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Fairbrook, Paul (32709209): Difference between revisions
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{{Soldier | {{Soldier | ||
|lede_on_page=1 | |||
|asn=32709209 | |asn=32709209 | ||
|surname=Fairbrook | |surname=Fairbrook | ||
|first=Paul | |first=Paul | ||
|class_section=6 | |class_section=6 | ||
|class_rank= | |class_rank=Private | ||
|nativity= | |nativity=Germany | ||
|religion= | |religion=Jewish | ||
|overseas=Y | |overseas=Y | ||
|loc=x | |loc=x | ||
| Line 13: | Line 14: | ||
|class_number=7 | |class_number=7 | ||
|class_display=7 | |class_display=7 | ||
|photo=626628162834781.jpg | |||
|rank_final=Captain | |||
|birth_date=21 August 1923 | |||
|birth_year=1923 | |||
|death_date=2 October 2023 | |||
|death_year=2023 | |||
|birth_place=Berlin, Germany | |||
|alias=Paul Schoenbach | |||
}} | }} | ||
<div class="soldier-lead"> | |||
'''[[Fairbrook, Paul (32709209)|Paul Fairbrook]]''' (21 August 1923 – 2 October 2023), born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, was a [[Class 7]] Ritchie Boy who worked at Fort Hunt’s P.O. Box 1142 on the German Army order of battle and later led university food-service programs. | |||
</div> | |||
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
Paul Fairbrook was born Paul Schoenbach on 21 August 1923 in Berlin, Germany, the son of banker Alvin James Schoenbach and Lotte Schoenbach. Facing Nazi restrictions on Jewish schooling, the family moved to Palestine in 1933. In 1937, while traveling through Germany toward a U.S. consul in Amsterdam, German authorities ordered them out within twenty-four hours; Fairbrook’s father secured entry papers by showing He could support the family with a valuable stamp collection. The family took the English form of their name after arriving in the United States. | |||
Drafted in January 1943, Fairbrook took basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, then trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] in [[Class 7]] because of his German and French. He was naturalized on 20 May 1943 and graduated as a corporal on 12 June 1943. Assigned to the Military Intelligence Research Section at Fort Hunt, Virginia (P.O. Box 1142), He analyzed Afrika Korps documents and helped produce the U.S. Army’s ''Order of Battle of the German Army''. A brief wartime transfer to England after D-Day was followed by return to Fort Hunt and work in the German Military Document Section. | |||
Discharged in 1946, Fairbrook earned a comparative-literature degree at Brown University and an M.B.A. from Michigan State University. He became Dean of the Culinary Institute of America and directed food services at Northern Illinois University and the University of the Pacific, later consulting in college dining. He died on 2 October 2023 at age 100. | |||
== Research notes == | == Research notes == | ||
* 8/21/1923-A | * 8/21/1923-A | ||
== Technical record == | == Technical record == | ||
| Line 37: | Line 51: | ||
| row_source || both | | row_source || both | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Timeline == | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline"> | |||
<div class="soldier-timeline-body"> | |||
* 21 August 1923 — Born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, Germany. | |||
* 1933 — Family moved to Palestine. | |||
* 1937 — Family reached the United States via Amsterdam after detention in Germany. | |||
* January 1943 — Drafted; basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. | |||
* 20 May 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen. | |||
* 12 June 1943 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 7 as corporal. | |||
* 13 September 1943 — Assigned to MIRS / P.O. Box 1142, Fort Hunt, Virginia. | |||
* 1946 — Discharged; later studied at Brown University and Michigan State. | |||
* 2 October 2023 — Died at age 100. | |||
</div> | |||
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div> | |||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
* Camp Ritchie | * [https://www.pacific.edu/pacific-newsroom/former-food-services-director-and-wwii-hero-was-beloved-students University of the Pacific remembrance of Paul Fairbrook] | ||
* [https://concernamerica.org/2023/10/02/remembering-concern-america-founder-paul-fairbrook/ Concern America remembrance of Paul Fairbrook (2 October 2023)] | |||
* [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=9cdd6950-1786-4b9e-b3b0-d2b85025df94 Zekelman Holocaust Center oral history, OHV 419] | |||
* 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 2021-09-24 (1 post) | |||
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-06-01 (1 post) | |||
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-11-10 (1 post) | |||
* Facebook-linked source: [https://bit.ly/2XVrjDH bit.ly] | |||
* Facebook-linked source: [https://veteransbreakfastclub.org/ Veterans interview / article] | |||
* Facebook-linked source: [https://bestdefensefoundation.org/about-best-defense-foundation/ bestdefensefoundation.org] | |||
* Facebook-linked source: [https://www.pacific.edu/pacific-newsroom/former-food-services-director-and-wwii-hero-was-beloved-students pacific.edu] | |||
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Paul Fairbrook for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 3 source documents reviewed) | |||
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Fairbrook, Paul for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 3 source files: PAUL FAIRBROOK (2020).doc, PAUL FAIRBROOK (2020A).doc, PAUL FAIRBROOK.doc) | |||
Latest revision as of 02:14, 17 September 2026
| Paul Fairbrook | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Paul Schoenbach |
| Born | 21 August 1923 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 2 October 2023 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 32709209 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Rank at Ritchie | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 7 (15 April – 12 June 1943) |
| Section | 6 |
Interviews Watch Paul Fairbrook in 2 recordings on Ritchie Boy Interviews: Veterans Breakfast Club (with Maximilian Lerner) · Zekelman Holocaust Center.
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.
Paul Fairbrook (21 August 1923 – 2 October 2023), born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, was a Class 7 Ritchie Boy who worked at Fort Hunt’s P.O. Box 1142 on the German Army order of battle and later led university food-service programs.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Paul Fairbrook was born Paul Schoenbach on 21 August 1923 in Berlin, Germany, the son of banker Alvin James Schoenbach and Lotte Schoenbach. Facing Nazi restrictions on Jewish schooling, the family moved to Palestine in 1933. In 1937, while traveling through Germany toward a U.S. consul in Amsterdam, German authorities ordered them out within twenty-four hours; Fairbrook’s father secured entry papers by showing He could support the family with a valuable stamp collection. The family took the English form of their name after arriving in the United States.
Drafted in January 1943, Fairbrook took basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, then trained at Camp Ritchie in Class 7 because of his German and French. He was naturalized on 20 May 1943 and graduated as a corporal on 12 June 1943. Assigned to the Military Intelligence Research Section at Fort Hunt, Virginia (P.O. Box 1142), He analyzed Afrika Korps documents and helped produce the U.S. Army’s Order of Battle of the German Army. A brief wartime transfer to England after D-Day was followed by return to Fort Hunt and work in the German Military Document Section.
Discharged in 1946, Fairbrook earned a comparative-literature degree at Brown University and an M.B.A. from Michigan State University. He became Dean of the Culinary Institute of America and directed food services at Northern Illinois University and the University of the Pacific, later consulting in college dining. He died on 2 October 2023 at age 100.
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- 8/21/1923-A
Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Class_ASN | 32709209 |
| Class_Name | FAIRBROOK, Paul |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 21 August 1923 — Born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, Germany.
- 1933 — Family moved to Palestine.
- 1937 — Family reached the United States via Amsterdam after detention in Germany.
- January 1943 — Drafted; basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
- 20 May 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
- 12 June 1943 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 7 as corporal.
- 13 September 1943 — Assigned to MIRS / P.O. Box 1142, Fort Hunt, Virginia.
- 1946 — Discharged; later studied at Brown University and Michigan State.
- 2 October 2023 — Died at age 100.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- University of the Pacific remembrance of Paul Fairbrook
- Concern America remembrance of Paul Fairbrook (2 October 2023)
- Zekelman Holocaust Center oral-history index
- Zekelman Holocaust Center oral history, OHV 419
- 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 2021-09-24 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-06-01 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-11-10 (1 post)
- Facebook-linked source: bit.ly
- Facebook-linked source: Veterans interview / article
- Facebook-linked source: bestdefensefoundation.org
- Facebook-linked source: pacific.edu
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Paul Fairbrook for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 3 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Fairbrook, Paul for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 3 source files: PAUL FAIRBROOK (2020).doc, PAUL FAIRBROOK (2020A).doc, PAUL FAIRBROOK.doc)