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NA: Okay, so that was, that was our experience crossing the Rhine River. And after that, it was just a matter of chasing the Germans all the way back to Austria. And then along the way, we came upon this Dachau concentration camp. And it was just by accident, we had come across other concentration camp way back in Aalen, that was a few days after we crossed the Rhine River, but to go liberate a concentration camp while our own folks were in concentration in the United States, we didn't even think that kind of thing would happen. But yes, the forward echelon, the forward party like the wire section, the forward observers and a few forward, and the reconnaissance party, they definitely were at the main Dachau camp, and that would be just a few. But the, but as a unit, it was a sub-camp, there were many sub-camps of the main Dachau concentration camp. And it was a sub-camp that we opened up the gate, and see the inmates firsthand, they're shuffling around in their striped garb, if you want to call it that, and the POW uniform, and the just skinny. And they looked so sick to me, although I had compassion to, wanting to help them, I stayed away from them. Because others, they went inside the compound and came out with fleas on 'em and things like that. And said, "I don't want any of that," so I didn't even go inside the compound. But since the, since we ate there, right by the gate, we had chow, and I don't know if it was the noon chow or the evening, but we set up and we were able to eat. And the POWs were milling around, and after we, and we were given orders not to feed, feed the prisoners because solid food would kill them. So the cooks, they put water in the garbage can every time after we eat, we scooped the leftover from our mess kit into the garbage can, but this time it was filled full of water so the POWs couldn't get the food. But now way did that stop the POWs, Jew, I think it was a Jewish camp, so we couldn't stop the Jewish prisoners from getting food out of the, the garbage can, they dip their hand in the water and ate the food, even that filthy food. And without shame, boy, it must have hit them just that quick. As soon as the food hit them, they had to do their duty, so they would pull their pants down right in front of us, walk to the side and drop their pants and do their duty. I saw all that and oh, boy, I'm telling you, it was hard to, hard to take.

TI: And when you saw this, when you first came across this, what did you think?

NA: Oh, I said, "Wow," we had compassion for 'em, and we said, "Oh, I wish we could help 'em," but we couldn't help them. And well, anyway, majority of them couldn't, but I think some of the cooks, they shared the food we had leftover and gave it them, but it killed them, yeah.

<End Segment 22> - Copyright ©2008 Densho and the Topaz Museum. All Rights Reserved.