James H. Duncan, one of the liberators of Pilsen, died three years ago

James H. Duncan, a former sergeant in the U.S. Army's 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division, passed away three years ago.

He enjoyed going back to Pilsen often. He was a soldier and a photographer. The City of Pilsen organized an exhibition of his photographs. The exhibition was part of the 2013 Liberation Festival Pilsen. From a collection of 389 photographs, dozens were on display in Smetana Gardens at the time. The photos showed American soldiers in combat and as liberators, military equipment, and people expressing joy and gratitude at the liberation.

"When I first came to your country, I was nineteen years old. Now I am 87. We had the most moving welcome of our lives in Pilsen! I will never forget the tears of joy in the eyes of those who welcomed us to the grand celebration of liberation — your first Liberation Festival Pilsen!", James Duncan said at one of the exhibition panels.
This year, James H. Duncan would have turned 100 years old.