WW II vet held in Nazi slave camp breaks silence: 'Let it be known'

[Bob Hubbard]

WW II vet held in Nazi slave camp breaks silence: 'Let it be known'

• Story Highlights
• World War II vet held in slave camp witnessed Nazi atrocities first-hand
• Anthony Acevedo, 84, was one of 350 U.S. soldiers held at Buchenwald subcamp
• Only about 165 survived captivity and their subsequent death march, he says
• Survivors signed documents never to speak; Acevedo says now people "must know"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/11/11/acevedo.pow/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

That is quite a read and thanks for putting it here Bob!

 

[Empty Hands]

His own father called him a coward, that I don't understand. Why, because he was caught? I honor his sacrifice.

 

[Kacey]

Thanks for sharing this, Bob. I am amazed at the records he kept, and disgusted (and more disturbingly, not surprised) at the governmental cover-up.

 

[Gordon Nore]

This is stunning, Bob. Something I will begin sharing with my students tomorrow, the day after Remembrance Day. The secrets of that era continue to unfold. Alas, veterans will have passed before we learn it all.

Back in 1995 I was chatting with two Jewish co-workers of my same age whose parents had been concentration camp survivors. They describe a kind of self-imposed code of silence that they said only broke when they themselves grew into adulthood. This was, of course, the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the war, and I remember reading that physicians and psychiatrists in North America and GB were seeing a sudden, startling onset of PTSD symptoms among their elderly patients who were veterans.

I've always had this terrible sense that our historical memory of the world wars has been edited, perhaps sanitized. Maybe it was necessary at the time to look forward, not back. Maybe it was even healthy to an extent after the years for struggle and sacrifice. The thought that people like this vet continue to suffer in this manner makes my blood boil. Fifty years to get full benefits -- scandalous.

Good on him! Telling the truth of this time does not diminish anyone's heroism.

 

[grydth]

One has to be amazed and disgusted that American authorities covered up the atrocity of hundreds American soldiers being among the victims of the Holocaust.... what conceivable national security interest could there be in covering up the murder and maltreatment of our GI's?

But those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.... I recall Sen Rick Santorum's farewell speech a few years back, in which he revealed that Iran was behind the worst of the infernal IED's murdering and maiming our GIs and Marines in Iraq. Not only did the %^$ Bush Adminstration do nothing to the Iranians, it actually classified the Iranian involvement in the attacks as "Top Secret"!

Our troops murdered by cannibals - Waffen SS camp guards and Iranian terrorists - and in each case, who does our government see fit to protect???

 

[Sukerkin]

The secret was held so well that this is the first I have heard of this. As others have already said, I am appalled to hear that amidst the already established horrors of the camps there is even more to find after all these decades .

Some days, I am ashamed to be human as it associates me with those that can do such things.

 

[grydth]

The secret was held so well that this is the first I have heard of this. As others have already said, I am appalled to hear that amidst the already established horrors of the camps there is even more to find after all these decades .

Some days, I am ashamed to be human as it associates me with those that can do such things.

In many cases, especially the massacres in the East, I believe we will never learn the true extent of the horrors. So many times there were few or no survivors.

Being human also associates you with: those that liberated the camps, those that sheltered Jews, those that fought in the Resistance, those like Simon Wiesenthal who hunted the perpetrators - - - and with those murdered. Anyone who resolves to preserve the memory and make a stand for "Never Again" should be proud, not ashamed.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I spend alot of my time reading and researching "politically incorrect" things. My own interests into WW2 revealed alot of things that, aren't "common knowledge". It's my hope that more of these brave menn and women will step forward and tell their stories, before their voices are lost to us forever.

Some of what they will say will shame us, some shock us, some disgust us, and some swell our chests with pride that there were such with us.

This man was no coward. He survived something that I honestly can't see being able to do so myself.

 

[BrandonLucas]

I'm having trouble just trying to type a reply to this...

On one hand, I feel a strong sense of pride...my eyes watered several times...

But on the other hand, I feel angry that things like this happen to the veterans that fought for and allowed the members of the government to be where they are now. 50 years for benefits??? Are you kidding?? As many of the low lifes that are running around here with 12 kids and government assistance, and our government can't take care of those responsible for where we are right now??

In a way, I feel like I don't have a right to be angry about it. I've never been in the military, although both of my grandfathers and my father were all in the military for quite some time.

But, in a bigger way, I feel like we all should be angry about it. As Americans. As people. How can our government hassle those that protect it and reward those that threaten society?

All in all, it was a great read, and it was an honor to learn what I learned reading it. I can only hope that things change over time for the veterans that serve this country and protect our rights.

 

[shesulsa]

I don't understand why it was important for him to keep quiet about his experience. Would it not serve to corroborate the unspeakable horrors carried out by the enemy? Did they think citizen survivors would not be telling the tale?

Sometimes military intelligence does some stupid things.

And ... 50 years. Fifty ... Years. God Dammit.

Few things anger me more than the continued assault our veterans receive once returned via denial of benefits, betrayal of health and welfare. What is it that we can do as people to change this?

God bless Mr. Acevedo and all others like him.