Wachtel, Ernest (32776330): Difference between revisions

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|birth_place=Vienna, Austria

|rank_final=Capt

|birth_date=6 May 1924

|division=Third Army

}}

'''[[Wachtel, Ernest (32776330)|Ernest Wachtel]]''' (~~1924–2016~~) was a Ritchie Boy ~~(from Austria; Jewish)~~ who ~~trained at Camp Ritchie in class 12 and~~ served with IPW Team 62.

'''[[Wachtel, Ernest (32776330)|Ernest Wachtel]]''' (6 May 1924 – 2016) was a Vienna-born Ritchie Boy who served with IPW Team 62 of Patton’s Third Army from Omaha Beach into Germany.

</div>

== Biography ==

Ernest ~~worked~~ as ~~draftsman~~, ~~layouts~~ and ~~detailing; knowledge~~ of ~~machine shop~~.

Ernest Wachtel was born on 6 May 1924 in Vienna, Austria, the only child of Sigmund (Shaye) and Sofie (Zusa) Liss Wachtel. After the Anschluss his school friends turned on him; Jews were forced to scrub antisemitic graffiti while mobs jeered. The family fled via France—his father later interned as an enemy alien—and Ernest reached New York alone in July 1938 at fourteen. His parents followed in 1939 to a chicken farm at Stelton, New Jersey, beside Camp Kilmer, whose officers’ mess bought their eggs and chickens.

Eager to serve, Wachtel forged his father’s signature to enlist. After Fort Leonard Wood and University of Kentucky topography training He was sent to [[Camp Ritchie]] (Classes 12 and 15). He crossed to Omaha Beach on D+3 (9 June 1944) and joined IPW Team 62 with Third Army, sorting and screening prisoners from Thionville through Trier and the Bulge. After Germany’s surrender He drove to newly liberated Dachau, photographed the dead, and helped three Jewish survivors find housing and supplies in Bad Tölz.

Discharged at Camp Kilmer on 24 December 1945, He married Rose Nussbaum in 1947 and later built businesses in sales, vending, laundry concessions, and apartment management. He died in 2016.

== Research notes ==

* Also 15th class/5B, 2/14/44

* NG Class 12

* Class 12

* Class 15*

* 3rd Army

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* 24 September 1943 — Arrived at Ritchie~~. Assigned to~~ Class 12~~, Section 5C; Dropped~~.

* 6 May 1924 — Born in Vienna, Austria.

* ~~4 January~~ 1944 — ~~Assigned to Class 15~~, ~~Section 5B; Dropped~~.

* 1938 — Anschluss; family fled via France.

* ~~Born 6~~ May ~~2024~~ in ~~Vienna, Austria~~.

* July 1938 — Arrived alone in New York.

* ~~5/43 Served as T/5 with Engr Spec Bn~~ at ~~U. of Kentucky~~.

* 1939 — Parents joined him on a chicken farm near Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

* ~~Assigned to IPW Team 62~~.

* 1943 — Enlisted; topography training at University of Kentucky; Camp Ritchie.

* ~~Assigned to IPW Team 62; attached to 3rd Army. Initial team roster~~.

* 24 September 1943 — Arrived Camp Ritchie; Class 12 (later also Class 15).

* 9 June 1944 — Landed Omaha Beach (D+3); IPW Team 62, Third Army.

* May 1945 — Visited liberated Dachau; aided survivors in Bad Tölz.

* 24 December 1945 — Discharged at Camp Kilmer.

* 1947 — Married Rose Nussbaum.

* 2016 — Died.

</div>

</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

== Sources ==

* [https://holocaustcenter.org/research/oral-history-department/oral-histories-index/ Zekelman Holocaust Center oral-history index]

* [https://5152.sydneyplus.com/argus/final/Portal/Default.aspx?component=AAFG&record=370e404e-16b9-469f-bff7-559f799e945f Zekelman Holocaust Center oral history, OHV 418]

* 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

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 |birth_place=Vienna, Austria
 |rank_final=Capt
+|birth_date=6 May 1924
+|division=Third Army
 }}
 <div class="soldier-lead">
-'''[[Wachtel, Ernest (32776330)|Ernest Wachtel]]''' (1924–2016) was a Ritchie Boy (from Austria; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 12 and served with IPW Team 62.
+'''[[Wachtel, Ernest (32776330)|Ernest Wachtel]]''' (6 May 1924 &ndash; 2016) was a Vienna-born Ritchie Boy who served with IPW Team 62 of Patton’s Third Army from Omaha Beach into Germany.
 </div>
 == Biography ==
-Ernest worked as draftsman, layouts and detailing; knowledge of machine shop.
+Ernest Wachtel was born on 6 May 1924 in Vienna, Austria, the only child of Sigmund (Shaye) and Sofie (Zusa) Liss Wachtel. After the Anschluss his school friends turned on him; Jews were forced to scrub antisemitic graffiti while mobs jeered. The family fled via France—his father later interned as an enemy alien—and Ernest reached New York alone in July 1938 at fourteen. His parents followed in 1939 to a chicken farm at Stelton, New Jersey, beside Camp Kilmer, whose officers’ mess bought their eggs and chickens.
+Eager to serve, Wachtel forged his father’s signature to enlist. After Fort Leonard Wood and University of Kentucky topography training He was sent to [[Camp Ritchie]] (Classes 12 and 15). He crossed to Omaha Beach on D+3 (9 June 1944) and joined IPW Team 62 with Third Army, sorting and screening prisoners from Thionville through Trier and the Bulge. After Germany’s surrender He drove to newly liberated Dachau, photographed the dead, and helped three Jewish survivors find housing and supplies in Bad Tölz.
+Discharged at Camp Kilmer on 24 December 1945, He married Rose Nussbaum in 1947 and later built businesses in sales, vending, laundry concessions, and apartment management. He died in 2016.
 == Research notes ==
 * Also 15th class/5B, 2/14/44
-* NG Class 12
+* Class 12
 * Class 15*
 * 3rd Army
@@ Line 53: / Line 59: @@
 <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
 <div class="soldier-timeline-body">
-* 24 September 1943 — Arrived at Ritchie. Assigned to Class 12, Section 5C; Dropped.
+* 6 May 1924 — Born in Vienna, Austria.
-* 4 January 1944 — Assigned to Class 15, Section 5B; Dropped.
+* 1938 — Anschluss; family fled via France.
-* Born 6 May 2024 in Vienna, Austria.
+* July 1938 — Arrived alone in New York.
-* 5/43 Served as T/5 with Engr Spec Bn at U. of Kentucky.
+* 1939 — Parents joined him on a chicken farm near Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.
-* Assigned to IPW Team 62.
+* 1943 — Enlisted; topography training at University of Kentucky; Camp Ritchie.
-* Assigned to IPW Team 62; attached to 3rd Army. Initial team roster.
+* 24 September 1943 — Arrived Camp Ritchie; Class 12 (later also Class 15).
+* 9 June 1944 — Landed Omaha Beach (D+3); IPW Team 62, Third Army.
+* May 1945 — Visited liberated Dachau; aided survivors in Bad Tölz.
+* 24 December 1945 — Discharged at Camp Kilmer.
+* 1947 — Married Rose Nussbaum.
+* 2016 — Died.
 </div>
 </div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
 == Sources ==
+* [https://holocaustcenter.org/research/oral-history-department/oral-histories-index/ Zekelman Holocaust Center oral-history index]
+* [https://5152.sydneyplus.com/argus/final/Portal/Default.aspx?component=AAFG&record=370e404e-16b9-469f-bff7-559f799e945f Zekelman Holocaust Center oral history, OHV 418]
 * 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