Posted on 05/27/2008 7:09:52 PM PDT by Libloather
Obama mistaken on name of Nazi death camp
By CHRISTOPHER WILLS, Associated Press Writer
28 minutes ago
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Barack Obama campaign said Tuesday the candidate mistakenly referred to the wrong Nazi death camp when relating the story of a great uncle who helped liberate the camps in World War II.
The Democratic presidential candidate said the story is accurate except that the camp was Buchenwald, not Auschwitz.
"Senator Obama's family is proud of the service of his grandfather and uncles in World War II — especially the fact that his great uncle was a part of liberating one of the concentration camps at Buchenwald," campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement. "Yesterday he mistakenly referred to Auschwitz instead of Buchenwald in telling of his personal experience of a soldier in his family who served heroically."
Aides said Tuesday that his grandmother's brother, Charlie Payne, helped liberate a Buchenwald sub-camp in April 1945 as part of the 89th Infantry Division.
In a meeting Monday with veterans, Obama discussed the importance of improving treatment for soldiers suffering post-traumatic stress. To illustrate his point, he talked about his own family.
"I had an uncle who was part of the first American troops to go into Auschwitz and liberate the concentration camps. The story in our family was that when he came home, he just went up into the attic and he didn't leave the house for six months," Obama said. "Now, obviously something had really affected him, but at that time there just weren't the kinds of facilities to help somebody work through that kind of pain."
Auschwitz was liberated by Soviet forces as they marched across Poland in January 1945. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum says Americans liberated several death camps in Germany, including Buchenwald, Dachau and Mauthausen.
"On April 4, 1945, the 89th overran Ohrdruf, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Ohrdruf was the first Nazi concentration camp liberated by U.S. troops in Germany," according to the museum. "A week later, on April 12, Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton, and Omar Bradley visited Ohrdruf to see, firsthand, evidence of Nazi atrocities against concentration camp prisoners."
Obama's mistaken mention of the camp on Monday quickly generated Internet chatter, ranging from puzzlement to outrage. The Republican Party demanded an explanation.
"It was Soviet troops that liberated Auschwitz, so unless his uncle was serving in the Red Army, there's no way Obama's statement yesterday can be true," said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
Someone might need to explain to Obama the Muslim militant that when you're a hole, you should quit digging. What an idiot, and this POS wants to be our President.
Thanks for that — I’ve checked two of the links from there, and by all reports it would have been a rotten place to have to attend: for three hours or three days or three minutes.
So the question still remains: was Payne, Charles there with the 89th, or not? And was he Obama’s great-uncle?
Does the 89th have an Alumni Association, or something similar? Surely they must...
The Lads will be getting thin-on-the-ground by now, there may not be very many from the 89th left. But there will be records somewhere.
(Yeah, it REALLY bugs me when people steal Valor. People have tried to snow me many times on the basis of their stolen Valor, claiming deeds of derring-do that they have never done. It should actually bug everybody when this happens.)
Did you look up Rolla?
14. Rolla Charles PAYNE was born 23 August 1892 in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas and died in Kansas in October 1968.
http://genealogy.about.com/od/aframertrees/p/obama_two.htm
Re “Hussein Obomber can’t look like a complete idiot every day - can he?”
He sure it trying to.
Let’s encourage him in his efforts.
O-bama; O-bama; O-bama!
It was a recon unit that got there first, but the 89th was a fully-functioning fighting infantry division of several regiments. The 355th Regiment is the one which occupied the area with the 4th Armored Division.
It’s not clear how long the 355th held the area, but it was more than a few hours.
"The Great Black Quayle."
> 14. Rolla Charles PAYNE was born 23 August 1892 in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas and died in Kansas in October 1968.
Fascinating! And great sleuthing!
In 1945 that would have made him — what — 53 years old?? And he would have died when his favorite great-nephew Barak Hussein Obama was 7 years old.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...
Curiouser and curiouser!
By now, my Bullsh!t Detector is going “AaaaaahhWOOOOOO-gahhh! AaaaaahhWOOOOOO-gahhh! AaaaaahhWOOOOOO-gahhh! AaaaaahhWOOOOOO-gahhh! ALL HANDS ON DECK NOW HEAR THIS! I SAY AGAIN NOW HEAR THIS!”...
...of course, your mileage may vary. But I doubt it!
This could be Obama’s Swiftboat... just perhaps.
The Black-fronted Wood-quail (Odontophorus atrifrons) is a species of bird in the Odontophoridae family. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
How cool is THAT? (With JUST a hint of wooden Algore!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-fronted_Wood_Quail
Relax, the Charles Payne in question was Rolla’ son—Grandma Dunham’s brother.
I have been doing some genealogy research in this matter..BHO’s white Great/grand-parents were Rolla Charles Payne and Leona McCurry. They had three children, Madelyn Lee Payne, B:1922 (grandma); Charles W. Payne,B:1924; and Arlene Payne, B: 1926. The only “Charles W. Payne” that could find who seved during WWII was in the Navy... Still researching!!
Did Rolla's so-called wife poop a kid named Charles? (But then again, that wouldn't make the poor soul Obamber's a great uncle - would it?) That's all I've got.
> Relax, the Charles Payne in question was Rolla’ son—Grandma Dunham’s brother.
Right then — let’s see if Charles Payne JUNIOR’s service record matches the claims. That should be fairly straightforward.
If true, he deserves our Respect. If not, Obama has some ‘splainin to do.
That is indeed the question.
> That is indeed the question.
Indeed it is. Stolen Valor is abhorrent. It is all the moreso when it is done by someone who aspires to be POTUS.
If Obama is lying about this, then he is a POS and deserves a spot on the Wall of Shame.
I’m wondering if Obama’s campaign even have the 87th and Charles Payne straight. Maybe they meant the 83rd Infantry at Langenstein, a part of the Buchenwald complex?
Maybe there were reasons not at all connected to WWII as to why Obama’s Uncle hid in the attic for six months.
Are you sure his uncle wasn’t in the Red Army? BO certainly sounds like one of their commissars.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.