"Brax, this friend of mine in the company, he found a German camera, so I got pictures of us as a group right there." -- Bill Busier interview 10/24/2003

On the night of April 5, 1945 the German guards and officers of Stalag IXA abandoned the camp and prisoners in the face of the advancing Allied forces. The next morning Bill Busier and a few friends found a camera among the belongings left behind by the Germans. The series of photographs included here were taken by Bill and others at Stalag IXA while waiting for Allied forces to arrive.

http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/multimedia/radio/pow/slides/cp01.htm

A POW ID tag from Stalag IXA. Thanks to Glenn Hekking.

The American occupants of Barrack 21B on the 7th April 1945, after their liberation by units of the 3rd US Army. Staff-Sergeant Matthew Schmidt is the man second from the left. He served with A Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 9th US Armoured Division, and was captured during the fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. On the extreme left of the picture is Corporal Mike Anello, and third from the left and on to the right stands T/4 Stanley Gado, Sgt Hugh Henry, S/Sgt John Shetley and Sgt Robert Coe. Copyright: Bill Holland.

Prisoners celebrating their liberation from Stalag IXA. The two men holding a copy of the camp newspaper are (left) John Dunn and Ed Uzemack. To the left of Uzemack is Denny Murray.