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Defourneaux, Rene J. (32764692): Difference between revisions
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|middle=J. | |middle=J. | ||
|class_section=7B | |class_section=7B | ||
|class_rank= | |class_rank=Private | ||
|birth_year=1921 | |birth_year=1921 | ||
|death_year=2010 | |death_year=2010 | ||
|nativity= | |nativity=France | ||
|religion= | |religion=Catholic | ||
|overseas=Y | |overseas=Y | ||
|certificate=5069 | |certificate=5069 | ||
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|class_number=14 | |class_number=14 | ||
|class_display=14 | |class_display=14 | ||
|awards=Silver Star | |||
|awards_grid=Silver Star | |||
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Silver_Star_Medal_ribbon.png | |||
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Silver_Star_Medal_ribbon.png | |||
|awards_extra=Listed in [[By The Numbers/Awards]] (from ''Ritchie Boy Secrets'' by Beverley Driver Eddy). | |||
|birth_place=France | |||
|rank_final=Major | |||
|death_date=1 April 2010 | |||
|birth_date=29 April 1921 | |||
}} | }} | ||
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== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
René J. Défourneaux was born on 29 April 1921 in France and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1939. He volunteered for the Army in 1943 and, because of his French, trained as an interrogator at Camp Ritchie (Class 14). | |||
Shipped overseas, he transferred to British Special Operations Executive training and then to the Office of Strategic Services. Commissioned a second lieutenant at SHAEF, he parachuted into occupied France on the night of 8 August 1944, joined the Licensee (Leon) resistance net in the Nièvre, destroyed the Saint-Thibault bridge on the Loire, and helped deny German armor routes against Patton’s Third Army. For those actions he received the Silver Star (12 April 1945) and the French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. In 1945 OSS sent him to the China-Burma-India theater with the Deer Team training Viet Minh guerrillas near Hanoi under the cover name Raymond Douglas. | |||
Recalled in 1947 for Counter Intelligence Corps and later intelligence assignments in Europe and Asia, Défourneaux retired as a major in February 1965. In retirement he wrote several books, including ''The Winking Fox''. He died on 1 April 2010 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. | |||
== Research notes == | == Research notes == | ||
| Line 29: | Line 42: | ||
* Jedburgh | * Jedburgh | ||
* Winking Fox | * Winking Fox | ||
* Fixed malformed live birth_place. Silver Star retained. French Croix de Guerre kept in prose only (not in the U.S. ribbon filename list). City of birth within France is not asserted. | |||
== Gallery == | == Gallery == | ||
<div class="soldier-gallery"> | |||
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px"> | |||
Defourneaux_Rene_J_32764692_award_ceremony.jpg|Rene J. Defourneaux at a wartime awards ceremony (RB Archive) | |||
</gallery> | |||
</div> | |||
== Technical record == | == Technical record == | ||
| Line 48: | Line 66: | ||
| row_source || both | | row_source || both | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Timeline == | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline"> | |||
<div class="soldier-timeline-body"> | |||
* 29 April 1921 — Born in France. | |||
* 1939 — Immigrated to the United States. | |||
* 1943 — Volunteered for the U.S. Army; trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 14). | |||
* 8 August 1944 — Parachuted into occupied France on an OSS/SOE resistance mission. | |||
* 12 April 1945 — Awarded the Silver Star at the Pentagon. | |||
* 1945 — China-Burma-India / Deer Team assignment in French Indochina. | |||
* November 1947 — Recalled to active duty for CIC / intelligence assignments. | |||
* February 1965 — Retired as a major. | |||
* 1 April 2010 — Died; buried in Arlington National Cemetery. | |||
</div> | |||
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div> | |||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
* Camp Ritchie | * [[:File:Defourneaux_Rene_J_32764692_award_ceremony.jpg|Rene J. Defourneaux at a wartime awards ceremony (RB Archive)]] | ||
* Folder identity dates: 29 April 1921 – 1 April 2010 | |||
* RB Archive note “LT. DEFOURNEAUX DROPS INTO FRANCE, 8 August 1944” (Silver Star; Croix de Guerre) | |||
* RB Archive Military Intelligence Corps biographical profile of Major René J. Défourneaux | |||
* 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 Rene J. Defourneaux for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed) | |||
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Defourneaux, Rene J. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: RENE J. DEFOURNEAUX.doc) | |||
Latest revision as of 23:25, 16 September 2026
| Rene J. Defourneaux | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 April 1921 France |
| Died | 1 April 2010 |
| Nativity | France |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Awards | Silver Star |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 32764692 |
| Rank | Major |
| Rank at Ritchie | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 14 (2 December 1943 – 31 January 1944) |
| Section | 7B |
Awards and honors
|
| Silver Star |
- Listed in By The Numbers/Awards (from Ritchie Boy Secrets by Beverley Driver Eddy).
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Rene J. Defourneaux (1921–2010) was a United States Army Private who trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 14.
Biography[edit | edit source]
René J. Défourneaux was born on 29 April 1921 in France and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1939. He volunteered for the Army in 1943 and, because of his French, trained as an interrogator at Camp Ritchie (Class 14).
Shipped overseas, he transferred to British Special Operations Executive training and then to the Office of Strategic Services. Commissioned a second lieutenant at SHAEF, he parachuted into occupied France on the night of 8 August 1944, joined the Licensee (Leon) resistance net in the Nièvre, destroyed the Saint-Thibault bridge on the Loire, and helped deny German armor routes against Patton’s Third Army. For those actions he received the Silver Star (12 April 1945) and the French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. In 1945 OSS sent him to the China-Burma-India theater with the Deer Team training Viet Minh guerrillas near Hanoi under the cover name Raymond Douglas.
Recalled in 1947 for Counter Intelligence Corps and later intelligence assignments in Europe and Asia, Défourneaux retired as a major in February 1965. In retirement he wrote several books, including The Winking Fox. He died on 1 April 2010 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- OSS As 2nd Lt SS to Major
- Jedburgh
- Winking Fox
- Fixed malformed live birth_place. Silver Star retained. French Croix de Guerre kept in prose only (not in the U.S. ribbon filename list). City of birth within France is not asserted.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
Rene J. Defourneaux at a wartime awards ceremony (RB Archive)
Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 89 |
| Class_ASN | 32764692 |
| Class_Name | DEFOURNEAUX, Rene J. |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 29 April 1921 — Born in France.
- 1939 — Immigrated to the United States.
- 1943 — Volunteered for the U.S. Army; trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 14).
- 8 August 1944 — Parachuted into occupied France on an OSS/SOE resistance mission.
- 12 April 1945 — Awarded the Silver Star at the Pentagon.
- 1945 — China-Burma-India / Deer Team assignment in French Indochina.
- November 1947 — Recalled to active duty for CIC / intelligence assignments.
- February 1965 — Retired as a major.
- 1 April 2010 — Died; buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Rene J. Defourneaux at a wartime awards ceremony (RB Archive)
- Folder identity dates: 29 April 1921 – 1 April 2010
- RB Archive note “LT. DEFOURNEAUX DROPS INTO FRANCE, 8 August 1944” (Silver Star; Croix de Guerre)
- RB Archive Military Intelligence Corps biographical profile of Major René J. Défourneaux
- 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)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Rene J. Defourneaux for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Defourneaux, Rene J. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: RENE J. DEFOURNEAUX.doc)