us-005578-irn513189-irn513191
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
is or was included in: us-005578-irn513189
identifier: irn513191
has beginning date: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/dates/1932-01-01
has end date: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/dates/1937-12-31
has record set type: Item
has or had some members with language: deu
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn513189-irn513191/alternateIDs/1
type: RecordSet
date: approximately 1943-1945
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had some members with language: eng
history: The camera and accessories were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2000 by Roberta E. Hunkler, on behalf of the Estate of her husband, Walter E. Hunkler.
history: Walter Eugene Hunkler was born on February 8, 1915, in Washington, Illinois. He was the second of two children born to John and Bertha Geiger Hunkler. His parents were born in Switzerland and immigrated to the United States. John was a teamster and day laborer. Walter graduated from high school and became a bartender. He married and had a child, but later divorced. After the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on the US and a few days later America entered World War II. On January 19, 1942, Walter was drafted into the US Army. Walter became a medical technician, assigned to a medical detachment, 160th Field Artillery Battalion, 45th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Thunderbird Division. In June 1943, the Division was deployed to Europe. Walter went into combat that July in Sicily, Italy. As the Division advanced through Italy and France, Walter participated in several campaigns: Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France, and Ardennes-Alsace-Battle of the Bulge. In spring 1945, the Division advanced into Germany. Walter’s unit was operating with the 157th Infantry when, on April 29, 1945, the 45th Infantry liberated Dachau concentration camp in Germany. They discovered over 30,000 survivors in the camp and 2,310 corpses on a train. Walter witnessed and photographed atrocities, the horrible camp conditions, and the surviving inmates. Following Germany’s May 7 surrender, the 45th Infantry was stationed near Dachau. Walter returned to the US in September 1945, and was honorably discharged as a Technician Fourth Grade in October. He was deployed overseas for 691 Days; 511 of them in combat. He received a Bronze Star for bravery for risking his own safety while tending to the wounded, as well as many battle stars for campaigns where his unit fought. Walter returned to Washington, Illinois, and worked for the Central Illinois Light Company. In October 1956, Walter married Roberta Leighton (1916 – 2007). Walter did not speak about his wartime exp…
title: Six-20 Kodak camera and accessories used by US soldier
physical characterisitics and technical requirements: a. Folding rollfilm camera in a rectangular, black leatherette covered metal casing with angled corners and side panels covered with black plastic strips set into raised metal edges forming a geometric Art Deco design. The front has a panel with a hinged metal stand that pulls forward to release and raise a metal frame that supports a telescoping black leather bellows with an octagonal enameled lens mount with a clear glass lens with black rings. It has a sliding setting indicator arrow at the top and a flat ridged setting disk at the bottom. At the top left is a shutter lever. At the top right is a pivoting view finder with an interior mirror and 2 clear glass lens: 1 on the front and 1 on top in a cross-shaped frame. The exterior casing has a bottom hinge with a topside metal plate with an engraved arrow and a sliding release to open it. On the upper left is a flat, twisting film advance key on an octagonal mount, with octagonal tripod mounts on the bottom front and left. The back has a circular red plastic window. The interior front has film advance rods on a black metal spool and in the back is a pressure sensitive plate with a painted label. b. Rectangular, supple black leather camera case with rounded ends, narrow side panels stitched with light brown cord, and a short, V-shaped top flap with a buttonhole stitched with cord. A silver colored metal button is stitched on the front. The interior is suede. There are traces of white paint on the worn exterior. c. Rectangular, stiff, glossy brown leather camera case with rounded ends, cardboard lined sides attached with brown thread, brown cloth lining. It has a short, top flap with a plated, silver colored metal key-lock. A lock plate with sliding release ring is nailed to the front. The exterior has 2 incised decorative vertical lines. Two short straps are sewn to the case; the left has a buckle and the right has 2 punched holes. A third strap with 4 punched holes and a buckle fastens to these straps to make a rou…
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn513189-irn513191/acquisitions/1
scope and content: Kodak Six-20 camera with art deco styling used by Sergeant Walter E. Hunkler, medical technician, 160th Field Artillery Battalion, 45th Infantry Division, known as the Thunderbirds from June 1943 to September 1945. This folding bellows camera was a portable model that took eight large 2 ¼ x 3 ¼ inch shots on a single no. 620 film roll. In July 1943, Walter entered combat in Sicily and then advanced with his unit through Italy, France, and Germany. Walter’s unit was with the 157th Infantry when, on April 29, they arrived with the 45th Infantry at and liberated Dachau concentration camp in Germany. There were nearly 30,000 starving and dying prisoners in need of aid. Walter photographed the camp and prisoners with one of the two cameras that he carried. Walter’s Dachau photographs are part of this collection, 2000.526.1. Walter was awarded a Bronze Star for bravery while tending the wounded.
record resource extent: a: Height: 3.250 inches (8.255 cm) | Width: 5.875 inches (14.923 cm) | Depth: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm) b: Height: 6.000 inches (15.24 cm) | Width: 3.750 inches (9.525 cm) | Depth: 1.500 inches (3.81 cm) c: Height: 6.750 inches (17.145 cm) | Width: 4.000 inches (10.16 cm) | Depth: 2.250 inches (5.715 cm) d: Height: 1.625 inches (4.128 cm) | Width: 1.000 inches (2.54 cm) | Depth: 0.125 inches (0.318 cm) e: Height: 7.125 inches (18.098 cm) | Diameter: 0.375 inches (0.953 cm) f: Depth: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm) | Diameter: 1.125 inches (2.858 cm) g: Depth: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm) | Diameter: 1.125 inches (2.858 cm)