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Bretton, Henry L. (42052915): Difference between revisions

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|occupation=Skilled occupations in the manufacture of miscellaneous products
|occupation=Skilled occupations in the manufacture of miscellaneous products
|marital=Single with dependents
|marital=Single with dependents
|birth_place=Germany as Henry H. Bismark
|birth_place=Berlin, Germany
|class_number=24
|class_number=24
|class_display=24
|class_display=24
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|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
|teams=MII 535-G
|birth_date=18 May 1916
|death_date=31 July 2018
|death_place=Albuquerque, New Mexico
|alias=Henry H. Bismark
|photo=Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_portrait.jpg
}}
}}


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'''Henry L. Bretton''' (1916&ndash;2018) was a United States Army soldier associated with Camp Ritchie, Maryland. Henry enlisted at New York City, New York.
'''Henry L. Bretton''' (18 May 1916&ndash;31 July 2018), born Henry H. Bismark in Berlin, was a Camp Ritchie [[Class 24]] interrogator (MI Team 535-G), Bronze Star recipient, OSS veteran, and political scientist.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
In June 1944, he served as (German) interpreter at Fort DuPont, DE. He published autobiography. Worked in a plant as a machine operator; also worked as a salesman. He served as member of MI Team 535-G attached to 13th Armored Div.
Henry L. Bretton was born Henry H. Bismark on 18 May 1916 in Berlin, Germany, the son of Hans and Betty Bismark. He emigrated to the United States in 1938. Inducted into the Army at New York City, he trained at the Military Intelligence Training Center at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, graduating with [[Class 24]] on 23 December 1944 as a German linguist; the War Department recommended a name change for security, effected by court order. In June 1944 he had already served as a German interpreter at Fort DuPont, Delaware.
 
Bretton served with Military Intelligence Interrogation Team 535-G attached to the 13th Armored Division. Headquarters 13th Armored Division General Orders No. 108 (28 June 1945) awarded him the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement on 16 April 1945 at Hilden, Germany, where he investigated a war crime, traced the perpetrator through enemy territory to Düsseldorf and Montabaur, and established the facts. Family accounts also place his MIS team with armored reconnaissance under Third Army and describe a near miss near the Austrian border on 7 May 1945. At war’s end he transferred to OSS Secret Intelligence; his highest postwar reserve rank was first lieutenant (counter intelligence).
 
Discharged in September 1945, he entered Yale University in February 1946 under the G.I. Bill and graduated with honors in August 1947, then completed a Ph.D. In political science at the University of Michigan and taught there before becoming Distinguished Professor at SUNY Brockport. He held visiting appointments in Austria, Ghana, Kenya, and Vienna and authored multiple scholarly books. Bretton died on 31 July 2018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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* OSS
* OSS
* to 1st Lt
* to 1st Lt
* 535-g


== 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.''
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_packet_p3.png|13th Armored Division GO 108 (28 June 1945) — Bronze Star citation for Pvt Henry L. Bretton, MI Team 535-G.
Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_packet_p4.png|Continuation of Bretton Bronze Star citation (Hilden / Düsseldorf / Montabaur), GO 108.
Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_packet_p1.png|Dream Shadows / Unit 374 profile pages mentioning Henry Bretton’s Centennial and wartime service.
Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_portrait.jpg|Henry L. Bretton (portrait crop from RB Archive packet page)
</gallery>
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== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
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* Born 18 May 1916 in Germany as Henry H. Bismark.
* 18 May 1916 — Born in Berlin, Germany, as Henry H. Bismark.
* 23 December 1944 — Graduated with Class 24 (German). Classified as German Linguist 1.
* 1938 — Emigrated to the United States.
* June 1944 — Served as (German) interpreter at Fort DuPont, DE.
* June 1944 — German interpreter at Fort DuPont, Delaware.
* Bronze star medal awarded for Operation Varsity.
* 23 December 1944 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 24 (German linguist); name change to Bretton.
* Joined OSS.
* 16 April 1945 — War-crime investigation at Hilden leading to Bronze Star (13th Armored Div. GO 108).
* May 1945 — MIS team near Austrian border (family account); transferred to OSS Secret Intelligence.
* September 1945 — Discharged.
* February 1946 – August 1947 — Yale University (G.I. Bill); later Ph.D., University of Michigan.
* 1969 onward — Distinguished Professor, SUNY College at Brockport.
* 31 July 2018 — Died in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Portrait crop for profile photo: [[:File:Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_portrait.jpg|Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_portrait.jpg]] (from [[:File:Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_packet_p1.png|source scan]]).
* Headquarters 13th Armored Division, General Orders No. 108, 28 June 1945 — Bronze Star Medal, Pvt Henry L. Bretton, MI Team 535-G ([[:File:Henry_L_Bretton_42052915_packet_p3.png|page image]])
* [https://archive.org/details/dreamshadowsfulf0000bret Archive.org: Henry Bretton, ''Dream Shadows of Fulfillment'']
* [https://www.frenchfunerals.com/obituary/Henry-Bretton French Funerals & Cremations obituary: Henry L. Bretton (18 May 1916 – 31 July 2018)]
* 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
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