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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 Pay Stub

  • Date: March 31, 1944
  • Format: document

Letter from Otto to Clarence Williams, April 20, 1944

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

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

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

Letter from Viola to Gretchen Williams, May 4, 1944

  • Date: May 4, 1944
  • Creator(s): Viola
  • 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 Ada Britten to Clarence Williams, May 15, 1944

  • Date: May 15, 1944
  • Creator(s): Britten, Ada
  • 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, 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, 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 Max Hannah to Clarence Williams, June 13, 1944

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

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

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

Clarence Williams Pay Record

  • Date: October 26, 1944
  • Format: document

Clarence Williams' Belongings

  • Date: November 2, 1944
  • Creator(s): Property of U.S. Government
  • Format: object

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, December 22, 1944

  • Date: December 22, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, December 23, 1944

  • Date: December 23, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

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

  • Date: December 24, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, December 26, 1944

  • Date: December 26, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

Letter from Clarence Williams to Gretchen Williams, December 27, 1944

  • Date: December 27, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

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

  • Date: December 29, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

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

  • Date: December 29, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: postcard

For the New Rainbow Solider 42nd Inf. Div.

  • Date: 1944
  • Format: book

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

  • Date: December 31, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: letter

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

  • Date: December 31, 1944
  • Creator(s): Williams, Clarence
  • Format: postcard

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

Another Box Car at Dachau

  • 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

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 Box Car

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

Car Load of Bodies at Dachau

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

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

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

Captain Joseph O'Brien Viewing Bodies

  • 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

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

Piles of Clothing at Dachau

  • 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

Crematory Oven

  • 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

Bodies at Dachau

  • 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

German Prisoners

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

Munich Tombs

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

Prisoners Surrendering

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

A Typical German Street

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