Messinger, Fred (39171244) - Revision history

Admin: Fix Gallery to soldier-gallery packed format; keep portrait + Purple Heart

2026-09-18T03:42:57Z

Fix Gallery to soldier-gallery packed format; keep portrait + Purple Heart

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:42, 18 September 2026
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	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
	~~[[File:~~Messinger_Fred_39171244_WWII_portrait.jpg~~\|thumb~~\|Fred Messinger during World War II (courtesy friend’s family via Tzivia Bieler / ''Jewish Standard'')]]		<div class="soldier-gallery">
	~~[[File:~~Messinger_Fred_39171244_Purple_Heart.jpg~~\|thumb~~\|Purple Heart awarded to Fred Messinger (courtesy friend’s family via Tzivia Bieler / ''Jewish Standard'')]]		<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
			Messinger_Fred_39171244_WWII_portrait.jpg\|Fred Messinger during World War II (courtesy friend’s family via Tzivia Bieler / ''Jewish Standard'')
			Messinger_Fred_39171244_Purple_Heart.jpg\|Purple Heart awarded to Fred Messinger (courtesy friend’s family via Tzivia Bieler / ''Jewish Standard'')
			</gallery>
			</div>

Admin: Enrich from Jewish Standard (Fred Messinger named); WWII portrait; Purple Heart

2026-09-18T03:39:48Z

Enrich from Jewish Standard (Fred Messinger named); WWII portrait; Purple Heart

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:39, 18 September 2026
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	\|class_number=5		\|class_number=5
	\|class_display=5		\|class_display=5
			\|photo=Messinger_Fred_39171244_WWII_portrait.jpg
			\|birth_place=Frankfurt, Germany
			\|rank_final=T/5
			\|awards=Purple Heart
			\|awards_grid=Purple Heart
			\|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Purple_Heart_ribbon.png
			\|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Purple_Heart_ribbon.png
			\|specialty=Military intelligence; Ritchie Boy
			\|known_for=Purple Heart; Battle of the Bulge; Sons and Soldiers index
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Fred Messinger''' (~~1913–2003~~) was a ~~United States Army Technician Fifth Grade who trained at [[Camp~~ Ritchie~~]], Maryland, in~~ [[Class 5]]. ~~Fred enlisted at Tacoma~~, ~~Washington~~.		'''Fred Messinger''' (1913–2003) was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy ([[Class 5]]) who served in the U.S. Army in Europe, was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, and received the Purple Heart.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~''Add~~ a ~~biography~~, family ~~details~~, and ~~sources~~. ~~Click Edit to change this page; no account is required~~.''		Fred Messinger was born in 1913 in Germany and came from Frankfurt to the United States as a young man. Before and after the war he made his living as a costume jewelry salesman, traveling widely; family remembered him as outgoing and fluent in several languages.

			Messinger enlisted in the Army at Tacoma, Washington, and trained at the Military Intelligence Training Center at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland ([[Class 5]]). He served overseas in Europe, was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, and received the Purple Heart. His name appears in the index of Bruce Henderson’s ''Sons and Soldiers''. He died in 2003.


	~~== Research notes ==~~

	== 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.~~''		[[File:Messinger_Fred_39171244_WWII_portrait.jpg\|thumb\|Fred Messinger during World War II (courtesy friend’s family via Tzivia Bieler / ''Jewish Standard'')]]
			[[File:Messinger_Fred_39171244_Purple_Heart.jpg\|thumb\|Purple Heart awarded to Fred Messinger (courtesy friend’s family via Tzivia Bieler / ''Jewish Standard'')]]


	== Technical record ==		== Technical record ==
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	\| row_source \|\| both		\| row_source \|\| both
	\|}		\|}

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 1913 — Born in Germany (Frankfurt origin per family account).
			* — Emigrates from Frankfurt to the United States as a young man.
			* 19 March 1942 — Enlists at Tacoma, Washington (NARA).
			* 1943 — Camp Ritchie Class 5 (T/5).
			* 1944–1945 — Serves in Europe; wounded in the Battle of the Bulge; Purple Heart.
			* 2003 — Died.
			</div>
			</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
			* [https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/finally-learning-about-my-dads-family/ Tzivia Bieler, “Finally learning about my dad’s family,” ''The Jewish Standard''] (names Fred Messinger; Frankfurt; Bulge wound; Purple Heart; ''Sons and Soldiers'' index; [[:File:Messinger_Fred_39171244_WWII_portrait.jpg\|WWII portrait]])
	* 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
	* 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)

Admin: Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

2026-08-31T04:02:51Z

Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:02, 31 August 2026
Line 101:		Line 101:

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
	* Camp Ritchie ~~class roster~~ (~~classes~~ 1–31), ~~merged~~ research ~~file~~		* 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
	* 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)

Admin: Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch

2026-08-26T18:32:11Z

Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:32, 26 August 2026
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	\|birth_year=1913		\|birth_year=1913
	\|death_year=2003		\|death_year=2003
	\|nativity=Ge		\|nativity=Germany
	\|religion=J		\|religion=Jewish
	\|enlistment_place=TACOMA WASHINGTON		\|enlistment_place=TACOMA WASHINGTON
	\|state=WASHINGTON		\|state=WASHINGTON

Admin: Remove redundant Civil Life research note

2026-08-23T05:07:00Z

Remove redundant Civil Life research note

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:07, 23 August 2026
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	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
	* Civil Life

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==

Admin: Move opening paragraph onto page for visual editing

2026-08-20T12:31:54Z

Move opening paragraph onto page for visual editing

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:31, 20 August 2026
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	{{Soldier		{{Soldier
			\|lede_on_page=1
	\|asn=39171244		\|asn=39171244
	\|surname=Messinger		\|surname=Messinger
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	\|class_display=5		\|class_display=5
	}}		}}

			<div class="soldier-lead">
			'''Fred Messinger''' (1913–2003) was a United States Army Technician Fifth Grade who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 5]]. Fred enlisted at Tacoma, Washington.
			</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==

Admin: Remove invalid assignment field

2026-08-20T04:08:27Z

Remove invalid assignment field

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:08, 20 August 2026
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	\|enlistment_place=TACOMA WASHINGTON		\|enlistment_place=TACOMA WASHINGTON
	\|state=WASHINGTON		\|state=WASHINGTON
	~~\|assignment=V-807~~
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|certificate=1274		\|certificate=1274
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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)

Admin: Initial import

2026-08-18T02:00:00Z

Initial import

New page

{{Soldier
|asn=39171244
|surname=Messinger
|first=Fred
|class_section=1
|class_rank=T/5
|birth_year=1913
|death_year=2003
|nativity=Ge
|religion=J
|enlistment_place=TACOMA WASHINGTON
|state=WASHINGTON
|assignment=V-807
|overseas=Y
|certificate=1274
|education=4 years of high school
|occupation=Salespersons
|marital=Single without dependents
|confidence=high
|class_number=5
|class_display=5
}}

== Biography ==
''Add a biography, family details, and sources. Click Edit to change this page; no account is required.''

== Research notes ==
* Civil Life

== 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.''

== Technical record ==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Field !! Imported value
|-
| MRBC2 || 2
|-
| Approx Age at Death || 90
|-
| Nara ASN || 39171244
|-
| Nara Name || MESSINGER FRED
|-
| Nara State || 97
|-
| Nara County || 33
|-
| Nara POE || 9784
|-
| Nara DOE || 190342
|-
| Nara Grade Alpha || PVT
|-
| Nara Grade Code || 8
|-
| Nara Branch Alpha || BI
|-
| Nara Branch Code || 0
|-
| Branch || Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
|-
| Nara Term or Enlistment || 5
|-
| Term of enlistment || Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
|-
| Defer. Date || 0
|-
| Nara Source || 0
|-
| Nara Nativity || N1
|-
| Nara Year of Birth || 13
|-
| Nara Race || J
|-
| Nara Race Description || White not yet a citizen
|-
| Nara Education || 4
|-
| Nara Civilian Occupation || 175
|-
| Nara Marital Status || 6
|-
| Nara Height (inches) || 68
|-
| Nara Weight (lbs) || 179
|-
| Class_ASN || 39171244
|-
| Class_Name || MESSINGER, Fred
|-
| match_method || asn_exact_name_exact
|-
| row_source || both
|}

== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)