Skip to main content

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

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: July 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: September 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: September 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: September 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: September 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: September 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: October 1945
  • Creator(s): Echte Fotografie
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: September 1945
  • Creator(s): Echte Fotografie
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Hallein

  • Date: July 31, 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Germany

  • Date: May 3, 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Germany

  • Date: May 1945
  • Format: postcard

Postcard from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, December 31, 1944

  • Date: December 31, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: postcard
  • Source: Clarence Williams Collection, Institute for Holocaust Education

Postcard from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, December 29, 1944

  • Date: December 29, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: postcard
  • Source: Clarence Williams Collection, Institute for Holocaust Education

Postcard from Austria

  • Format: postcard

Plane Information

Plane Information

Piles of Clothing at Dachau

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

Photo Album

  • Date: 1979
  • Format: photograph

Photo Album

  • Date: 1984
  • Format: photograph

Personnel Office

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

Personnel Headquarters

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

Pappy Bellflower

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

Outside View of the Castle

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

Our Station at Obing, Germany.

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

Our Enlisted Mens Club

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

Our Aid Station at Freutsmoos

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

Our Aid Station at Eoling

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

Our Aid Station at Oberfurberg

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

Our Aid Station

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

Our Aid Sation

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

Our 1st Sgt. Jack Bell

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

Our "Sinze" Sign

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

One of the Cars at Dachau

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

One of our Billets at Untereisenheim

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

One of Our Billets at Oberfurgerg

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

One of Our Billets

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

Once a Beautiful City

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

Old Monastery

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

The Old Fortress at Salzburg, Austria

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

Norman Waples with Laskos

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

Newspaper Headline

  • Date: April 13, 1945
  • Creator(s): The Stars and Stripes
  • Format: object

Newspaper Headline

  • Date: April 13, 1945
  • Creator(s): The Stars and Stripes
  • Format: object

Newspaper Clipping

  • Format: object

Newspaper Clipping

  • Date: June 30, 1945
  • Creator(s): The Stars and Stripes
  • Format: object

Newspaper Article

  • Date: September 30, 1945
  • Creator(s): Muskogee Daily Pheonix
  • Format: object

New German Dachau Mass Grave Found

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

Near Marseilles, France

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

Nancy, France

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

Namur, Belgium

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