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Abt, Karl W. (16081924): Difference between revisions

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|class_number=16
|class_number=16
|class_display=16
|class_display=16
|birth_place=Helmstedt
|birth_place=Helmstedt, Germany
|rank_final=major
|rank_final=major
|teams=MII 499-G
|teams=MII 499-G
|birth_date=20 August 1923
|death_date=9 August 2008
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
He attended The papers are categorized by the courses Abt took in the College of Arts and Sciences, 1941-1943 and 1946-1947, and the School of Commerce, 1946-1949. He began attending Northwestern University in 1941 as a chemistry major, College of Arts and Sciences. Abt attended Princeton University, taking European language courses in accordance with his military duties, from October to December, 1943. He in 1946 Abt returned to Northwestern and declared a new major in business administration, School of Commerce. He writes about this experience in his newly published book, A Few Who Made A Difference (Vantage Press, 2004). He you never wrote anything down. While at Northwestern, Abt was active in the NU Band, playing clarinet and bass clarinet, the Christian Youth League, and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
Karl W. Abt was born on 20 August 1923 in Helmstedt, Germany. He entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major in 1941 and played clarinet and bass clarinet in the university band.
 
Inducted into the Army in 1943, Abt studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16). Fluent in German, he served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, interrogating prisoners, translating captured documents, and helping identify enemy personnel and spies. He remained in military intelligence until his 1946 discharge.
 
Abt returned to Northwestern and changed his major to business administration. He later recounted his wartime work in ''A Few Who Made a Difference: The World War II Teams of the Military Intelligence Service'' (2004). He died on 9 August 2008.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer
* Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer
* Exact dates come from the packet folder identification; no death place or award is inferred. The live lowercase 'major' rank is not carried forward because the packet reviewed here does not support it.


== 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">
* Karl W. Abt was born in Helmstedt, Germany, August 20, 1923. He began attending Northwestern University in 1941 as a chemistry major, College of Arts and Sciences. In 1943 he left Northwestern and went to the U.S. Army where he was in the Army Intelligence Service, European Theatre, until his discharge in 1946. Abt attended Princeton University, taking.
* 20 August 1923 — Born in Helmstedt, Germany.
* When inducted into service during World War II in 1943, Karl W. Abt '48 soon found his German-language skills earned him a place in the Military Intelligence Service.
* 1941 — Entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major.
* In 1946 — Abt returned to Northwestern and declared a new major in business administration, School of Commerce.
* 1943 — Inducted into the Army; studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16).
* KW: How were you chosen for the Military Intelligence Service?.
* 1944–1945 — Served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.
* 1946 — Discharged and returned to Northwestern University.
* 2004 — Published A Few Who Made a Difference.
* 9 August 2008 — Died.
</div>
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* RB Archive Northwestern biographical material and course-record summary
* David Alvarez, review of Karl W. Abt, ''A Few Who Made a Difference'', ''History: Reviews of New Books'' 33, no. 3 (Spring 2005): 124 (RB Archive ProQuest copy)
* 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

Latest revision as of 21:56, 16 September 2026

Karl W. Abt
Personal details
Born20 August 1923
Helmstedt, Germany
Died9 August 2008
NativityGermany
ReligionProtestant
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN16081924
RankMajor
Rank at RitchiePrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 16 (6 February – 5 April 1944)
Section5E
EnlistedFt Custer, Michigan
TeamsIPW 94, IPW 97, MII 499-G
Teammates
Team — IPW 94
Team — IPW 97
Team — MII 499-G
These are other soldiers listed on the same team roster. People moved between teams; overlapping service dates are not always documented.
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.


Karl W. Abt (1923–2008) was a United States Army Private First Class who trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 16. Karl enlisted at Ft Custer, Michigan.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Karl W. Abt was born on 20 August 1923 in Helmstedt, Germany. He entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major in 1941 and played clarinet and bass clarinet in the university band.

Inducted into the Army in 1943, Abt studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16). Fluent in German, he served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, interrogating prisoners, translating captured documents, and helping identify enemy personnel and spies. He remained in military intelligence until his 1946 discharge.

Abt returned to Northwestern and changed his major to business administration. He later recounted his wartime work in A Few Who Made a Difference: The World War II Teams of the Military Intelligence Service (2004). He died on 9 August 2008.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer
  • Exact dates come from the packet folder identification; no death place or award is inferred. The live lowercase 'major' rank is not carried forward because the packet reviewed here does not support it.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

After you are autoconfirmed, upload a photo and add [[File:Example.jpg|thumb|caption]] here, or set |photo=Example.jpg in the infobox.

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 85
Nara ASN 16081924
Nara Name ABT KARL
Nara State 61
Nara County 13
Nara POE 6220
Nara DOE 210443
Nara Grade Alpha PVT
Nara Grade Code 8
Nara Branch Alpha NO
Nara Branch Code 2
Branch No branch assignment
Nara Term or Enlistment 5
Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Defer. Date 0
Nara Source 5
Nara Nativity 5
Nara Year of Birth 8
Nara Race 1
Nara Race Description White citizen
Nara Education 0
Nara Civilian Occupation 992
Nara Marital Status 8
Nara Height (inches) 80
Nara Weight (lbs) 149
Class_ASN 16081924
Class_Name ABT, Karl W.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 20 August 1923 — Born in Helmstedt, Germany.
  • 1941 — Entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major.
  • 1943 — Inducted into the Army; studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16).
  • 1944–1945 — Served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.
  • 1946 — Discharged and returned to Northwestern University.
  • 2004 — Published A Few Who Made a Difference.
  • 9 August 2008 — Died.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • RB Archive Northwestern biographical material and course-record summary
  • David Alvarez, review of Karl W. Abt, A Few Who Made a Difference, History: Reviews of New Books 33, no. 3 (Spring 2005): 124 (RB Archive ProQuest copy)
  • 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 Karl W. Abt for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Abt, Karl W. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: KARL W. ABT (references).doc)
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