Learn about 25 U.S. soldiers from Texas who liberated the concentration camps in Europe at the end of the World War II.
BEN LOVE
Air Force Captain Ben Love helped liberate Mauthausen on May 5, 1945. After the war, he settled in Houston.
Photograph courtesy of the Love Family.
JOHNNIE MARINO
Houston’s Army Private First Class Johnnie Marino landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. In April 1945, he entered Hadamar and Bergen-Belsen with Allied troops.
Photograph courtesy of the Marino Family.
A.I. SCHEPPS
Lieutenant Colonel Schepps, of Houston, served as the chemical warfare officer of the 90th Infantry Division, which liberated Flossenbürg in April 1945.
JESSE G. REYES
Staff Sergeant Jesse G. Reyes helped liberate Dachau concentration camp.
Photo courtesy of the Reyes Family.
OTTO SCHLAMME
Otto Schlamme fled from Wurtzburg, Germany at 14 years old in a hay wagon, four days before the November Pogrom of 1938. His family left nearly everything behind.
He landed with his family in Houston, Texas. Five years later, Otto became and U.S. citizen and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was a member of Patton’s Army and fought in the battle of Bulge. Later, he was in the lead jeep (as an interpreter) when entering Ohrdruf concentration camp, the first Nazi camp to be liberated by U.S. troops.
BILL KONGABLE
Bill Kongable and his regiment liberated Ohrdruf, a labor concentration camp within the Buchenwald network, on April 4, 1945.
Photo courtesy of Bill Kongable.
LEE BERG
Lee Berg, from Dallas, helped liberate Dachau contentration camp.
SIGMUND LIBERMAN
Sigmund Liberman, from Plano, helped liberate Nordhausen.
RAMON R. GRADO
Ramon Raul Grado from El Paso, Texas served as a combat medic for the 5th Infantry Regiment, 71st Light Infantry Division. The 71st Infantry would penetrate farther east than any other U.S. combat unit and would liberate Straubing, Gunskirchen and more than 80 smaller concentration camps in Austria. As a medic, Ramon was one of the first Americans to enter those camps and provide aid.
HERBERT U. STERN
Herbert U. Stern of Austin, TX helped liberate Nordhausen.
J. TED HARTMAN
J. Ted Hartman from Lubbock, TX helped liberate both Buchenwald and Mauthausen concentration camps.
JOHN VALLS
John Valls from Laredo, TX helped liberate Bergen-Belsen.
ROBERT P. ANDERSON
Robert P. Anderson from Lubbock, TX helped liberate Meitingen.
RAY BUCHANAN
Ray Buchanan from Mount Pleasant, TX helped liberate Dachau concentration camp.
HERMAN "HANK" JOSEPHS
Herman “Hank” Josephs from San Antonio, TX helped liberate Dachau concentration camp.
JERRY B. MORGAN
Jerry B. Morgan from Midland, TX helped liberate Dachau concentration camp.
JOHN "JACK" FERGUSON REYNOLDS
John “Jack” Ferguson Reynolds from Dallas, TX helped liberate Nordhausen.
WILLIAM E. DANNER SR.
William E. Danner Sr. from El Paso, TX helped liberate Nordhausen.
WILLIAM A. WOMACK
William A. Womack from Fort Worth, TX helped liberate Landsberg.
WILLIAM DIPPO, JR.
William Dippo, Jr. from San Antonio, TX helped liberate Mauthausen concentration camp.
GERD MILLER
Gerd Miller from San Antonio, TX helped liberate Dachau, Ebensee, and Mauthausen concentration camps.
CHESTER "CHET" ROHN
Chester “Chet” Rohn from McKinney, TX helped liberate Mauthause concentration camp.
WILSON CANAFAX
Wilson Canafax from Millsap, TX helped liberate Buchenwald concentration camp.
MELVIN E. WATERS
Melvin E. Waters from Lancaster, TX helped liberate Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
RAYMOND STEWART WATSON
Raymond Stewart Watson from Waco, TX helped liberate Buchenwald concentration camp.
