Concentration Camp Liberators Oral History Project
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Interviewer
Michael Hirsh
Publication Date
March 2022
Date
November 2008
Abstract
Joe Vanacore was a tank driver in the 4th Armored Division, which liberated Ohrdruf on April 4, 1945. His tank had a bulldozer blade, the only one in the battalion, so he was always the second tank in line when they were moving in case something had to be pushed off the road. When his unit arrived at Ohrdruf, Vanacore's tank pushed the gates open; the first thing he saw was a stack of bodies several feet high. They saw the crematorium and walked around the camp but left after three or four hours. Even so, Vanacore could not eat for a week, having been made sick by the smell. In this interview, Vanacore also discusses some of his other military experiences and mentions several of the men with whom he served.
Keywords
World War II (1939-1945), Holocaust (1939-1945), Concentration camps, Concentration camps--Liberation, Veterans, Genocide, Crimes against humanity, United States. Army. Armored Division 4th, Ohrdruf (Concentration camp)
Extent
00:37:46; 29 page transcript
Subject: geographic
Ohrdruf (Germany)
Language
English
Digital Date
2022
Media Type
Oral histories
Format
Digital Only
Identifier
C65-00139
Recommended Citation
Vanacore, Joe, "Joe Vanacore Oral History Interview" (2022). Concentration Camp Liberators Oral History Project. 123.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/concentration_OH/123
Rights Statement
