WWII Prisoners of War During World War II, 124,079 U.S. Army personnel were captured by the enemy, of these 41,057 were members of the Army Air Forces, most of whom were in airplanes that were shot down while in aerial combat over hostile territory. Germany and its European Allies captured 35,621 Americans while Japan captured 5,436. Click on the following links to learn more about prisoners of war during WWII. AAF Prisoners of the Germans AAF Prisoners of the Japanese Railroad to the Reich: French "Forty and Eight" Railroad Car A Mission Remembered POW-Made Jacket, Cap and Gloves Click here to return to the World War II Gallery.