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Spiro, Herbert J. (38461724): Difference between revisions

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|surname=Spiro
|surname=Spiro
|first=Herbert
|first=Herbert
|middle=J.
|middle=John
|class_section=5B
|class_section=5B
|class_rank=Pvt
|class_rank=Pvt
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|death_date=6 April 2010
|death_date=6 April 2010
|birth_place=Hamburg, Germany
|birth_place=Hamburg, Germany
|death_place=San Antonio, Texas, United States
|death_place=San Antonio in
|education=Harvard University
|education=Harvard University
|occupation=Political scientist
|occupation=Political scientist
|known_for=Political scientist
|known_for=Political scientist
|branch=United States Army
|branch=United States Army
|class_branch=United States Army
|years_of_service=1944–1946
|years_of_service=1944–1946
|rank_final=Master sergeant
|rank_final=Master sergeant
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<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
Herbert John Spiro (September 7, 1924 – April 6, 2010) was an American political scientist and diplomat. Born in Hamburg, Germany, where he attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium, he and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution. He served with the United States Army in World War II. His training at Camp Ritchie places him among the list of over 20,000 Ritchie Boys. Afterwards received bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Harvard University. The author of thirteen books on politics and government, he taught at Amherst College and the University of Pennsylvania.
'''[[Spiro, Herbert J. (38461724)|Herbert John Spiro]]''' (1924–2010) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19 and served with IPW Team 155.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Born in Hamburg, Germany, where he attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium, he and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution. Spiro was born in Hamburg, Germany to Jewish parents.
Born in Hamburg, Germany, where he attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium, he and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution. Spiro was born in Hamburg, Germany to Jewish parents.


He received his master's degree in 1950 and his Ph.D. In 1961, Spiro moved from Harvard to Amherst College, where he was Associate Professor of Political Science until 1965. Afterwards he joined the University of Pennsylvania as Professor of Political Science, where he remained until 1970.
In March 1944, Spiro attended ASTP at University of Illinois. He received his master's degree in 1950 and his Ph.D. In 1961, Spiro moved from Harvard to Amherst College, where he was Associate Professor of Political Science until 1965.
 
Afterwards received bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Harvard University. The author of thirteen books on politics and government, he taught at Amherst College and the University of Pennsylvania. He later returned to academia as a professor at the Free University of Berlin.
 
There, Spiro attended Brackenridge High School, and went on to San Antonio Junior College. After returning to the U.S., Spiro entered Harvard University. Spiro taught at Free University of Berlin's John F.
 
Afterwards, RB Spiro received bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Harvard University. He served in the US Foreign Service as Ambassador to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and taught at the Free University of Berlin.
 
His training at Camp Ritchie places him among the list of over 20,000 Ritchie Boys. His training at Camp Ritchie places him among the list of approximately 20,000 Ritchie Boys.
 
Herbert John Spiro (September 7, 1924 – April 6, 2010) was an American political scientist and diplomat. His family emigrated from Germany just a month later, in December 1938; they passed through New York where their relatives had earlier fled, before settling in San Antonio, Texas. He and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution.


Formally an enemy alien, Spiro was not subject to the draft, but after naturalizing in 1944 he volunteered for a military intelligence position. He spent 1945 and 1946 as an administrative assistant to the United States Department of War, stationed in Vienna. in 1953, with a doctoral dissertation on accountability in government.
Afterwards he joined the University of Pennsylvania as Professor of Political Science, where he remained until 1970. Herbert attended San Antonio Junior College (1 year). He later returned to academia as a professor at the Free University of Berlin.


He spent the following year in his native Germany as a Fulbright Fellow, and then returned to Harvard in 1954, where he continued as an instructor until 1957. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in political science in 1959, and lived in Rhodesia and the Central African Republic for the next year. Kennedy-Institute for North American Studies from 1980 to 1989.
There, Spiro attended Brackenridge High School, and went on to San Antonio Junior College. After returning to the U.S., Spiro entered Harvard University. He served in the US Foreign Service as Ambassador to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and taught at the Free University of Berlin.


House of Representatives in 1992 and in 1994, and for the U.S. Senate in the 1993 special election, but failed to be elected. He served with the United States Army in World War II.
Herbert John Spiro (September 7, 1924 – April 6, 2010) was an American political scientist and diplomat. He and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution. Formally an enemy alien, Spiro was not subject to the draft, but after naturalizing in 1944 he volunteered for a military intelligence position.


During the Ford administration, he served as United States Ambassador to Cameroon and to Equatorial Guinea, though the latter country declared him persona non grata. In the early 1990s, he ran for state and then national office as a Republican from Texas, but was not elected. His family name is a corruption of Speyer, a town in the Rhineland which once had a significant Jewish community, but he reminisced that in the U.S.
He spent 1945 and 1946 as an administrative assistant to the United States Department of War, stationed in Vienna. He spent the following year in his native Germany as a Fulbright Fellow, and then returned to Harvard in 1954, where he continued as an instructor until 1957. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in political science in 1959, and lived in Rhodesia and the Central African Republic for the next year.


it often led people to mistake him for a Greek American. His father worked for a distribution firm. He attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium.
He served with the United States Army in World War II. During the Ford administration, he served as United States Ambassador to Cameroon and to Equatorial Guinea, though the latter country declared him persona non grata. His family name is a corruption of Speyer, a town in the Rhineland which once had a significant Jewish community, but he reminisced that in the U.S.


Despite the increasing Nazification of Germany, he states that in liberal Hamburg he experienced no discrimination whatsoever until after Kristallnacht. In a news interview a few years after his arrival, he expressed his disappointment at the relative absence of "wild west heroes" and American Indians in Texas, contrary to the image of the state that he had formed from the Western fiction popular in his native Germany. He served with the 11th Armored Division and received the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster.
His father worked for a distribution firm. He attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium. He served with the 11th Armored Division and received the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster.


There, he wrote his senior honors thesis on Marxist critiques of democracy, with William Yandell Elliott as his advisor. He then joined the Department of State as a member of the Policy Planning Staff. After returning to Texas, he ran for the U.S.
There, he wrote his senior honors thesis on Marxist critiques of democracy, with William Yandell Elliott as his advisor. He then joined the Department of State as a member of the Policy Planning Staff. After returning to Texas, he ran for the U.S.
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He was survived by his sons Peter Spiro and Alexander Spiro, his ex-wife Elizabeth Spiro Clark, and four grandchildren.
He was survived by his sons Peter Spiro and Alexander Spiro, his ex-wife Elizabeth Spiro Clark, and four grandchildren.


He died in San Antonio in 2010, and was buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Ambassador Spiro, the author of 13 books on politics and diplomacy, passed away in 2010.
He died in San Antonio in 2010, and was buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
 


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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| row_source || both
| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* Born 7 September 1924 in Germany.
* 5 January 1944 — Became naturalized U.
* 4 September 1944 — Promoted to S/Sgt.
* June 1943 — Basic training with 62nd Infantry Battalion.
* Assigned to IPW team 155 attached to the First Army.
* Drafted into Army at ___as Pvt (ASN: 38461724).
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* 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)
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* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-05-19 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-05-19 (1 post)
* Facebook-linked source: [https://bit.ly/3FZuHPy bit.ly]
* Facebook-linked source: [https://bit.ly/3FZuHPy bit.ly]
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Herbert J. Spiro for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Spiro, Herbert J. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: HERBERT J. SPIRO.doc)

Latest revision as of 03:44, 15 September 2026

Herbert John Spiro
Herbert John Spiro
Personal details
Born7 September 1924
Hamburg, Germany
Died6 April 2010
San Antonio, Indiana
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Known forPolitical scientist
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN38461724
RankMaster Sergeant
Rank at RitchiePrivate
Camp RitchieClass 19 (16 May – 13 July 1944)
Section5B
TeamIPW 155
Teammates
Team — IPW 155
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.


Herbert John Spiro (1924–2010) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19 and served with IPW Team 155.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Born in Hamburg, Germany, where he attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium, he and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution. Spiro was born in Hamburg, Germany to Jewish parents.

In March 1944, Spiro attended ASTP at University of Illinois. He received his master's degree in 1950 and his Ph.D. In 1961, Spiro moved from Harvard to Amherst College, where he was Associate Professor of Political Science until 1965.

Afterwards he joined the University of Pennsylvania as Professor of Political Science, where he remained until 1970. Herbert attended San Antonio Junior College (1 year). He later returned to academia as a professor at the Free University of Berlin.

There, Spiro attended Brackenridge High School, and went on to San Antonio Junior College. After returning to the U.S., Spiro entered Harvard University. He served in the US Foreign Service as Ambassador to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and taught at the Free University of Berlin.

Herbert John Spiro (September 7, 1924 – April 6, 2010) was an American political scientist and diplomat. He and his family emigrated to the United States in 1938, fleeing Nazi persecution. Formally an enemy alien, Spiro was not subject to the draft, but after naturalizing in 1944 he volunteered for a military intelligence position.

He spent 1945 and 1946 as an administrative assistant to the United States Department of War, stationed in Vienna. He spent the following year in his native Germany as a Fulbright Fellow, and then returned to Harvard in 1954, where he continued as an instructor until 1957. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in political science in 1959, and lived in Rhodesia and the Central African Republic for the next year.

He served with the United States Army in World War II. During the Ford administration, he served as United States Ambassador to Cameroon and to Equatorial Guinea, though the latter country declared him persona non grata. His family name is a corruption of Speyer, a town in the Rhineland which once had a significant Jewish community, but he reminisced that in the U.S.

His father worked for a distribution firm. He attended the Wilhelm-Gymnasium. He served with the 11th Armored Division and received the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster.

There, he wrote his senior honors thesis on Marxist critiques of democracy, with William Yandell Elliott as his advisor. He then joined the Department of State as a member of the Policy Planning Staff. After returning to Texas, he ran for the U.S.

He was survived by his sons Peter Spiro and Alexander Spiro, his ex-wife Elizabeth Spiro Clark, and four grandchildren.

He died in San Antonio in 2010, and was buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • BS

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 86
Class_ASN 38461724
Class_Name SPIRO, Herbert J.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • Born 7 September 1924 in Germany.
  • 5 January 1944 — Became naturalized U.
  • 4 September 1944 — Promoted to S/Sgt.
  • June 1943 — Basic training with 62nd Infantry Battalion.
  • Assigned to IPW team 155 attached to the First Army.
  • Drafted into Army at ___as Pvt (ASN: 38461724).

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • 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)
  • Wikipedia: Herbert Spiro
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-05-19 (1 post)
  • Facebook-linked source: bit.ly
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Herbert J. Spiro for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Spiro, Herbert J. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: HERBERT J. SPIRO.doc)
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