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Rodenberg, Robert R. (01994687): Difference between revisions

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|surname=Rodenberg
|surname=Rodenberg
|first=Robert
|first=Robert
|middle=R.
|middle=Ridgway
|class_section=5
|class_section=5
|class_rank=2nd Lt
|class_rank=2nd Lt
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|class_display=5
|class_display=5
|death_date=7 October 1994
|death_date=7 October 1994
|birth_place=East St. Louis, Illinois, on November 8
|birth_place=East St. Louis, Illinois
|death_year=1994
|death_year=1994
|birth_date=8 November 1909
|birth_year=1909
|rank_final=Captain
|alias=Robert Ridgway Rodenberg
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Rodenberg, Robert R. (01994687)|Robert R. Rodenberg]]''' (died 7 October 1994) (ASN 01994687) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 5.
'''Robert Ridgway Rodenberg''' (8 November 1909 &ndash; 7 October 1994) was a United States Army officer who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 5]] and later served with OSS in the China-Burma theater.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Robert Ridgway Rodenberg was a Ritchie Boy. Robert was a real estate developer and investor who also was a founder of the Baltimore Colts football team. Robert was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, on November 8, 1909, and went on the move almost immediately. The son of the late William A. Rodenberg, Congressman from Illinois, Bob found himself moved from his birthplace to Washington, D. C., at the tender age of six weeks. But that was only a sort of pre-basic training for globe-trotting. After that first short hop, the youthful Rodenberg was somewhat stabilized in Washington for schooling. His education took him through John Eaton primary school; Devitt Prep; Stuyvesant School, Warrenton, Virginia; Tabor Academy, Marion, Massachusetts; Harvard University, and Babson Institute, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. He graduated from the last in 1932 and away he went. Spain was the first stop, until Bob decided the newspaper profession was for him. He joined the Washington Herald in 1933, put in a year as a reporter and was off to Mexico. Five months later he was back with the Herald, to stay until 1937, when he got a job covering Congress for the now defunct Capitol Daily. In almost no time at all the wandering reporter had bobbed up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as English editor and columnist with the "Imparcial.' Shortly after the Washington Herald got him back, but not for keeps. R.R.R and several friends banded together to form the public relations firm of Sartwell, Snure, Rodenberg ard Barrett. Bob was then shortly thereafter trying something new with the Reynolds Metals Company of Richmond, Virginia. Rodenberg was next in New Mexico studying the possibilities of buying a newspaper in that territory. He almost wound up with Sante Fe's leading daily but by some quirk arrived back East instead producing movie shorts. The series, which appeared in 1904-41 was called ‘International Forum! and featured such figures as Dorothy Thompson, Fanny Hurst, William L, Shirer, Ralph Ingersoll, Admiral Harry S. Yarnall, Wythe Williams, Linton Wells and Senator Claude Pepper. In March of 1942, the Colt prexy enlisted in the Army. His Uncle Sam then handled his itinerary and did so well that R.R.R in service covered 40,000 miles on a round-the-world tour of duty. Assigned to the Quartermaster Corps, as an enlisted man Rodenberg got back to journalism as a columnist on the Camp Lec Traveler. It didn't last. In seven months he was in Officers' Training School, learning about brass at the Army Administrative School at the University of Florida. Next stop was the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. In March 19, he sailed to the Pacific as First Lieutenant on a secret mission. From India he was sent on an intelligence operation behind the Japanese lines in Burma. Landing on a makeshift airfield atop a mountain, he spent four months behind the lines with guerrilla fighters. Day, Rodenberg was transferred to China with the O.S.S. He was sent to Hsian, northernmost outpost in China. Later, after V.J. Day, Bob was one of the first Americans to arrive in Peking, still patrolled by armed Japanese. Following his discharge as a captain, Rodenberg was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital to undergo lengthy treatment for recurring malaria and black fever, contracted in the jungles. Rodenberg headed a syndicate that purchased what then was a defunct Miami franchise in the All America Football Conference and moved it to Baltimore. He was president of the team for one year, during which the investors lost about $250,000. In 1948, the franchise was taken over by the league. The Baltimore Colts of the National Football League moved to Indianapolis in 1984. Rodenberg also was a minority stockholder in the original Washington Senators baseball team. His family had held stock in the team since 1912. After ending his relationship with the Baltimore Colts, Mr. Rodenberg founded RRR&G Real Estate. He invested in real estate and land developments on Maryland's Eastern Shore and in Southern Maryland, including Wicomico Shores Yacht and Country Club in St. He retired in 1972. Robert passed away on October 7, 1994 at the age of 84.
Robert Ridgway Rodenberg was born on 8 November 1909 in East St. Louis, Illinois, the son of Congressman William A. Rodenberg. Moved to Washington, D.C., as an infant, he attended schools including Tabor Academy and studied at Harvard University and Babson Institute (graduating in 1932). Before the war he worked as a newspaper reporter and in public relations and film shorts.
 
Rodenberg enlisted in March 1942, served in the Quartermaster Corps, attended officers’ training, and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 5). In March 1943 he sailed to the Pacific as a first lieutenant on intelligence duty, operating from India behind Japanese lines in Burma with guerrilla forces. After V-E Day he transferred to China with the OSS, serving at Hsian and entering Peking after V-J Day. Discharged as a captain, he was treated at Walter Reed for malaria and related illness contracted in the jungles. He later became president of the Baltimore Colts. Rodenberg died on 7 October 1994.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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* OB 34
* OB 34
* 1909-1994?
* 1909-1994?
* Middle name Ridgway from Colts biography; expanded in first/middle params. Exact March 1943 sailing year partially OCR-garbled in source (“March 19,”) — year inferred from wartime sequence; keep timeline cautious if stronger date surfaces.


== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
Line 45: Line 52:
| row_source || both
| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 8 November 1909 — Born in East St. Louis, Illinois.
* 1932 — Graduated Babson Institute.
* March 1942 — Enlisted in the U.S. Army.
* Class 5 — Trained at Camp Ritchie.
* March 1943 — Sailed to the Pacific; intelligence duty from India into Burma.
* 1945 — OSS service in China (Hsian; Peking after V-J Day).
* Postwar — Discharged as captain; treated at Walter Reed for jungle-contracted illness.
* 7 October 1994 — Died.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* RB Archive packet PDFs (5-6 / Colts media guide)
* RB Archive, Baltimore Colts 1947 media-guide biography of Robert Ridgway Rodenberg
* 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)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-02 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-02 (1 post)

Latest revision as of 01:24, 17 September 2026

Robert Ridgway Rodenberg
Personal details
Birth nameRobert Ridgway Rodenberg
Born8 November 1909
East St. Louis, Illinois
Died7 October 1994
NativityUnited States
ReligionProtestant
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
Arm / serviceNMB
ASN01994687
RankCaptain
Rank at RitchieSecond Lieutenant
Camp RitchieClass 5 (8 February – 9 April 1943)
Section5
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.


Robert Ridgway Rodenberg (8 November 1909 – 7 October 1994) was a United States Army officer who trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 5 and later served with OSS in the China-Burma theater.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Robert Ridgway Rodenberg was born on 8 November 1909 in East St. Louis, Illinois, the son of Congressman William A. Rodenberg. Moved to Washington, D.C., as an infant, he attended schools including Tabor Academy and studied at Harvard University and Babson Institute (graduating in 1932). Before the war he worked as a newspaper reporter and in public relations and film shorts.

Rodenberg enlisted in March 1942, served in the Quartermaster Corps, attended officers’ training, and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 5). In March 1943 he sailed to the Pacific as a first lieutenant on intelligence duty, operating from India behind Japanese lines in Burma with guerrilla forces. After V-E Day he transferred to China with the OSS, serving at Hsian and entering Peking after V-J Day. Discharged as a captain, he was treated at Walter Reed for malaria and related illness contracted in the jungles. He later became president of the Baltimore Colts. Rodenberg died on 7 October 1994.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • OSS CBI
  • OB 34
  • 1909-1994?
  • Middle name Ridgway from Colts biography; expanded in first/middle params. Exact March 1943 sailing year partially OCR-garbled in source (“March 19,”) — year inferred from wartime sequence; keep timeline cautious if stronger date surfaces.

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Class_ASN 994687
Class_Name RODENBERG, Robert R.
match_method asn_partial_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 8 November 1909 — Born in East St. Louis, Illinois.
  • 1932 — Graduated Babson Institute.
  • March 1942 — Enlisted in the U.S. Army.
  • Class 5 — Trained at Camp Ritchie.
  • March 1943 — Sailed to the Pacific; intelligence duty from India into Burma.
  • 1945 — OSS service in China (Hsian; Peking after V-J Day).
  • Postwar — Discharged as captain; treated at Walter Reed for jungle-contracted illness.
  • 7 October 1994 — Died.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • RB Archive packet PDFs (5-6 / Colts media guide)
  • RB Archive, Baltimore Colts 1947 media-guide biography of Robert Ridgway Rodenberg
  • 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)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-02 (1 post)
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