Meyer, Alfred G. (0555182) - Revision history

172.18.0.1: RB Archive enrichment: biography, vitals, timeline, sources

2026-09-16T05:38:59Z

RB Archive enrichment: biography, vitals, timeline, sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:38, 16 September 2026
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	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Alfred G. Meyer''' (5 February ~~1920–1998~~) was a German-born Jewish refugee, Camp Ritchie interrogator, and later a scholar of Soviet politics~~. After [[Class 18]] and a commission on D-Day, he served with an MII team attached to the 29th Infantry Division~~.		'''[[Meyer, Alfred G. (0555182)\|Alfred G. Meyer]]''' (5 February 1920–1998) was a German-born Jewish refugee, Camp Ritchie interrogator with the 29th Infantry Division, and later a scholar of Soviet politics.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	Alfred G. Meyer was born on 5 February 1920 in Bielefeld, Germany. ~~As Nazi persecution closed in~~, he ~~left for~~ the United States in 1939 after a first sailing ~~on the MS ''Donau''~~ was turned back, ~~then crossed via Belgium and a Dutch ship and~~ settled with relatives in Santa Ana, California.		Alfred Georg Meyer was born on 5 February 1920 in Bielefeld, Germany, the son of attorney Gustav Meyer and Therese Meyer. After the November 1938 pogrom curtailed his father’s practice, he emigrated to the United States in 1939 (after a first sailing was turned back), settled with relatives in Santa Ana, California, and volunteered into the draft in 1941 (enlisted ASN 39162439).

	~~Eager to serve, he volunteered into the draft in 1941 and entered the Army from Los Angeles (enlisted ASN 39162439). After early~~ duty ~~that included clerical work~~ and an ~~assignment to the~~ Army Specialized Training ~~Program’s~~ Russian~~-language~~ course at Harvard, the Army ~~recognized his German and~~ sent him to [[~~Camp Ritchie~~]] for prisoner-of-war interrogation training in ~~[[Class 18]]~~.		Following clerical duty and an Army Specialized Training Program Russian course at Harvard, the Army sent him to Camp Ritchie [[Class 18]] for prisoner-of-war interrogation training. On 6 June 1944—D-Day, and his father’s birthday—he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He crossed to Omaha Beach, served on an intelligence team under Capt. Hans Kohler with other Ritchie graduates, and joined the 29th Infantry Division (roster: MII Team 409-G). In April 1945, as a lieutenant with U.S. forces advancing through Brackwede into Bielefeld, he appears in contemporary U.S. Army film later used in a Neue Westfälische documentary about the city’s liberation.

	~~At Ritchie he finished~~ a ~~demanding course that mixed order-of-battle study, aerial-photo work, map reading, Morse code~~, and ~~field craft on~~ a ~~ten-day “Ban-Day” cycle. During a culminating exercise~~ in ~~early summer 1944 he was pulled aside for commissioning; on 6 June 1944—D-Day,~~ and his father’s birthday—he became a second lieutenant after a counterintelligence interview cleared a mistranslated “Cuban cause” letter from his refugee efforts to help his parents. He soon sailed for Liverpool with other newly commissioned Ritchie graduates.		After the war Meyer studied at Harvard under the GI Bill, earned a doctorate, and became a professor of political science, teaching in Michigan and also at Harvard and in Washington; he returned to Bielefeld for guest lectures. He married Eva Apel, whom he met at Harvard. In 1991 he received the Federal Republic of Germany’s Grand Cross of Merit for strengthening German–American understanding. His parents were murdered in the Holocaust (Theresienstadt and Auschwitz). He died in 1998. Longer Camp Ritchie and wartime passages from his autobiography are on [[The Stories/My Life as a Fish]].

	~~After months waiting~~ at ~~Broadway~~ in ~~Worcestershire,~~ he ~~crossed~~ to ~~Omaha Beach and was assigned in the Paris area to an intelligence team under Capt~~. ~~Hans Kohler with four other Camp Ritchie graduates~~, ~~then joined the 29th Infantry Division~~. In the ~~field he developed a deliberately humane interrogation style and a “show~~ of ~~knowledge” technique drawn from Ritchie training~~. ~~Roster research places him with MII Team 409-G with that division.~~

	~~After the war Meyer entered Harvard graduate study under~~ the ~~GI Bill, earned a doctorate, and became a scholar of Marxism~~ and ~~Soviet politics~~. He died in 1998. Longer Camp Ritchie and wartime passages from his autobiography are on [[The Stories/My Life as a Fish]].

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	* 1998 — Died.		* 1998 — Died.
	* 2000 — Autobiography ''My Life as a Fish'' (excerpts concerning Camp Ritchie later shared by his daughter Vera Meyer).		* 2000 — Autobiography ''My Life as a Fish'' (excerpts concerning Camp Ritchie later shared by his daughter Vera Meyer).
			* April 1945 — With U.S. forces entering Bielefeld via Brackwede; appears in Army film later used in Neue Westfälische DVD documentary.
			* 1991 — Awarded the Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for German–American relations work.
	</div>		</div>
	</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>		</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
			* Neue Westfälische (Bielefeld) article on Vera Meyer recognizing her father Alfred Georg Meyer in the DVD documentary ''Bielefeld – Leben und Hoffen in den Ruinen'' (RB Archive PDF copy: BielefeldDVDKriegsende.pdf)
	* 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: Enrich from My Life as a Fish autobiography excerpts; link Full story

2026-09-16T04:13:36Z

Enrich from My Life as a Fish autobiography excerpts; link Full story

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:13, 16 September 2026
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	\|religion=Jewish		\|religion=Jewish
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|rank_final=~~T/4~~		\|rank_final=Second Lieutenant
	\|certificate=7119		\|certificate=7119
	\|confidence=medium		\|confidence=medium
	\|class_number=18		\|class_number=18
	\|class_display=18		\|class_display=18
	\|birth_place=Germany		\|birth_place=Bielefeld, Germany
	\|teams=MII 409-G		\|teams=MII 409-G
			\|birth_date=5 February 1920
			\|division=MII 409-G; 29th Infantry Division
			\|specialty=IPW (interrogation of prisoners of war)
			\|story=The Stories/My Life as a Fish
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Alfred G. Meyer''' (1920–1998) was a ~~United States Army Technician Fourth Grade who trained at [[~~Camp Ritchie]], ~~Maryland, in~~ [[Class 18]].		'''Alfred G. Meyer''' (5 February 1920–1998) was a German-born Jewish refugee, Camp Ritchie interrogator, and later a scholar of Soviet politics. After [[Class 18]] and a commission on D-Day, he served with an MII team attached to the 29th Infantry Division.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	Meyer ~~member~~ of ~~MII 409~~-~~G attached~~ to 29th Infantry Division.		Alfred G. Meyer was born on 5 February 1920 in Bielefeld, Germany. As Nazi persecution closed in, he left for the United States in 1939 after a first sailing on the MS ''Donau'' was turned back, then crossed via Belgium and a Dutch ship and settled with relatives in Santa Ana, California.

			Eager to serve, he volunteered into the draft in 1941 and entered the Army from Los Angeles (enlisted ASN 39162439). After early duty that included clerical work and an assignment to the Army Specialized Training Program’s Russian-language course at Harvard, the Army recognized his German and sent him to [[Camp Ritchie]] for prisoner-of-war interrogation training in [[Class 18]].

			At Ritchie he finished a demanding course that mixed order-of-battle study, aerial-photo work, map reading, Morse code, and field craft on a ten-day “Ban-Day” cycle. During a culminating exercise in early summer 1944 he was pulled aside for commissioning; on 6 June 1944—D-Day, and his father’s birthday—he became a second lieutenant after a counterintelligence interview cleared a mistranslated “Cuban cause” letter from his refugee efforts to help his parents. He soon sailed for Liverpool with other newly commissioned Ritchie graduates.

			After months waiting at Broadway in Worcestershire, he crossed to Omaha Beach and was assigned in the Paris area to an intelligence team under Capt. Hans Kohler with four other Camp Ritchie graduates, then joined the 29th Infantry Division. In the field he developed a deliberately humane interrogation style and a “show of knowledge” technique drawn from Ritchie training. Roster research places him with MII Team 409-G with that division.

			After the war Meyer entered Harvard graduate study under the GI Bill, earned a doctorate, and became a scholar of Marxism and Soviet politics. He died in 1998. Longer Camp Ritchie and wartime passages from his autobiography are on [[The Stories/My Life as a Fish]].

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
	* My Life as a Fish		* Scholar of Communism / Marxism (postwar academic career)
	* ASTP		* ASTP Russian at Harvard before Camp Ritchie
	* Scholar of Communism
	* ~~Marxism~~

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
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	<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">		<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
	<div class="soldier-timeline-body">		<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
	* ~~Born~~ 5 February 1920 in Germany.		* 5 February 1920 — Born in Bielefeld, Germany (Jewish).
	* ~~8 April~~ 1941 — ~~Drafted~~ into Army in Los Angeles as ~~Pvt~~ (ASN: 39162439).		* 1939 — Emigrated to the United States after a first sailing was turned back; settled in Santa Ana, California.
	* ~~Member of~~ MII 409-G ~~attached to~~ 29th Infantry Division.		* 1941 — Volunteered into the draft; entered the Army from Los Angeles as a private (ASN 39162439).
			* Assigned to the ASTP Russian-language program at Harvard University.
			* Entered Camp Ritchie [[Class 18]] for IPW / military-intelligence training.
			* 6 June 1944 — Commissioned second lieutenant at Camp Ritchie (D-Day).
			* Summer 1944 — Sailed to Liverpool; staged at Broadway, Worcestershire.
			* September 1944 — Crossed to Omaha Beach; assigned to Capt. Hans Kohler’s intelligence team (four other Ritchie graduates) with the 29th Infantry Division; roster: MII 409-G.
			* 1944–1945 — Interrogation and related intelligence duty with the 29th Infantry Division in Northwest Europe.
			* 1946 — Began graduate study at Harvard; later scholar of Soviet politics / Marxism.
			* 1998 — Died.
			* 2000 — Autobiography ''My Life as a Fish'' (excerpts concerning Camp Ritchie later shared by his daughter Vera Meyer).
	</div>		</div>
	</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>		</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
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	* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Alfred G. Meyer for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)		* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Alfred G. Meyer for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
	* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Meyer, Alfred G. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ALFRED G. MEYER.doc)		* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Meyer, Alfred G. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ALFRED G. MEYER.doc)
			* [https://ritchieboys.com/DL/fish203.pdf Chapter 3 excerpt PDF (Camp Ritchie) — My Life as a Fish, © 2000 Alfred G. Meyer]
			* [https://ritchieboys.com/DL/fish204.pdf Chapter 4 excerpt PDF (Europe) — My Life as a Fish, © 2000 Alfred G. Meyer]
			* [https://ritchieboys.com/DL/fish205.pdf Chapter 5 excerpt PDF (postwar) — My Life as a Fish, © 2000 Alfred G. Meyer]

Admin: Remove research notes now confirmed on the profile

2026-09-10T04:32:46Z

Remove research notes now confirmed on the profile

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:32, 10 September 2026
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	\|class_display=18		\|class_display=18
	\|birth_place=Germany		\|birth_place=Germany
			\|teams=MII 409-G
	}}		}}

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	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
	* "My Life as a Fish" ASTP		* My Life as a Fish
	* Scholar of Communism~~; Marxism~~		* ASTP
	* ~~409-G~~		* Scholar of Communism
			* Marxism

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T12:49:59Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:49, 1 September 2026
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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~Alfred~~ member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.		Meyer member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">		<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
	<div class="soldier-timeline-body">		<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* Born 5 February 1920 in Germany.
			* 8 April 1941 — Drafted into Army in Los Angeles as Pvt (ASN: 39162439).
	* Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.		* Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T03:34:58Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:34, 1 September 2026
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	<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">		<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
	<div class="soldier-timeline-body">		<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
	* 12 September 1942 — Became naturalized U.S. citizen in San Francisco (No.
	* 18.
	* Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.		* Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T02:50:03Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:50, 1 September 2026
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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~Member~~ of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.		Alfred member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.

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

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-09-01T02:27:32Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:27, 1 September 2026
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	\|class_number=18		\|class_number=18
	\|class_display=18		\|class_display=18
			\|birth_place=Germany
	}}		}}

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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~''Add a biography, family details, and sources. Click Edit~~ to ~~change this page; no account is required~~.''		Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	\| row_source \|\| both		\| row_source \|\| both
	\|}		\|}

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 12 September 1942 — Became naturalized U.S. citizen in San Francisco (No.
			* 18.
			* Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.
			</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 Alfred G. Meyer for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
			* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Meyer, Alfred G. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ALFRED G. MEYER.doc)

Admin: Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

2026-08-31T04:02:57Z

Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 |class_number=18
 |class_display=18
 }}
@@ Line 26: / Line 25: @@
 == Biography ==
 ''Add a biography, family details, and sources. Click Edit to change this page; no account is required.''
 == Research notes ==
@@ Line 53: / Line 49: @@
 | row_source || both
 |}
 == Sources ==
@@ Line 71: / Line 55: @@
 * NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
 * 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

Admin: Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

2026-08-31T03:27:01Z

Add audited Dan Gross timeline enrichment

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:27, 31 August 2026
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	\|class_number=18		\|class_number=18
	\|class_display=18		\|class_display=18
			\|birth_place=Germany
	}}		}}

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

			<!-- Dan Gross timeline enrichment -->
			The timeline research also records Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	\| row_source \|\| both		\| row_source \|\| both
	\|}		\|}

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 2/5/1920 Born in Germany.
			* 4/8/1941 Drafted into Army in Los Angeles as Pvt (ASN: 39162439).
			* 4/13/1944 Started Class 18 German.
			* 6/18/1944 Direct commission as 2nd Lt. (ASN: 0555182).
			* 1/1943 Stenographer (T/4) with VIII Corps.
			* Member of MII 409-G attached to 29th Infantry Division.
			</div>
			</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== 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)
			* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Alfred G. Meyer for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
			* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Meyer, Alfred G. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ALFRED G. MEYER.doc)

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

2026-08-26T18:32:18Z

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=1920		\|birth_year=1920
	\|death_year=1998		\|death_year=1998
	\|nativity=Ge		\|nativity=Germany
	\|religion=J		\|religion=Jewish
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|rank_final=T/4		\|rank_final=T/4