit the families of all nine crew members who died when Daisy Mae went down. Every call was difficult, but one was particularly so—John Rau, the only married crewman, left behind a widow and a 1-year-old child.

After the war, Hogan returned to college. He earned his medical degree in 1958 and went on to a long, respected career as a physician. Dedicated to both his patients and his community, he still had one unusual passion outside of work: he loved “Hogan’s Heroes”!

His family couldn’t ignore the uncanny parallels between Bob Crane’s character and their patriarch, and neither could Dr. Hogan. He wrote a fan letter to Crane pointing out the similarities. The producers were flabbergasted. Their lawyers fretted over potential legal issues, but the marketing team saw a golden opportunity. They arranged for the two Hogans to meet. Crane even flew to Birmingham in full costume, and the pair held a press conference at a nearby hotel before sharing lunch at a local country club.

Today, the website of the 450th Bomb Group Memorial Association (450thbg.com) includes photos of Dr. Hogan in uniform, a newspaper clipping announcing him as missing in action and pictures from that meeting with Bob Crane.

Dr. Robert S. Hogan passed away in 1980 at just 58 years old—far too soon for a man whose extraordinary true story rivaled its unintentional TV fiction.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

I Love Lucy! The rise of America's most-watched TV show

Step back in time to the 1950s, where “I Love Lucy” not only captured the hearts of America, but poked their funny bones too! Read More »