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Vauclain, Samuel M. III (01172324): Difference between revisions

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|surname=Vauclain
|surname=Vauclain
|first=Samuel
|first=Samuel
|middle=M.
|middle=Matthews
|suffix=III
|suffix=III
|class_section=E
|class_section=E
|class_rank=2nd Lt
|class_rank=2nd Lt
|class_branch=FA
|birth_year=1915
|birth_year=1915
|death_year=2007
|death_year=2007
|nativity=US
|nativity=United States
|religion=P
|religion=Protestant
|overseas=Y
|overseas=Y
|certificate=361
|certificate=361
Line 18: Line 17:
|class_number=3
|class_number=3
|class_display=3
|class_display=3
|photo=5954340707921134.jpg
|photo=Vauclain_Samuel_M_III_01172324_portrait.jpg
|death_date=20 November 2007
|death_date=20 November 2007
|birth_place=Bryn Mawr, PA on July 3, 1915.
|arm_or_service=Field Artillery
|birth_date=3 July 1915
|birth_place=Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
|rank_final=Captain
|awards=Bronze Star
|awards_grid=Bronze Star
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''Samuel M. III Vauclain''' (1915–2007) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 3.
'''Samuel Matthews Vauclain III''' (3 July 1915 &ndash; 20 November 2007) was a United States Army officer who trained and taught at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 3]].
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Samuel Matthews Vauclain III was a Ritchie Boy. Samuel was born in Bryn Mawr, PA on July 3, 1915. He attended The Haverford School, graduating from The Lawrenceville School in 1933. He graduated from Princeton University in 1938 and was a member of The Elm Club. After graduation, he went to work as a geological scout for the Sun Oil Company in Mississippi. Drafted into the Army on December 10, 1941, he completed his basic training at Fort Bragg. Sent to OCS at Ft. Sill, OK, Sam was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in October 1942, and transferred to the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, MD where he taught a terrain intelligence course. In January 1944, he was shipped to the South Pacific, serving in the Intelligence Service at Lae, Finchhaven and Hollandia in New Guinea. Then on to Leyte and Luzon in the Philippines and finally to Manila. He collected the Bronze Star Medal and Philippine Liberation Award, leaving the Army as a Captain in January 1946. Vauclain returned to work with Sun Oil's exploration office in Tallahassee. In 1947, he was transferred to Jackson, MS as assistant district geologist, and, in 1952, he was moved to Sun Oil's Philadelphia headquarters as regional staff geologist. Appointed Head Staff Geologist in 1956 for Sun's U.S. and Canadian operations, he served in this capacity until April 1971 when he took early retirement. Several years later, he became Treasurer of Thomas Jefferson Hospital's The Penny Wise Thrift Shop in Ardmore until the mid-90's. Samuel Matthews Vauclain, III died on November 20, 2007 at the age of 92.
Samuel Matthews Vauclain III was born on 3 July 1915 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He attended the Haverford School, graduated from the Lawrenceville School in 1933, and finished Princeton University in 1938 (Elm Club). He then worked as a geological scout for the Sun Oil Company in Mississippi.
 
Drafted on 10 December 1941, Vauclain trained at Fort Bragg and was commissioned a second lieutenant in October 1942. At Camp Ritchie ([[:Category:Class 3|Class 3]]) he taught a terrain-intelligence course. Shipped to the South Pacific in January 1944, he served in intelligence at Lae, Finschhafen, and Hollandia in New Guinea and later in the Philippines, receiving the Bronze Star and Philippine Liberation recognition. He left the Army as a captain in January 1946 and returned to a long career as a Sun Oil geologist. Vauclain died on 20 November 2007.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
''No notes were in the source row. Add what you know.''
* Chronology cleaned from garbled prior live biography.
 
== Gallery ==
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
Vauclain_Samuel_M_III_01172324_portrait.jpg|Samuel Matthews Vauclain III portrait (RB Archive)
</gallery>
</div>


== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
Line 48: Line 63:
| row_source || both
| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 3 July 1915 — Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
* 1938 — Graduated Princeton University.
* 10 December 1941 — Drafted into the U.S. Army.
* October 1942 — Commissioned second lieutenant.
* Class 3 — Taught terrain intelligence at Camp Ritchie.
* January 1944 — Deployed to the South Pacific (New Guinea; later Philippines).
* January 1946 — Left the Army as a captain; Bronze Star.
* 20 November 2007 — Died.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* [[:File:Vauclain_Samuel_M_III_01172324_portrait.jpg|Samuel Matthews Vauclain III portrait (RB Archive)]]
* RB Archive packet for Samuel Matthews Vauclain
* [https://www.chadwickmckinney.com/obituaries/SamuelMatthews-VauclainIII-121/#!/Obituary Samuel Matthews Vauclain III obituary (Chadwick & McKinney)]
* 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 2022-12-13 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-12-13 (1 post)

Latest revision as of 00:22, 19 September 2026

Samuel Matthews Vauclain, III
Samuel Matthews Vauclain, III
Personal details
Born3 July 1915
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Died20 November 2007
NativityUnited States
ReligionProtestant
AwardsBronze Star
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
Arm / serviceField Artillery
ASN01172324
RankCaptain
Rank at RitchieSecond Lieutenant
Camp RitchieClass 3 (2 November – 23 December 1942)
SectionE
Awards and honors
Bronze Star
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.


Samuel Matthews Vauclain III (3 July 1915 – 20 November 2007) was a United States Army officer who trained and taught at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 3.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Samuel Matthews Vauclain III was born on 3 July 1915 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He attended the Haverford School, graduated from the Lawrenceville School in 1933, and finished Princeton University in 1938 (Elm Club). He then worked as a geological scout for the Sun Oil Company in Mississippi.

Drafted on 10 December 1941, Vauclain trained at Fort Bragg and was commissioned a second lieutenant in October 1942. At Camp Ritchie (Class 3) he taught a terrain-intelligence course. Shipped to the South Pacific in January 1944, he served in intelligence at Lae, Finschhafen, and Hollandia in New Guinea and later in the Philippines, receiving the Bronze Star and Philippine Liberation recognition. He left the Army as a captain in January 1946 and returned to a long career as a Sun Oil geologist. Vauclain died on 20 November 2007.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • Chronology cleaned from garbled prior live biography.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • Samuel Matthews Vauclain III portrait (RB Archive)
    Samuel Matthews Vauclain III portrait (RB Archive)

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 92
Class_ASN 172324
Class_Name VAUCLAIN, Samuel M.
match_method asn_partial_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 3 July 1915 — Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
  • 1938 — Graduated Princeton University.
  • 10 December 1941 — Drafted into the U.S. Army.
  • October 1942 — Commissioned second lieutenant.
  • Class 3 — Taught terrain intelligence at Camp Ritchie.
  • January 1944 — Deployed to the South Pacific (New Guinea; later Philippines).
  • January 1946 — Left the Army as a captain; Bronze Star.
  • 20 November 2007 — Died.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Samuel Matthews Vauclain III portrait (RB Archive)
  • RB Archive packet for Samuel Matthews Vauclain
  • Samuel Matthews Vauclain III obituary (Chadwick & McKinney)
  • 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 2022-12-13 (1 post)
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