James Hoyt - one of four who "discovered" Buchenwald

Antipodean Andy · Aug 17, 2008

Oxford World War II soldier dies; helped liberate Buchenwald camp | GazetteOnline.com - Cedar Rapids, Iowa City

OXFORD - As one of the first four American soldiers to discover the Buchenwald labor camp in 1945, James Hoyt rarely slept well.

"He's finally getting the rest he's never had all these years," his daughter, Theresa Stewart, 51, of Oxford said.

Hoyt, 83, died Monday in his sleep.

When he closed his eyes, he'd see images of the Nazi concentration camp, which he thought was a mannequin factory when he first saw it before its liberation April 11, 1945, Stewart said.

His daughters remembered him as a reserved man who put others first and loved reading, rebuilding cars and solving crossword puzzles.

"He had time to listen to anyone and would hear everybody's story," Stewart said.

For years, Hoyt did not share his own story. He later learned from doctors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Hoyt, of Oxford, graduated from high school in 1943 and became a private first class after he was drafted in early 1944 to serve in World War II. He was a member of the 6th Armored Division's 9th Infantry Battalion and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

On April 11, 1945, Hoyt was the radio operator and driver for a four-man reconnaissance team when two Buchenwald escapees flagged them down. The team went to the camp, which was hidden in a forested area.

"When the people saw our vehicle with the American markings on it, they really went wild. They tore a part of the fence down. They threw us up in the air," Hoyt told The Gazette 10 years ago.

"It was a very sorry sight all the way. They were skin and bones, the living ones. Of course, there were all kinds of dead ones there."

In all, about 238,500 prisoners were held at the camp.

As the years passed, Hoyt became more willing to talk about his experience, helping him to heal, his daughter, Pat Hatcher, said.

"We didn't know what he was fighting," Hatcher said of the emotional memories. "It helps us understand him better."

After the war in 1949, Hoyt married Doris Hipp. He worked with his brothers in construction before joining the United States Postal Service in Oxford, where he served more than 30 years.

During those years, the father of six took his children along on his route.

"It was our chance to tell him everything that was going on in our lives," Hatcher, 50, of Iowa City said. She explained her dad was never one to fill conversation gaps.

Funeral services were Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Oxford. Burial, with military honors, was at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Oxford.
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Kyt · Aug 18, 2008

RIP. I bet it was not something one wants to be remembered for.

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James Hoyt - one of four who "discovered" Buchenwald

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