Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Anthony C. Acevedo Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Service Unit/Ship: 275th Medical Battalion, 70th Infantry Division
- Battles & Campaigns: Battle of the Bulge; Ardennes
- Location of Service: European Theater; Stalag IX-B, Germany
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/76609
For Anthony Acevedo--born in California but raised largely in Mexico--entering the Army provided a welcome respite from an unstable home life. Military service brought an altogether different set of challenges, however, particularly after he was captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge in early January 1945. After two months at Stalag IX-B, Acevedo and other POWs were transferred to Berga, a forced labor subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Liberation finally came at the end of April, but only after he and other POWs from Berga were forced on a "death march" of over 200 miles through Germany. In his oral history, he recalls his first taste of milk upon liberation and crying tears of joy upon seeing the Statue of Liberty when he finally returned home.
Interview / Recording
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PlayArrival at the Maginot line; not sleeping for two or three days at a time; surreality of experience; as a medic, couldn't carry a weapon 00:48:29.0 - 00:50:39.0
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PlayExperiences as a medic; seeing traumatized soldiers; declaring casualties; given a special assignment; encountering the Germans; more casualties; hearing that the unit's/company's other medic had been killed. 00:50:47.0 - 00:56:58.0
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PlayTransported to Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb; camp was very large with POWs of all nationalities; horrific living conditions there. 01:03:00.0 - 01:11:09.0
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PlayNo internal organization among prisoners; constant presence of guards; transfer to Berga at the end of February 1945; Germans would control Red Cross packages; family notified by telegram of his incarceration. 01:11:10.0 - 01:17:24.0
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PlayArrival of the 11th Armored Division; hearing the sound of tanks rumbling through; liberation; being given fresh milk which made him sick, due to his malnutrition; weighed only 87 pounds; frostbitten feet. 01:23:58.0 - 01:25:49.0
About this Item
Title
- Anthony C. Acevedo Collection
Names
- Acevedo, Anthony C.
- Thompson, Dave
- Palm Springs Air Museum
- Castner, Frank
State of Residence at Time of Collection Donation
- California
Headings
- - Acevedo, Anthony C.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
- - Prisoner of War -- United States
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Service Unit/Ship: 275th Medical Battalion, 70th Infantry Division
- Location of Service: European Theater; Stalag IX-B, Germany
- Battles & Campaigns: Battle of the Bulge; Ardennes
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Dates of Service: 1943-1945
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran served as a medic and was a prisoner of war (POW) in Stalag IX-B after the Battle of the Bulge.
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2006; 2006)
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2006; 2013-12-20)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/76609
Online Format
- video