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Lubran, Walter H. (33668332): Difference between revisions

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|class_rank=Pvt
|class_rank=Pvt
|birth_year=1912
|birth_year=1912
|birth_date=29 July 1912
|death_year=2000
|death_year=2000
|nativity=Ge
|nativity=Germany
|religion=J
|religion=Jewish
|enlistment_place=PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA
|enlistment_place=PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA
|ipw_ge=141
|ipw_ge=141
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|class_number=16
|class_number=16
|class_display=16
|class_display=16
|birth_place=Sebnitz, Germany
|rank_final=Master Sergeant
|alias=Lubranitsky
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter H. Lubran]]''' (1912–2000) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 16 and served with IPW Team 141.
'''Walter H. Lubran''' (29 July 1912 &ndash; 2000) was a German-born United States Army interrogator who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 16]] and served with IPW Team 141.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
On Christmas Day 1944, my late Dad, [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]], was serving with IPW (Interrogator of Prisoners of War) Team 141 attached to the 84th Infantry Division. They were in Belgium at the Ardennes Forest during the fiercest fighting taking place at the Battle of the Bulge. I found a letter that he wrote to my late Mother that day that included this menu. It's so hard to imagine.
Walter H. Lubran was born on 29 July 1912 in Sebnitz, Germany, to a Jewish family (also recorded as Lubranitsky). He emigrated to the United States aboard the SS ''Georgic'' in the autumn of 1939 and worked as a retail shoe-store manager.


I don't know the date of this news article or where it was published. But it's gratifying to know that Ritchie Boy IPW Team 141 ([[Pick, Gerard (32525638)|Gerard Pick]], [[Wagner, Henry (01001068)|Henry Wagner]], Curt Shelton, [[Wertheim, Joseph H. (32815602)|Joseph Wertheim]], [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]], and [[Wolff, Victor H. (01052224)|Victor Wolff]]) was part of the 84th Infantry Division that was given the nickname of the "Terror Division" and the soldiers were referred to as "Eisenhower's Hatchet Men." More about IPW 141 to follow.
Enlisting at Pittsburgh on 17 March 1943, he trained at Camp Ellis, Fort Meade, and Camp Lee before graduating Camp Ritchie Class 16 on 5 April 1944 as a German document examiner, later rising to master sergeant. With IPW Team 141 he was attached to the 84th Infantry Division in Belgium on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, then in March 1945 moved with the 16th Armored Division into Germany and Czechoslovakia, including the liberation of Plzeň. Teammates included [[Pick, Gerard (32525638)|Gerard Pick]], [[Wagner, Henry (01001068)|Henry Wagner]], [[Schimmerl, Kurt (32708849)|Kurt Schimmerl]], [[Wolff, Victor H. (01052224)|Victor Wolff]], and [[Wertheim, Joseph H. (32815602)|Joseph Wertheim]]. Lubran died in 2000.
 
The Ritchie Boys IPW Team #141 In action Spring 1945 in Europe. [[Wolff, Victor H. (01052224)|Victor Wolff]], 19th Class SSgt [[Wertheim, Joseph H. (32815602)|Joseph Wertheim]], 19th Class MSgt [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]] (my late Father), 16th Class In a letter home from my Father on March 6, 1945, he wrote that, ..."even though I have not seen the 'River (ie. the Rhine),' as yet it is very close from here." He also wrote, We (IPW Team #141) will be assigned to another outfit and I have no idea when we will go...." His next letter is dated March 16, 1945 and it in he says that, "...we were just a couple of miles from the Rhine when we were ordered to move to this new unit." That unit turned out to be the 16th Armored Division which went South through Germany into Czechoslovakia where they liberated Pilzen.
 
Prior to being transferred to Camp Ritchie, my Father, Ritchie Boy [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]], attended training at Camp Ellis (IL), Fort George G. Meade (MD), and Camp Lee (VA). Here are some maps of two of the three camps. On the Camp Ellis map, my Dad wrote some notes such as "about 3 or 4 miles long," the place I work" and "my barrack," "service Friday nights," Parade ground "just rough terrain," and "prospective hitchhikers" outside the Camp HQ Area.
 
Military historian Bryan Dickerson's book about the Liberation of Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, by the US Army's 16th Armored Division, has been recently published by McFarland Publishing. Ritchie Boys were part of the 16th Armored Division. My late Father, MSgt [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]] and the others of the 141th IPW team interrogated German soldiers fleeing from Prague as the Russian Army approached that city from the East. The 16th Armored Division reached the furthest east of any US Army unit and was prepared to capture Prague but was called back to Pilsen.
 
[[Hauser, Frank C. (32417389)|Frank Hauser]]'s application for naturalization submitted to the US District Court's Western District of South Carolina at Spartanburg. Ritchie Boy Hauser sailed to the United States from Liverpool on the SS Georgic and arrived to the United States on March 27, 1940. In an interesting coincidence, my Father, [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]], also sailed on the SS Georgic in the Fall of 1939. Like [[Hauser, Frank C. (32417389)|Frank Hauser]], my Father also trained as an Interrogator of Prisoners of War (IPW). RB Hauser served with IPW team 140 and my Father served on IPW team 141.
 
At the invitation of Ritchie Boy Harry Jacobs, I was able to attend an annual luncheon meeting of WWII Veterans who served in the US Army's 4th Armored Division during World War II, their families, and friends at Fort Myers in Arlington, VA. Harry had invited me because my late Father, Ritchie Boy [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]], had served in the US Army's 16th Armored Division, which had liberated Pilzen, Czechoslovakia around the same time that the 4th Armored Division was fighting in Czechoslovakia. Many veterans of the 4th AD helped cadre the newly formed 16th AD when it entered into the ETO in March 1945. Attending the meeting was special guest Brigadier General Creighton W. Abrams III, USA (Ret), whose late Father, General Creighton Abrams, Jr., had as a Lieutenant Colonel commanded the 4th Armored Division's 37th Tank Battalion during WWII. Three 4th Armored Veterans attended the luncheon and, to my surprise, all three were graduates of Camp Ritchie's Military Intelligence Training Center. I had an opportunity to talk with all three of them and will be posting some more stories in the future.
 
On February 4, 2020, I addressed the Men's Club at the Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington about Camp Ritchie and the Ritchie Boys. Among the attendees were Michael R. Landauer (below left), the son of Ritchie Boy Henry Landauer; Ambassador Richard Schifter (below center), one of the original Ritchie Boys; and Bernie Lubran (below right), the main speaker whose father, [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]], was a Ritchie Boy. Alan Field, the son of Ritchie Boy George R. Field, also attended the program.
 
bit.ly/3rvISIP If you happen to be in New York City this week, and want to learn about the Ritchie Boys, you are invited to attend the Tisha B'Av service at the Carlebach Shul on West 79th Street in Manhattan. In addition to the showing of the Ritchie Boys documentary film, there will be a presentation by the sons of two Ritchie Boys, Bernie Lubran (son of RB [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]] and Rafael Kellman (son of RB [[Kellman, William (32826847)|William Kellman]]). Details can be found below.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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* ASTP
* ASTP
* 16th Armd
* 16th Armd
* Prior bio already strong; regenerate to keep Christmas 1944 fact and teammate links.


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
729928247029099.jpg
729928247029099.jpg|Christmas Day 1944 menu from a letter written during the Battle of the Bulge while serving with IPW Team 141, 84th Infantry Division
1343820212306563.jpg
1354674987887752.jpg|IPW Team 141 in Europe, spring 1945. Left to right: [[Pick, Gerard (32525638)|Gerard Pick]]; Capt. [[Wagner, Henry (01001068)|Henry Wagner]]; T/3 [[Schimmerl, Kurt (32708849)|Kurt Schimmerl]] (Curt Shelton); 2nd Lt. [[Wolff, Victor H. (01052224)|Victor Wolff]]; SSgt [[Wertheim, Joseph H. (32815602)|Joseph Wertheim]]; MSgt [[Lubran, Walter H. (33668332)|Walter Lubran]]
1354674987887752.jpg|From left to right they are: [[Pick, Gerard (32525638)|Gerard Pick]], 20th Class Captain Henry Wagner, 20th Class T3 [[Schimmerl, Kurt (32708849)|Kurt Schimmerl]] (Curt Shelton), 19th Class 2nd Lt.
1711930925495488.jpg
1711929882162259.jpg
1711930648828849.jpg
1711930312162216.jpg
1733288406693073.jpg
1775827892439124.jpg
1810051279016785.jpg|Pictured below, they are (left to right): [[Jacobs, Harry A (33743685)|Harry Jacobs]], Gideon Kantor, and [[Shehab, Alfred H. M. (01012319)|Alfred Shehab]].
2967798189908749.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
</div>
</div>
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| row_source || both
| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 29 July 1912 — Born in Sebnitz, Germany.
* Autumn 1939 — Emigrated to the United States on SS Georgic.
* 17 March 1943 — Enlisted at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
* 5 April 1944 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 16.
* 25 December 1944 — IPW Team 141 with 84th Infantry Division, Battle of the Bulge.
* March 1945 — Team 141 attached to 16th Armored Division (Germany / Czechoslovakia).
* 2000 — Died.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* Existing profile Sources / teammate documentation for IPW Team 141
* RB Archive photograph caption: Walter Lubran with IPW Team 141, 84th Infantry Division, 25 December 1944
* 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)
Line 146: Line 144:
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2020-02-22 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2020-02-22 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-07-23 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-07-23 (1 post)
* Facebook-linked source: [http://bit.ly/3rvISIP bit.ly]
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Walter H. Lubran for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Lubran, Walter H. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: WALTER H. LUBRAN.doc)

Latest revision as of 01:49, 17 September 2026

Walter H. Lubran
Personal details
Birth nameLubranitsky
Born29 July 1912
Sebnitz, Germany
Died2000
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN33668332
RankMaster Sergeant
Rank at RitchiePrivate
Camp RitchieClass 16 (6 February – 5 April 1944)
Section5B
EnlistedPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TeamIPW 141
Teammates
Team — IPW 141
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.


Walter H. Lubran (29 July 1912 – 2000) was a German-born United States Army interrogator who trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 16 and served with IPW Team 141.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Walter H. Lubran was born on 29 July 1912 in Sebnitz, Germany, to a Jewish family (also recorded as Lubranitsky). He emigrated to the United States aboard the SS Georgic in the autumn of 1939 and worked as a retail shoe-store manager.

Enlisting at Pittsburgh on 17 March 1943, he trained at Camp Ellis, Fort Meade, and Camp Lee before graduating Camp Ritchie Class 16 on 5 April 1944 as a German document examiner, later rising to master sergeant. With IPW Team 141 he was attached to the 84th Infantry Division in Belgium on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, then in March 1945 moved with the 16th Armored Division into Germany and Czechoslovakia, including the liberation of Plzeň. Teammates included Gerard Pick, Henry Wagner, Kurt Schimmerl, Victor Wolff, and Joseph Wertheim. Lubran died in 2000.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • Also PG Class 13 GerOB
  • CIB
  • ASTP
  • 16th Armd
  • Prior bio already strong; regenerate to keep Christmas 1944 fact and teammate links.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 88
Nara ASN 33668332
Nara Name LUBRAN WALTER H
Nara State -2
Nara County 3
Nara POE 3298
Nara DOE 170343
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 0
Nara Nativity N1
Nara Year of Birth 12
Nara Race 1
Nara Race Description White citizen
Nara Education 4
Nara Civilian Occupation 72
Nara Marital Status 2
Nara Height (inches) 22
Nara Weight (lbs) 120
Class_ASN 33668332
Class_Name LUBRAN, Walter H.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 29 July 1912 — Born in Sebnitz, Germany.
  • Autumn 1939 — Emigrated to the United States on SS Georgic.
  • 17 March 1943 — Enlisted at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
  • 5 April 1944 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 16.
  • 25 December 1944 — IPW Team 141 with 84th Infantry Division, Battle of the Bulge.
  • March 1945 — Team 141 attached to 16th Armored Division (Germany / Czechoslovakia).
  • 2000 — Died.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Existing profile Sources / teammate documentation for IPW Team 141
  • RB Archive photograph caption: Walter Lubran with IPW Team 141, 84th Infantry Division, 25 December 1944
  • 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 2014-03-21 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2017-01-16 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2017-01-22 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-01-15 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-02-05 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-03-16 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-04-16 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2020-02-22 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-07-23 (1 post)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Walter H. Lubran for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Lubran, Walter H. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: WALTER H. LUBRAN.doc)
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