A True American Liberator: The Eugene Parmer Story
A BOOK by ME - True Stories Written by Kids for Kids
Written and Illustrated by Amanda DeVilder
Some of the things Eugene Parmer witnessed during World War II were too much to share with the young student writing his book. I was grateful to meet with him alone first so we could make a plan. Gene was one of the sweetest and kindest men I’ve ever met yet he witnessed unimaginable evil during the war and it affected him for the rest of his life.
Gene gave me a package of notes that shared his experiences at Dachau. He said “maybe you can use them to help educate adults because it’s too much for kids”. One story he told me was about two French men who were prisoners at Dachau. They spoke enough English to make it clear that there was a particularly cruel Nazi guard hiding and they wanted him very badly. They finally discovered he was hiding in a can and they tipped it over, found some boards and began beating him. Gene watched as the guard’s eye popped out of his head. Finally, they beat him to death.
Gene said “you wouldn’t think … I don’t think I was a cruel person but you wouldn’t think I would stand there and watch them do it. But I did because I thought he’d earned it and I still think he did. I don’t regret it.” Gene believed the act gave those two men a sense of satisfaction. He described a room where they would take Jewish prisoners and draw their blood out until they were dead. When I asked why their blood was drained, he explained it was all separated into types A and B, as well as plasma, suggesting it may have been needed for transfusions. Afterwards they would dispose of those corpses in the ovens. Gene collected a pile of photographs of these atrocities but years later he chose to burn them. The things he saw were unbelievable and they haunted Eugene who said he spent fifty years trying to forget it. Firsthand accounts like Gene’s remind us that the atrocities committed in the concentration camps should never be forgotten.
Deb Bowen, Executive Director Understanding Works
Amanda DeVilder and Eugene Parmer
“It was my honor to meet Eugene and hear his story first hand. Since not everyone can do this, it’s my duty to serve as storyteller for this great young man from Iowa named Eugene Parmer. If you are a young reader, consider finding an important story like this one to tell. Maybe you have a story in your own family, or maybe you can find someone like Eugene to tell you their story. I’m glad I took the time to get to know Eugene, and share his story for future generations.” — Amanda DeVilder, Author/Illustrator
Carol Eugene Parmer – 92nd Signal Battalion
Eugene Parmer was born on January 12, 1917, in Iron Hill, Jackson County, Iowa, to James Oliver and Nannie (Widel) Parmer. As a young child, he nearly died from pneumonia. He attended country schools through the eighth grade before leaving school to help support his family during the Great Depression. Eugene accepted whatever work he could find, including helping neighbors, trapping animals for their pelts, and shoveling coal at the Maquoketa Power Plant. His family later moved to Maquoketa, Iowa. As a young man, Eugene briefly worked as an electrician in Bettendorf before returning to the quieter community of Maquoketa, where he lived until entering military service.
Like millions of young Americans of his generation, Eugene answered his country’s call during World War II. He joined the U.S. Army and served with the 92nd Signal Battalion, whose mission was to establish and maintain vital communications for advancing American forces. Eugene landed on Omaha Beach shortly after D-Day, fought through the brutal Battle of the Bulge, and remained in Europe until after Germany surrendered. His battalion traveled with combat units, often working close to the front lines to ensure communication systems remained operational.
One of Eugene’s most unforgettable experiences came when he arrived at Dachau concentration camp shortly after its liberation in April 1945. Not wanting to park his communications vehicle near the crowded main entrance, he drove to the side of the camp. There he noticed several railroad cars sitting silently on tracks leading from the camp. Curious, he climbed the ladder of one of the cars.
Eugene was horrified. Instead of coal, the railcar was filled with the bodies of men, women, and children. He climbed down and looked into another car. It, too, contained countless victims. The sight was so overwhelming that it made him physically ill. Years later, he still remembered that moment with vivid clarity.
Returning to the main gate, Eugene shot the lock off with his revolver to open it. Immediately an English-speaking prisoner shouted, “Don’t open the gate!” He quickly warned the other prisoners to stay back before disappearing into the crowd.
The prisoners ignored his warning and rushed toward Eugene. Frightened, the young soldier fell to the ground, believing they wanted his rifle. But the liberated Jewish prisoners had no intention of harming him. Instead, they reached for the small American flag lapel pin and Signal Corps insignia on his uniform. They wanted a symbol of the nation that had brought them freedom.
The English-speaking prisoner soon returned with something to secure the gate once again. Order had to be maintained until military authorities could organize the camp. Eugene removed his American flag pin and gave it to the grateful prisoner.
“Do you have some spare time?” the man asked. “Follow me.”
As they walked through the camp, Eugene witnessed unimaginable suffering. Bodies lay where people had collapsed from starvation, disease, and abuse. The prisoner then told Eugene to have his rifle ready.
Hidden beneath debris was a Nazi guard who had escaped detection when the camp was liberated. Terrified of the prisoners, he surrendered. Another guard was discovered hiding inside a 55-gallon barrel filled with human waste. When the barrel was tipped over, he fell to the ground. The guards understood that the prisoners they had brutalized now wanted justice.
Eugene remained focused on his assignment and asked the English-speaking prisoner to show him the camp’s communications equipment. Once his mission was completed, he returned to his unit and continued serving until the war ended.
After returning home to Iowa, Eugene met Bonnie Edwards on a blind double date. They were married on October 5, 1947, and built a life together in Maquoketa. After receiving his honorable discharge, Eugene and a friend learned the electrical trade from an REC inspector in Anamosa. As rural electrification expanded across Iowa through New Deal programs, Eugene helped wire farms and homes that were receiving electricity for the first time. He later owned and operated Parmer’s Electric, serving families and businesses throughout the area for many years.
Bonnie and Eugene Parmer married October 5, 1947 in Maquoketa
Eugene and Bonnie raised six children. They were active members of First United Methodist Church in Maquoketa, and Eugene belonged to American Legion Post #75. He enjoyed woodworking, hunting trips to Wyoming, fishing, reading, playing cribbage, and spending time with his growing family. Known for his remarkable skills, Eugene could repair or build nearly anything, from electrical systems and plumbing to carpentry and machinery. He was also known for his generosity, often donating his electrical expertise to families who could not afford to pay.
Although he rarely spoke about the war, the memories of Dachau never left him. In 2005, the Quad Cities Yom HaShoah Committee honored Eugene for helping liberate Dachau. During the ceremony, he listened as a Holocaust survivor described her experiences. Hearing her story brought back painful memories, and Eugene felt the same sickness he had experienced the day he first looked into those railcars.
When students asked what message he hoped future generations would remember, Eugene answered with quiet conviction: “Children should see pictures and realize what could happen if we lost our freedom. I have no words to express my feelings toward these people. If I hadn’t seen it, I don’t know if I would’ve believed it. It happened.”
His words serve as a reminder that history must never be forgotten. By remembering the sacrifices of soldiers like Eugene Parmer and the suffering of Holocaust victims, future generations can better understand the importance of defending freedom, confronting hatred, and protecting human dignity.
Eugene Parmer died at his home in Maquoketa on April 27, 2013, at the age of 96, surrounded by the love of his family. His life reflected courage in war, kindness in peace, and a deep commitment to serving others.
A True American Liberator: The Eugene Parmer Story
A BOOK by ME, a book series developed by Deb Bowen, empowers students to preserve history by telling the story of unsung heroes in our communities. For the young participants, it’s a guided cross-curricular project that gathers stories of people who do amazing things but have received little or no recognition. Students learn how to publish a picture book that is a primary source document with photographs and a biography.
Since 2003, Deb Bowen has been arranging meetings between students and individuals from the WWII generation. This intergenerational storytelling results in unique storybooks written and illustrated by kids for kids in the A BOOK by ME series. More about Deb Bowen >
