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Clarence Williams

Staff Sergeant Clarence Williams was a combat medic assigned to the US 122nd Medical Battalion, 42nd Division (the Rainbow Division) during World War II. Williams deployed to France in January 1945 and was present at the liberation of Dachau concentration camp in April of that year. Williams photographed both the liberation of Dachau and other experiences he had during the war in Europe. Growing up in Crescent and Council Bluffs, Iowa, he eventually settled in Lincoln, Nebraska after the war. Clarence’s collection of photographs and letters between he and his wife, Gretchen, detailing his World War II experiences were made available to the Institute for Holocaust by Clarences son, Dr. Tom Williams. There are instances where Clarence does not use proper English conventions in his descriptions. We have transcribed his writing as it appears in the original text. Hear Clarence's stories directly from his family members.


604 items

Clarence Williams Repairing Radio

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Clarence Williams Special Orders

  • Date: December 18, 1945
  • Format: document

Clarence Williams Special Orders, January 25, 1946

  • Date: January 25, 1946
  • Format: document

Clarence Williams, Special Orders Number 332

  • Date: December 1, 1945
  • Format: document

Clarence Williams with a Little Native

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Clarence Williams with Sign

  • Date: 1945
  • Format: photograph

Clarence Williams with Sign

  • Date: 1945
  • Format: photograph

Clarence Williams's Application for World War II Service Compensation

  • Date: September 7, 1949
  • Format: document

Cooper, Miller and Insull

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Couple Walking a Dog

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Crematory Oven

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau Box Car

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau citizens help erase camp memories

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau Crematory

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau Crematory (image 1)

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau Crematory (image 2)

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau Scene Taken by Irv Miller

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dachau Train Car Containing Bodies

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Damaged Buildings

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Dead S.S. Guards at Dachau

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Debris

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Deutsche Konzentrations — und Gefangenenlager Was die amerikanischen und britischen Armeen vorfanden April 1945

  • Format: document

Deux Francs

  • Format: object

A Diagram of the Chiem Sea

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Eisriesenwelt

  • Date: August 8, 1945
  • Format: object

Envelope

  • Date: July 30, 1945
  • Format: object

Ferry Boat

  • Date: May 27, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph

For the New Rainbow Solider 42nd Inf. Div.

  • Date: 1944
  • Format: book

Fortress and Kufstein

  • Date: 1945
  • Format: postcard

Four years later - Crocks empty now, stone marks dead in fog-bound Dachau

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Freight Transportation

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

From Strasbourg to Munich and Salzburg With 42nd Division

  • Date: July 1, 1945
  • Format: newspaper

Funeral Coach

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

George Laskos

  • Date: January 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

German Amunition

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

German Home

  • Date: June 3, 1945
  • Format: photograph

German Lodge

  • Date: May 28, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph

German Prisoners

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Glasgow, Scotland

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Glenn Stacy

  • Date: March 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

A Group of the Boys

  • Date: February 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Group Photo February 1945

  • Date: February 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Guard Tower

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Guistolise

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Guistolise and Laskos

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Guistolise and Waples

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Hallein, Austria

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Hallein, Austria

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Hallein, Austria

  • Date: 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska

Hallein, Austria - Church

  • Date: October 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: photograph
  • Source: Clarence Williams Photo Album, Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, Nebraska
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