Ritchie Boys Wiki

Biel, Frederick (32526380): Difference between revisions

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|first=Frederick
|first=Frederick
|class_section=7B
|class_section=7B
|class_rank=T/4
|class_rank=Technician Fourth Grade
|birth_year=1909
|birth_year=1909
|death_year=1990
|death_year=1990
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|specialty=Military Intelligence Officer; military interpreter
|specialty=Military Intelligence Officer; military interpreter
|ipw_ge=457-G
|ipw_ge=457-G
|awards=American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars (Rhineland, Normandy, Central Europe, and Northern France); World War II Victory Medal
|awards=American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars; World War II Victory Medal
|awards_grid=American Campaign Medal@@European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars (Rhineland, Normandy, Central Europe, and Northern France)@@World War II Victory Medal
|awards_grid=American Campaign Medal;;European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars;;World War II Victory Medal
|awards_extra=
|awards_extra=
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.png;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.png;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
|teams=MII 457-G
|alias=Fritz Biel
|photo=Biel_Frederick_32526380_jeep_Europe.jpg
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Biel, Frederick (32526380)|Frederick Biel]]''' (15 January 1909 – 15 June 1990) was a Ritchie Boy (from Austria; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 14.
'''[[Biel, Frederick (32526380)|Frederick Biel]]''' (15 January 1909 – 15 June 1990), also called Fritz, was an Austria-born Ritchie Boy (Class 14) who led MII Team 457-G in northwest Europe and later served as a second lieutenant.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
[[Biel, Frederick (32526380)|Frederick Biel]] (15 January 1909 – 15 June 1990) was an Austrian-born Jewish Ritchie Boy who completed the 14th class at the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, on 31 January 1944. His Camp Ritchie certificate identifies him as a technician fourth grade.
Frederick Biel, known in the family as Fritz, was born on 15 January 1909 in Austria. He completed a one-year business college certificate in Vienna and later worked as a production manager in New York City (1941–42). Early wartime papers also place him briefly with a French foreign military formation under the name Fritz Biel before his U.S. Army service.


Biel's Separation Qualification Record shows that he served in the European Theater of Operations in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. It describes him as a Military Intelligence Officer with MII Team 457, responsible for supervising military interpreters and coordinating the collection of intelligence from civilians and enemy military personnel. The record also says that he handled counterintelligence and military security in districts of Holland, Belgium, and Germany, and helped coordinate civilian administration for the military government in several German districts. These duties amounted to 13 months overseas.
Inducted in October 1942, he trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 14, certificate dated 31 January 1944) and rose to master sergeant before receiving a commission. As a military intelligence officer heading MII Team 457-G he served thirteen months overseas in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, supervising interpreters, collecting intelligence from civilians and prisoners, and supporting military-government security in districts that included Braunschweig, Bielefeld, and Bad Salzuflen. He separated as a second lieutenant at Fort Dix on 5 May 1946.


The record lists active service from 25 March 1945 to 5 May 1946, with separation at Fort Dix, New Jersey. It identifies his grade at separation as second lieutenant and his military occupational specialty as Military Intelligence Officer (9300). Before his officer service, he served as an enlisted man from October 1942 to March 1945 and attained the grade of master sergeant. His documented military education included an eight-week Military Intelligence Course in 1944.
His decorations included the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with stars for Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe, and the World War II Victory Medal. He died on 15 June 1990.
 
The same record lists a one-year business-college certificate from Vienna, Austria, with business administration as his major, and civilian work as a production manager in New York City from 1941 to 1942. His decorations and battle credits included the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and stars for the Rhineland, Normandy, Central Europe, and Northern France campaigns.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* 457-g
* OCR (100%) of `5781899001831973.jpg` (CAMP RITCHIE, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE TRAINING CENTER, Camp Ritchie)
* OCR (100%) of `5781899001831973.jpg` (CAMP RITCHIE, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE TRAINING CENTER, Camp Ritchie).
* Center for Jewish History finding aid (Leo Baeck Institute — Biel family papers) describes MII 457 reports and French foreign-unit papers; bulk LBI PDF packets not re-uploaded (Gallery already holds separation and team docs).
* Also held officer ASN '''02009262''' (shown on War Department ID card).


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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5781899028498637.jpg|MII 457G memorandum listing arrests, dated 27 June 1945, page 2.
5781899028498637.jpg|MII 457G memorandum listing arrests, dated 27 June 1945, page 2.
5781899018498638.jpg|MII 457G memorandum listing arrests, dated 27 June 1945, page 3.
5781899018498638.jpg|MII 457G memorandum listing arrests, dated 27 June 1945, page 3.
5781899011831972.jpg|Photograph of Frederick Biel in uniform.
5781899001831973.jpg|Camp Ritchie certificate: Frederick Biel completed the 14th class at the Military Intelligence Training Center, dated 31 January 1944.
5781899001831973.jpg|Camp Ritchie certificate: Frederick Biel completed the 14th class at the Military Intelligence Training Center, dated 31 January 1944.
Biel_Frederick_32526380_jeep_Europe.jpg|Frederick Biel on a jeep in Europe (RB Archive)
Biel_Frederick_32526380_ID_portrait_crop.jpg|Portrait cropped from War Department identification card
</gallery>
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| row_source || both
| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 15 January 1909 — Born in Austria (family nickname Fritz).
* Vienna business college; 1941–42 production manager, New York City.
* October 1942 — Entered U.S. Army; later Camp Ritchie Class 14 (certificate 31 January 1944).
* Enlisted service to March 1945 — rose to master sergeant; then commissioned.
* 25 March 1945 – 5 May 1946 — Officer service; MII 457-G in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany; separated 2LT, Fort Dix.
* 15 June 1990 — Died.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* [[:File:Biel_Frederick_32526380_ID_portrait_crop.jpg|ID portrait crop]] from [[:File:5781899025165304.jpg|War Department ID card]]
* [[:File:Biel_Frederick_32526380_jeep_Europe.jpg|Frederick Biel on a jeep in Europe]]
* RB Archive folder “Frederick Biel” — selected wartime images (curated uploads where not already on Gallery)
* [https://archives.cjh.org/repositories/5/resources/18980 Center for Jewish History / Leo Baeck Institute — Biel family papers (Series II, Frederick / Fritz Biel)]
* 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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