Walter Victor
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Short description|American photographer}}
Image:Dora Mittelbau Mass grave.jpg mass grave taken by Victor]]
Walter John Victor (July 1, 1917 – October 14, 2014) was an American photographer and World War II veteran.{{cite news|last1=Hester|first1=Michele|title=World War II veteran dies|url=http://www.dawsonnews.com/archives/15664/|accessdate=March 3, 2015|work=Dawson News|date=October 22, 2014}}
Biography
File:Mittelwerk V-2 complex tunnel.jpg V-2 rockets were stored, taken by Victor]]
He was born in Dupont, Pennsylvania to Frank and Agnes Victor.{{cite news|title=Walter Victor Obituary|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?n=walter-victor&pid=172814373&fhid=3162|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|via=Legacy.com|date=October 14, 2014}} He later moved to Dawsonville, Georgia. Victor fought at Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944, serving as a gunsmith for the 9th Infantry Division.{{cite news|last1=Reddy|first1=Frank|title=France says 'thanks' to Dawson County veteran|url=http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/archives/33617/|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Gainesville Times|date=May 26, 2010}} His division also assisted the liberation of Dachau concentration camp.{{cite news|title=Local veteran, eye of baseball dies|url=http://www.dawsonnews.com/section/1/article/15625/|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Dawson News|date=October 14, 2014}} Victor was named a Chevalier{{cite news|title=Dupont native honored by the President of France|url=http://archives.timesleader.com/2010_62/2010_04_25_Dupont_native_honored_by_the_President_of_France_-Dispatch.html|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Times Leader}} of the Legion of Honor in May 2010 for his service.{{cite news|title=Local vets to receive Legion of Honor|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/local-vets-to-receive-legion-of-honor/nQgMH/|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=May 26, 2010}}{{cite news|title=France to honor three WWII veterans with the Legion of Honor Medal|url=http://www.consulfrance-atlanta.org/spip.php?article2367|accessdate=October 18, 2014|agency=French Consulate General, Atlanta|date=May 27, 2010}} He also earned one Silver Star and two Bronze Stars.{{cite news|last1=Shanks|first1=Bill|authorlink1=Bill Shanks|title=Walter Victor, a real trooper on and off the field|url=http://www.georgiamagazine.org/archives_view.asp?mon=3&yr=2005&ID=1147|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Georgia Magazine|date=March 2005}} In 1966, he became a team photographer for the Atlanta Braves.{{cite news|last1=Freeman|first1=Scott|title=Walter Victor's 'Brave At Heart'|url=https://creativeloafing.com/content-206851-walter-victor-s-brave-at-heart|access-date=October 18, 2014|work=Creative Loafing|date=August 14, 2007}} The Braves named the first base camera well at Turner Field for Victor in 2006.{{cite news|last1=Bowman|first1=Mark|title=Braves photographer, World War II veteran Victor dead at 97|url=http://m.braves.mlb.com/news/article/98547762/braves-photographer-world-war-ii-veteran-walter-victor-dead-at-97|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019072138/http://m.braves.mlb.com/news/article/98547762/braves-photographer-world-war-ii-veteran-walter-victor-dead-at-97|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2014|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=MLB.com|date=October 14, 2014}} Twelve of his photographs are housed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.{{cite news|last1=Stanford|first1=Ken|title=Dawsonville man who was official photographer for the Braves for 40 years dies|url=http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=280742|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Access North Georgia|date=October 14, 2014}} A compilation of his work was included in the book Brave at Heart: The Life and Lens of Walter Victor, published in 2007.{{cite news|last1=O'Brien|first1=David|title=Walter Victor, World War II vet and Braves photographer, dead at 97|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/walter-victor-world-war-ii-vet-and-braves-photogra/nhjQS/|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=October 14, 2014}} Victor was a Master Mason belonging to the Etowah Lodge in Dawsonville, Georgia. He was married to Ruth and had four children.{{cite news|title=Area veteran, eye of baseball dies|url=http://www.forsythnews.com/section/1/article/25883/|accessdate=October 18, 2014|work=Forsyth County News|date=October 15, 2014}} Victor died on October 14, 2014, aged 97, and was interred at Georgia National Cemetery.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{cite book|last1=Victor|first1=Walter|last2=Jones|first2=Anne B.|last3=Jones|first3=Sidney R.|title=Brave at Heart|publisher=Indigo Custom Publications|isbn=9781934144121|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6vvLPQAACAAJ&q=Brave+at+Heart|date=2007}}
- {{cite interview |last=Victor |first=Walter |subject-link= |interviewer= |title=Walter Victor's interview for the Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDwzK4KfGUk |publisher=YouTube |location=Atlanta History Center |orig-year=Interview took place in 2014 |date=August 9, 2018 |work= |access-date=}}
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Category:People from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Category:People from Dawsonville, Georgia
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour
Category:Atlanta Braves personnel
Category:20th-century American photographers
Category:Recipients of the Silver Star
Category:United States Army soldiers
Category:Photographers from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:American sports photographers
Category:Photographers from Pennsylvania