It took months of planning, but on the night of December 23, 1944, 25 German prisoners of war POWs escaped from Camp Papago Park in Phoenix. They crawled through a handmade tunnel with hopes of heading home via Mexico.

Later known as "The Great Papago Escape," it was the largest POW escape on American soil during World War II. 

And it happened in our backyard — literally. There are houses now where the camp existed.

In this episode, editor Katie O'Connell explores what happened that fateful night. And what can we learn from it now?

Follow Katie O'Connell on Twitter: @katieoc

If you have additional questions about this story, you can reach out to historian Steve Hoza directly by clicking here.

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