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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

Sol Karnovitz, Pappy and Laskos

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

Train from Marseilles, France

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

Wrecked German Equipment

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

Wrecked German Equipment (image 1)

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

Wrecked German Equipment (image 2)

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

Wrecked German Equipment (image 3)

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

Karnovitz Dismounting

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

German Amunition

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

Norman Waples with Laskos

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

Sawing Wood

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

Watson and Guistolise

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

Guistolise

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

Jesse Drake

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

Stacy and Guistolise

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

Watson and Drake

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

Laskos and Besosa

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

Nancy, France

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

Waples and Guistolise

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

Guistolise and Laskos

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

Watson and Drake

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

Guistolise and Waples

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

1st Sgt Jack Bell

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

Our "Sinze" Sign

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

Cooper, Miller and Insull

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

Lonnie Bothe and Tom Stuart

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

Bruce Beaulieu

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

Chow Line at Oberhoff

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

Rainbow Division Map

  • Date: 1945
  • Format: object
  • Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum collection, gift of the Gregg and Michelle Philipson Collection and Archive; Accession Number: 2017.611.2

London Streetscene

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

London Zoo

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

Glasgow, Scotland

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

Loch Lomond

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

Loch Lomond in Scotland

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

Scene from Top of Island

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

Lock Lomond Summer Home

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

Heather

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

Hitler's Hideout

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

Remnant of the French 1st Army

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

View Across the Valley

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

Bridge Across River

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

Hitler's Home

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

Damaged Buildings

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

The Munich Airdrome

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

Namur, Belgium

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

Old Monastery

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

Funeral Coach

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

View Across the River

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

Astor Theatre

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

Tents

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

Couple Walking a Dog

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