Among my first assignments was duty with the Counter Intelligence Corps. It was not a battle situation, but was highly secret. I most certainly didn't know what was going on, I just made photographs. Other assignments took included activities of the Psychological Warfare unit which printed pamphlets, loaded them in artillery shells which were fired over enemy lines. The literature floated down to be read by the German solders and civilian population. I photographed displaced refugees and prisoners in POW camps, where German soldiers were interrogated and made placed in supervised camps.

   A highlight photograph was taken November 11, 1944 when Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle met at the Arch de Triumph in Paris to place a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier. This was somewhat a surprise event and I just happened to be there. The pictures in high demand and soon they were distributed by the wire service all over the world.

   Working from headquarters I shot a lot of award photos, request photos from generals and other officers to document their units, parties, and other events. Radio Luxembourg was taken over and Allied broadcasts replaced German propaganda. The Battle of the Bulge brought our unit rushing to photograph this desperate and snowy battle. But as Christmas season brought extensive coverage of the men away from home and how they celebrated. Orphanages and hospitals were visited by soldiers. Christmas trees were found and decorated. They welcome pictures for the folks at home.

   The assault against the German forces continued to advance as the winter continued. The 123 Combat Photo Unit - Two still photographers Walter McDonald, and J Malan Heslop; Two motion picture photographers, Eddie Urban and John O'Brian, with Lt. Arnold Samuelson - were assigned to the 9th Armored Division. We joined them west of the Rhine River at Bad Ninhour while their initial crossing of Rhine River over the captured Ludendorf Bridge, was still in its infancy. Rumors flowed that if the U.S. troops crossed the river, Hitler would use gas. We slept on the ground in an orchard on the banks of the Rhine with our gas masks at our side. The gas attack never happened. There was heavy shooting (of film) as the leading elements of the 9th Armored advanced into the heart of Germany. We followed the tanks through Neuweid, to Wetzlar, Marbourg, Fritzlar, and on to Numberg. The destruction at Numberg was extensive.

   "The drive moved down the Rhine River as we shot pictures of the battle in Engers, Baderf, and the Vallendar where the 9th Armored turned east along the Reich autobahn that spreads like a web across Germany" The 167 Photo Co. history recorded. The armor really rolled on this superhighway, hesitation only for the destroyed bridges, blown by the retreating German troops, One such bridge near Monto Baur proved of interest to us as we stopped to photograph it we found Germans hiding in the wreckage. Although we were amazed and Tightened we captured them, and sent them on their way to the POW camp.

  "Next was Lemberg where many American prisoners were freed after a terrific battle for the town." At one German prison camps where U.S. soldiers freed I met a couple of men from my home state, Utah.

   Another memorable picture series, taken April 10, 1945, which disturbed me greatly, was at Leipzig. As we entered the mayor's (Burgomaster's) office we found him slumped over at his desk. His wife was sitting dead in a chair across the desk, and their daughter, a nurse, died on the couch across the room. The chief of police lay in the doorway, all had taken poison It was obvious that the war was drawing to a close. The city of Leipzig was in ruin We went to the cities of Jena and Regensburg during the closing days of the war, often staying in the homes of German people.

   We were moving fast and, "We found Raus from der haus" the best method of getting five good beds, a stove, pots, pans, and so on! [Since we had to cook and provide for ourselves.] We obtained a small German generator to provide us with lights, so we had all the comforts of home - except it wasn't home. We found the German people quite accommodating and we shared our food with them, often eating as a large family. One family entertained us. We were all glad the war was ending. Villages and town replaced the swastika flags with white flags of surrender.

   We crossed the Danube river into Austria. The roads were lined with German soldiers their convoys halted. Thousands of soldiers surrendered, and large POW camps were established. I made photos from a small plane, which used the autobahn for a runway. We soon discovered we were in the beautiful Austrian Alps. We shot pictures of Hitler's birthplace in Braunau, Austria.

   We were then assigned to the 80th Infantry Division. On V-E Day we shot pictures of the giant surrender convoy on the 6th German Panzer Army. The U. S. Armored troops no longer rushed across the country side, but parked row on row, their crews relaxing with the thought of peace. Ironically one such parking lot was on "Adolf Hitler Strasse"

   Our most riveting experience at the war's end was the horrors of the concentration camp at Ebensee, Austria. A camp where 65,000 starving labor slaves had lived, worked, and died was freed. I shot picture after picture of this alarming situation, which seems impossible to describe in words. On the other side of the coin, one of last photo endeavors was when our forces met the Russian troops. Perhaps the last assignment was to capture the joy and relief of the U.S. soldiers at the end of the war. Prayer meetings were held, and the beauty of the mountain retreats were put to use. We spend a few days at the Traunsee at Gmunden, Austria and the town people made us welcome. In May the water was cold for swimming, but nice for fishing. Soon all 167 photo company units were at headquarters and on June 1 1, 1945 left Weisbaden, Germany, the first leg of our trip back to the USA. We left Le Harve, France aboard the U.S.S. General Gordon on June 20. We faced hurricane conditions, but arrived at Newport News, Virginia on June 27, 1945. We pictures ourselves as the cartoon shows.

   Back in the USA, a 30-day furlough was much appreciated and greatly enjoyed. I had been married on May 1, 1944 and has precious little time with my wife. This was a wonderful time to be home. However, in the back of our mind was the plan that we would regroup and prepare to go to the war with Japan. I was aware of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. That was big news. On my return from Utah to Fort Benning, Georgia, I had an overnight a stopover at Mendian, Mississippi where in a small hotel room I heard the news that the war with Japan had ended. The people celebrated in the streets.

   The peace treaties had been signed, but the war was not over in my mind. I shall never forget many of the war experiences I had no trouble fitting into society and I have enjoyed a fruitful life, five children, a university degree, a wonderful job as a newspaper photographer, and eventually the Managing Editor of the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah. On several occasions my war experiences were drawn on for special features in the newspaper. Retirement came in 1988.

War experiences did not end with the war!
    First, I received a phone call and later a letter from George D. Havas. He asked If I was the army photographer that made photos at Ebensee. I agreed that I had. "You took my picture," he said. He had gone through the files at the Library of Congress and found the photos, which were identified as taken by me. We exchanged letters and pictures, but we have not met. He survived the labor camp, though when I photographed him when he was but skin and bones. He came to USA and worked in Washington, D.C.

   Second, and closely related, the Verein Widerstands Museum at 4802 Ebensee, Kirchengass 5, Austria requested photos and information. I sent pictures and the information about George Havas. He was also in touch with them.

   Third, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C contacted me for photos of Ebensee Camp. I was able to supply some photos, and they contracted with Brigham Young University, where my life-time news and general photos are filed, and obtained an number of pictures for a special display held at the time the World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D. C. A museum official and a photographer visited me for an interview. I was not able to attend the dedication."
Links: Heslop's Biography on BYU
            Photo collection on BYU
            On Wikipedia
            On USHMM Website