History student guarded top Nazis
Jack Carver was a third-year history major at Washington State University in 1945 when he got an assignment that would put him in the front row at one of the century's most historic events -- the Nuremberg trials.
World War II was in its final months when Carver headed to France to serve as an infantry platoon leader with the 3rd Division. When the war ended, many of his fellow soldiers headed home, but Carver, then 24, was tapped to stay and assigned guard duty at the prison attached to the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, where the most notorious Nazis were being tried for crimes against humanity.
Decades later, he recalls the chill of seeing the prisoners for the first time, an experience he will share in a talk honoring veterans Thursday at the Museum of History and Industry.
On his first day at Nuremberg in August 1946, one of his fellow guards took him down to the exercise yard where the "Big 21," as they were known, were pacing in a circle. The other guard -- Lt. Jack "Tex" Wheelis from Texas -- waited until one in particular came around.
"Howdy," he said to the man who was Hitler's No. 2 in command.
"This is Hermann Goering."
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World War II was in its final months when Carver headed to France to serve as an infantry platoon leader with the 3rd Division. When the war ended, many of his fellow soldiers headed home, but Carver, then 24, was tapped to stay and assigned guard duty at the prison attached to the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, where the most notorious Nazis were being tried for crimes against humanity.
Decades later, he recalls the chill of seeing the prisoners for the first time, an experience he will share in a talk honoring veterans Thursday at the Museum of History and Industry.
On his first day at Nuremberg in August 1946, one of his fellow guards took him down to the exercise yard where the "Big 21," as they were known, were pacing in a circle. The other guard -- Lt. Jack "Tex" Wheelis from Texas -- waited until one in particular came around.
"Howdy," he said to the man who was Hitler's No. 2 in command.
"This is Hermann Goering."