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Visko, George W. (32298547): Difference between revisions

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|class_rank=Cpl
|class_rank=Cpl
|birth_year=1907
|birth_year=1907
|nativity=US
|nativity=United States
|enlistment_place=FT JAY GOVERNORS ISLAND NEW YORK
|enlistment_place=FT JAY GOVERNORS ISLAND NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
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|photo=1454215620076027.jpg
|photo=1454215620076027.jpg
|caption=Sgt. George Visko interrogates a German POW in Dragoni, Italy, in the fall of 1943.
|caption=Sgt. George Visko interrogates a German POW in Dragoni, Italy, in the fall of 1943.
|death_date=27 March 1944
|death_year=1944
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''George W. Visko''' (born 1907) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 4 and served with IPW Team 15;17.
'''[[Visko, George W. (32298547)|George W. Visko]]''' (1907 – 27 March 1944) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States) who trained at Camp Ritchie in [[:Category:Class 4|class 4]] and served with [[Team IPW 15|IPW Team 15]];17.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
On June 16, 2022, Christopher Galen, son of Ritchie Boy Lt. Bill Galen, visited the site of Camp Ritchie. He shared with Landon Grove, the Ritchie Museum's Director, many stories about his dad's service as a Ritchie Boy and the amazing story attached to this photograph. The photo was taken in July 1943 in Sicily. Bill Galen is in the center wearing a helmet, and Ritchie Boy Sgt. Visko is on the far left. Both served with the 3rd Infantry Division. In the article, Chris Galen describes how RB Visko was killed in action in Anzio, Italy, on March 27, 1944, and how Chris' father was unable to locate any family members of RB Visko after the war. Visko has rested for seven decades beneath a white cross in the U.S. military cemetery along the Italian coastline where he died. He left no family to speak of, no one to speak in his memory. For Visko, then, perhaps the only tribute can be seen in the faces of those whose lives and livelihoods were made possible by his short time on Earth."
Who trained at Camp Ritchie in [[:Category:Class 4|class 4]] and served with IPW Teams 15 and 17. He was killed in action at Anzio, Italy, on 27 March 1944, and is buried in the U.S. Military cemetery along the Italian coastline.
 
One of the Ritchie Boys who was killed in action during WWII was Sgt. George Visko of New York City. Visko was a restaurant maître d' at Manhattan’s famous Stork Club before serving in the Army. After training at one of the earlier 8-week classes at Camp Ritchie, he was assigned to a G-2 intelligence team in the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, and was among the first Allied soldiers to invade Europe, landing in Sicily in July 1943. Visko saved the life of three other GIs in Palermo just a week later, when he talked a truckload of German soldiers into surrendering. Visko also distinguished himself as a front-line chef. One meal for his G-2 team in Sicily featured a menu of “aperitif of vermouth, salad of freshly stolen garden vegetables, pommes de terre ‘GI,’ turkey a la Sicilienne, tree fresh figs for dessert, topped off with coffee royale with Kummel.” Sgt. Visko’s luck turned from good to bad six months after the Sicilian campaign when he was at the Anzio beachhead south of Rome. He was mortally wounded by an artillery shell on March 27, 1944. He is buried just a few kilometers from where he fell, in the military cemetery in Nettuno. Visko’s friends, including Lt. Bill Galen, knew only a little about Visko's stateside ties in Manhattan. Visko had not spoken of siblings or parents, just a wife and daughter. But when Galen’s brother back in Illinois reached out to her, he was informed that Visko’s “wife” was married -- but not to Visko -- and the little girl was not Visko's daughter. Galen was unable to find out more about any connections Visko had, meaning that his memory is (as far as we know) only preserved in these photos.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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<div class="soldier-gallery">
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
5634034839951724.jpg|In the photo are three GI's and a number of captured German soldiers.
5634034839951724.jpg|RB Lt. Bill Galen is in the center wearing a helmet, and Ritchie Boy Sgt. [[Visko, George W. (32298547)|George W. Visko]] is on the far left
1454215620076027.jpg|Sgt. George Visko interrogates a German POW in Dragoni, Italy, in the fall of 1943.
1454215726742683.jpg
1454215726742683.jpg
1454215873409335.jpg|Visko's gravesite in the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.
1454215873409335.jpg|Visko's gravesite in the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.
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== 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)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-08-29 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-08-29 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2026-06-24 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2026-06-24 (1 post)

Latest revision as of 00:22, 19 September 2026

George W. Visko
George W. Visko
Sgt. George Visko interrogates a German POW in Dragoni, Italy, in the fall of 1943.
Personal details
Born1907
Died27 March 1944
NativityUnited States
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN32298547
RankCorporal
Camp RitchieClass 4 (6 January – 6 March 1943)
Section5
EnlistedFt Jay Governors Island, New York
TeamsIPW 15, IPW 17
Teammates
Team — IPW 15
Team — IPW 17
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.


George W. Visko (1907 – 27 March 1944) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 4 and served with IPW Team 15;17.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 4 and served with IPW Teams 15 and 17. He was killed in action at Anzio, Italy, on 27 March 1944, and is buried in the U.S. Military cemetery along the Italian coastline.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • 8/5/1907-?

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • RB Lt. Bill Galen is in the center wearing a helmet, and Ritchie Boy Sgt. George W. Visko is on the far left
    RB Lt. Bill Galen is in the center wearing a helmet, and Ritchie Boy Sgt. George W. Visko is on the far left
  • Visko's gravesite in the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.
    Visko's gravesite in the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Nara ASN 32298547
Nara Name VISKO GEORGE W
Nara State 23
Nara County 61
Nara POE 2327
Nara DOE 70442
Nara Grade Alpha PVT
Nara Grade Code 8
Nara Branch Alpha BI
Nara Branch Code 0
Branch Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
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 0
Nara Nativity 23
Nativity.1 NEW YORK
Nara Year of Birth 7
Nara Race 1
Nara Race Description White citizen
Nara Education 4
Nara Civilian Occupation 107
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 67
Nara Weight (lbs) 150
Class_ASN 32298547
Class_Name Visko, George W.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both
Census_HISTID 0E325503-AE76-40A3-941F-3E1EF54A7D4E
Census_State NEW YORK
Census_Relate Other non-relatives
Census_Sex Male
Census_Age 33
Census_BirthYear 1907
Census_Marital Never married/single
Census_Race White
Census_BPL NEW YORK
Census_MBPL 0
Census_FBPL 0
Census_Educ Grade 9
Census_OCC 780

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)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-08-29 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2026-06-24 (1 post)
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