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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

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 21, 1945

  • Date: September 21, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 23, 1945

  • Date: September 23, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 24, 1945

  • Date: September 24, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 25, 1945

  • Date: September 25, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 26, 1945

  • Date: September 26, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 27, 1945

  • Date: September 27, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 28, 1945

  • Date: September 28, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 30, 1945

  • Date: September 30, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 5, 1945

  • Date: September 5, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 6, 1945

  • Date: September 6, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 6, 1945

  • Date: September 6, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 7, 1945

  • Date: September 7, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 8, 1945

  • Date: September 8, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, September 9, 1945

  • Date: September 9, 1945
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, June 12, 1944

  • Date: June 12, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, June 13, 1944

  • Date: June 13, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, June 14, 1944

  • Date: June 14, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, June 5, 1944

  • Date: June 5, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, June 6, 1944

  • Date: June 6, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, June 7, 1944

  • Date: June 7, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, May 24, 1944

  • Date: May 24, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, May 4, 1944

  • Date: May 4, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, May 6, 1944

  • Date: May 6, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, May 6, 1944

  • Date: May 6, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, May 7, 1944

  • Date: May 7, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Gretchen Williams to Clarence Williams, undated

  • Creator(s): Williams, Gretchen
  • Format: letter

Letter from Henning Linden to the Officers and Men of the Rainbow Infantry Regiments, January 31, 1945

  • Date: January 31, 1945
  • Format: letter

Letter from Max Hannah to Clarence Williams, June 13, 1944

  • Date: June 13, 1944
  • Creator(s): Hannah, Max
  • Format: letter

Letter from Otto to Clarence Williams, April 20, 1944

  • Date: April 20, 1944
  • Creator(s): Otto
  • Format: letter

Letter from Tom Williams, April 11, 2004

  • Date: April 11, 2004
  • Format: letter

Letter from Viola to Gretchen Williams, May 4, 1944

  • Date: May 4, 1944
  • Creator(s): Viola
  • Format: letter

Loch Lomond

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

Loch Lomond in Scotland

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

Lock Lomond Summer Home

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

Lodge Advertisement

  • Date: May 28, 1945
  • Format: advertisement

London, England

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

London Streetscene

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

London Zoo

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

Lone Oak Matchbook Cover

  • Format: object

Lonnie Bothe and Tom Stuart

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

Lucky Rail Terminal

  • Date: August 17, 1945
  • Format: object

Lucky Rail Terminal

  • Date: August 17, 1945
  • Format: object

Ludwig II's Castle

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

Ludwigswinkel, Germany

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

Magazine

  • Date: October 3, 1945
  • Creator(s): TIME
  • Format: object

Making Wool Thread

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

Man Who Had Been Shot at Dachau

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

Map of Paris

  • Creator(s): American Red Cross
  • Format: object

Map of Paris

  • Format: object

Mess Card

  • Date: September 1945
  • Format: object
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