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Roy Long

Roy Long, born on August 7, 1922, in Blair, Nebraska, endured the challenges of the Great Depression while growing up on a farm. Recruited by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s football coach, he joined ROTC and became an outstanding quarterback, setting a national record of 55 attempts in one game, standing until 2004. Drafted into the army in 1942, Long served as Second Lieutenant in the 71st Division. Long faced the unforgiving realities of the European Theater of Operations, enduring harsh living conditions, encountering mines that took the lives of his comrades, and witnessing the horrors of the Gunskirchen Lager concentration camp in Wels, Austria. Post-war, Long served as a guard during the Nuremberg War Trials, witnessing top Nazi officials such as Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, and Alfred Yodl testify. Later in his life, Long dedicated himself to educating young students about the reality of war, offering a unique first-hand account. Roy Long’s legacy represents compassion and empathy in the face of tremendous adversity. He hoped future generations would look to the past and learn that we all share responsibility in preventing crimes against humanity. Hear Roy's testimony in his own words.