Kolm, Henry Herbert (33784680) - Revision history

Admin: Admin moved page Kolm, Henry H. (33784680) to Kolm, Henry Herbert (33784680) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Herbert

2026-09-25T04:56:04Z

Admin moved page Kolm, Henry H. (33784680) to Kolm, Henry Herbert (33784680) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Herbert

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:56, 25 September 2026
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Admin: Biography enrichment from Austriansoldiers (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute) biography

2026-09-25T04:50:17Z

Biography enrichment from Austriansoldiers (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute) biography

Show changes

Admin: Sort Timeline bullets chronologically

2026-09-23T04:19:54Z

Sort Timeline bullets chronologically

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:19, 23 September 2026
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	* December 1939 — Arrived in the United States; settled in Philadelphia.		* December 1939 — Arrived in the United States; settled in Philadelphia.
	* June 1942 — Graduated Gratz High School.		* June 1942 — Graduated Gratz High School.
			* c. 1943–1944 — 220th Armored Engineer Battalion, 20th Armored Division (Patton): demolitions, flamethrowers, engineer vehicles; drove Eisenhower and Patton to weapons demonstrations; OCS at Fort Belvoir; walked into Pentagon G-2 (Gen. Clayton Bissell → Camp Ritchie).
			* Late 1943 – spring 1944 — Camp Ritchie Class 29 (photo interpretation, OB, weapons, orienteering, parachute tower).
	* 26 March 1943 — Enlisted; infantry basic at Camp Wheeler, Georgia.		* 26 March 1943 — Enlisted; infantry basic at Camp Wheeler, Georgia.
	* 1 October 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen.		* 1 October 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
	* ~~c. 1943–1944~~ — 220th Armored Engineer Battalion, 20th Armored Division (Patton): demolitions, flamethrowers, engineer vehicles; drove Eisenhower and Patton to weapons demonstrations; OCS at Fort Belvoir; walked into Pentagon G-2 (Gen. Clayton Bissell → Camp Ritchie).		* 2010 — Died.
	* Late 1943 – spring 1944 — Camp Ritchie Class 29 (photo interpretation, OB, weapons, orienteering, parachute tower).
	* Graduation — Selected with ~7–10 classmates for P.O. Box 1142 (Fort Hunt) interrogation assignment.		* Graduation — Selected with ~7–10 classmates for P.O. Box 1142 (Fort Hunt) interrogation assignment.
	* 2010 — Died.
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Admin: Restore enlistment_place removed by NPS enrichment script

2026-09-22T04:57:53Z

Restore enlistment_place removed by NPS enrichment script

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:57, 22 September 2026
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	\|birth_date=10 September 1924		\|birth_date=10 September 1924
	\|division=20th Armored Division		\|division=20th Armored Division
			\|enlistment_place=PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA
	}}		}}

Admin: Rebalance lead/framing: Ritchie Boy first; P.O. Box 1142 as one assignment

2026-09-22T04:44:31Z

Rebalance lead/framing: Ritchie Boy first; P.O. Box 1142 as one assignment

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:44, 22 September 2026
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	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Henry H. Kolm''' (10 September 1924–2010) was an Austria-born ~~United States~~ Army soldier who served as an armored engineer with Patton’s 20th Armored Division, trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 29\|Class 29]], ~~and~~ was selected for ~~secret interrogation work at~~ [[P.O. Box 1142]].		'''Henry H. Kolm''' (10 September 1924–2010) was an Austria-born U.S. Army soldier who served as an armored engineer with Patton’s 20th Armored Division and trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 29\|Class 29]]. A small group from his class, including Kolm, was later selected for [[P.O. Box 1142]].
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Enrich from NPS Fort Hunt oral history summary (20th AD engineer; Ritchie; 1142)

2026-09-22T04:35:32Z

Enrich from NPS Fort Hunt oral history summary (20th AD engineer; Ritchie; 1142)

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:35, 22 September 2026
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	\|nativity=Austria		\|nativity=Austria
	\|religion=Jewish		\|religion=Jewish
	~~\|enlistment_place=PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA~~
	~~\|state=PENNSYLVANIA~~
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	~~\|certificate=D~~		\|birth_place=Vienna, Austria
	~~\|education=4 years of high school~~
	~~\|occupation=Unskilled occupations in production of cement concrete gypsum and plaster product~~
	~~\|marital=Single without dependents~~
	\|birth_place=Vienna, Austria~~. Parents Richard and Elly~~
	\|class_number=29		\|class_number=29
	\|class_display=29		\|class_display=29
			\|birth_date=10 September 1924
			\|division=20th Armored Division
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Henry H. Kolm''' (1924–2010) was a United States Army soldier ~~associated~~ with Camp Ritchie, ~~Maryland~~. ~~Henry enlisted at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania~~.		'''Henry H. Kolm''' (10 September 1924–2010) was an Austria-born United States Army soldier who served as an armored engineer with Patton’s 20th Armored Division, trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 29\|Class 29]], and was selected for secret interrogation work at [[P.O. Box 1142]].
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~In 1940~~, ~~Henry~~ family ~~moved~~ to Philadelphia.		Henry H. Kolm was born on 10 September 1924 near Vienna, Austria, into a well-educated, multilingual family; his father was a physician and medical researcher. After the Nazi annexation of Austria the Kolms fled—first to Czechoslovakia, then Luxembourg, Brussels, and Paris—before reaching the United States in December 1939. Kolm personally saw Hitler enter Vienna and later Prague. Part of the escape included being smuggled under barbed wire into Luxembourg with help from HIAS. The family settled in Philadelphia; he graduated from Gratz High School in June 1942.

	~~In June 1942~~, ~~Kolm graduated Gratz High School. On~~ 1 October 1943, He became ~~a naturalized citizen~~. ~~In February 1944,~~ Kolm attended ~~ASTP~~ (~~Stetson~~, ~~Rollins~~ and ~~Kenyon College~~).		He enlisted on 26 March 1943 and took infantry basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, becoming a United States citizen during service (naturalized 1 October 1943). He had hoped for the Air Force but was placed in the infantry, then assigned to the 220th Armored Engineer Battalion of Patton’s 20th Armored Division. There he did dangerous frontline engineer work: flamethrowers with jellied gasoline that could melt bunker hatch armor, satchel charges to breach thick concrete, and shaped charges against “dragon’s teeth.” He extracted stuck tanks, ran bulldozers and tank-dozers, helped test weapons for Siegfried Line assault training, and remembered driving Eisenhower and Patton to demonstrations. Befriending the motor-pool sergeant, he became licensed on every Corps of Engineers vehicle from bulldozers to tanks.

			Kolm attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir but decided engineering was not his long-term fit. He walked uninvited into the Pentagon’s G-2 office and asked for military intelligence; General Clayton Bissell reportedly ordered him sent to [[Camp Ritchie]]. From late 1943 into spring 1944 he trained there with [[:Category:Class 29\|Class 29]]—aerial photo interpretation (including stereoscope work that later required a year of eye therapy), foreign weapons, German order of battle, aircraft silhouette recognition, orienteering drops, parachute-tower training, and mock combat. Among fellow refugee trainees he later recalled were [[Mayer, Arno Joseph (42139253)\|Arno Mayer]] and Peter Weiss.

			At graduation only a small group—about seven to ten men from his class—were chosen for a classified assignment and taken by staff car to [[P.O. Box 1142]] at Fort Hunt, Virginia, under orders not to tell anyone where they were. Kolm lived in bachelor officers’ quarters and joined the top-secret interrogation program that handled German POWs, scientists, engineers, and other high-value targets—work the Army did not publicly acknowledge for decades. He died in 2010.

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
	* U.S. maneuvers w/~~20th AD~~.		* Fort Hunt / [[P.O. Box 1142]] — selected from Camp Ritchie class for secret interrogation assignment (NPS oral history).
			* U.S. maneuvers with 20th Armored Division / 220th Armored Engineer Battalion.
			* Trained alongside classmates he later named including Arno Mayer and Peter Weiss.

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
	''~~After you are autoconfirmed, [[Special:Upload\|upload a photo]] and add <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg\|thumb\|caption]]</nowiki></code> here, or set <code>\|photo=Example.jpg</code> in the infobox~~.''		''No portrait on file yet.''

	== Technical record ==		== Technical record ==
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	* ~~Born~~ 10 September 1924 in Vienna, Austria~~. Parents~~ Richard and Elly ~~(Jellenik~~) ~~Kolm~~. ~~Stated Religion: Ethical Culture~~ (~~but Jewish roots~~).		* 10 September 1924 — Born near Vienna, Austria (parents Richard and Elly Kolm).
	* ~~1940~~ — ~~Family moved to~~ Philadelphia.		* 1938–1939 — Family fled Austria via Czechoslovakia, Luxembourg (HIAS; barbed-wire crossing), Brussels, and Paris; witnessed Hitler in Vienna and Prague.
	* 1 October 1943 — ~~Became naturalized~~ citizen.		* December 1939 — Arrived in the United States; settled in Philadelphia.
	* ~~May 1944~~ — ~~Assigned to~~ 20th Armored Division (~~Draftsman~~).		* June 1942 — Graduated Gratz High School.
	* ~~2 August 1945~~ — ~~Arrived at Fort Strong MA~~ (~~Boston harbor) as part of Fort Hunt contingent of two officers and 25 enlisted men; also~~, ~~guards and German POWs who served as cooks~~, ~~carpenters~~, ~~etc to prepare facilities~~ for ~~Paperclip scientists~~.		* 26 March 1943 — Enlisted; infantry basic at Camp Wheeler, Georgia.
	* ~~March 1945~~ — ~~Assigned to Camp Ritchie. Languages: German, French~~.		* 1 October 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
			* c. 1943–1944 — 220th Armored Engineer Battalion, 20th Armored Division (Patton): demolitions, flamethrowers, engineer vehicles; drove Eisenhower and Patton to weapons demonstrations; OCS at Fort Belvoir; walked into Pentagon G-2 (Gen. Clayton Bissell → Camp Ritchie).
			* Late 1943 – spring 1944 — Camp Ritchie Class 29 (photo interpretation, OB, weapons, orienteering, parachute tower).
			* Graduation — Selected with ~7–10 classmates for P.O. Box 1142 (Fort Hunt) interrogation assignment.
			* 2010 — Died.
	</div>		</div>
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
			* [[:File:FOHU_POBox1142_Kolm_Henry.pdf\|NPS Fort Hunt Oral History — Henry Kolm interview transcript]] (armored engineer / Camp Ritchie / P.O. Box 1142; formerly published on the NPS Fort Hunt oral-history exhibit)
	* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data		* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
	* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records		* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T12:49:28Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:49, 1 September 2026
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	In 1940, Henry family moved to Philadelphia.		In 1940, Henry family moved to Philadelphia.

	In June 1942, he graduated Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943 he became a naturalized citizen. In February 1944 he attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).		In June 1942, Kolm graduated Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943, He became a naturalized citizen. In February 1944, Kolm attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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			* Born 10 September 1924 in Vienna, Austria. Parents Richard and Elly (Jellenik) Kolm. Stated Religion: Ethical Culture (but Jewish roots).
	* 1940 — Family moved to Philadelphia.		* 1940 — Family moved to Philadelphia.
	* 1 October 1943 — Became naturalized citizen.		* 1 October 1943 — Became naturalized citizen.
	* May 1944 — Assigned to 20th Armored Division (Draftsman).		* May 1944 — Assigned to 20th Armored Division (Draftsman).
			* 2 August 1945 — Arrived at Fort Strong MA (Boston harbor) as part of Fort Hunt contingent of two officers and 25 enlisted men; also, guards and German POWs who served as cooks, carpenters, etc to prepare facilities for Paperclip scientists.
	* March 1945 — Assigned to Camp Ritchie. Languages: German, French.		* March 1945 — Assigned to Camp Ritchie. Languages: German, French.
	* Vienna, Austria. Parents Richard and Elly.
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Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T03:33:53Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:33, 1 September 2026
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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	In June 1942, he ~~Graduated~~ Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943~~, Became~~ naturalized citizen. In February 1944, he attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).		In 1940, Henry family moved to Philadelphia.

			In June 1942, he graduated Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943 he became a naturalized citizen. In February 1944 he attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	* 1940 — Family moved to Philadelphia.		* 1940 — Family moved to Philadelphia.
	* 1 October 1943 — Became naturalized citizen.		* 1 October 1943 — Became naturalized citizen.
	* 5/1944 Assigned to 20th Armored Division (Draftsman).		* May 1944 — Assigned to 20th Armored Division (Draftsman).
	* 3/1945 Assigned to Camp Ritchie. Languages: German, French.		* March 1945 — Assigned to Camp Ritchie. Languages: German, French.
	* 29.
	* Vienna, Austria. Parents Richard and Elly.		* Vienna, Austria. Parents Richard and Elly.
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Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T02:49:34Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:49, 1 September 2026
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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~In 1940, Family moved to Philadelphia.~~ In June 1942, he Graduated Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943, Became naturalized citizen. In February 1944, he attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).		In June 1942, he Graduated Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943, Became naturalized citizen. In February 1944, he attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T02:26:25Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:26, 1 September 2026
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	\|occupation=Unskilled occupations in production of cement concrete gypsum and plaster product		\|occupation=Unskilled occupations in production of cement concrete gypsum and plaster product
	\|marital=Single without dependents		\|marital=Single without dependents
			\|birth_place=Vienna, Austria. Parents Richard and Elly
			\|class_number=29
			\|class_display=29
	}}		}}

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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~''Add a biography~~, ~~family details~~, and ~~sources. Click Edit to change this page; no account is required~~.''		In 1940, Family moved to Philadelphia. In June 1942, he Graduated Gratz High School. On 1 October 1943, Became naturalized citizen. In February 1944, he attended ASTP (Stetson, Rollins and Kenyon College).

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	\| row_source \|\| demographics		\| row_source \|\| demographics
	\|}		\|}

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 1940 — Family moved to Philadelphia.
			* 1 October 1943 — Became naturalized citizen.
			* 5/1944 Assigned to 20th Armored Division (Draftsman).
			* 3/1945 Assigned to Camp Ritchie. Languages: German, French.
			* 29.
			* Vienna, Austria. Parents Richard and Elly.
			</div>
			</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
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	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
			* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Henry H. Kolm for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
			* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Kolm, Henry H. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: HENRY H. KOLM (2020).doc)