Sign for Dachau concentration camp acquired by a US soldier
http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/instantiations/us-005578-irn519036-eng-irn519036_eng an entity of type: Instantiation
Sign for Dachau concentration camp acquired by a US soldier
James Vasilopoulos was born in October 1920 in Akron, Ohio, to Theodore and Stella Vasilopoulos. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1942. James was assigned to K Company, 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, the Thunderbird Division, during World War II. The Division landed in Sicily in July 1943 and fought their way through Italy, France, and then into Germany. They were moving towards Munich when they received orders to liberate the nearby Dachau concentration camp. On April 29, 1945, James and another infantryman were point men for their company and opened one of the gates at Dachau. It was not locked. He said once they were inside the"pandemonium and happiness of the prisoners was beyond description" Vasilopoulous was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantry Badge. He passed away, age 87, in Akron, on November 30, 2007.
Sign for Dachau concentration camp acquired by a US soldier