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Janzen, Henry R. (01016309): Difference between revisions

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RB Archive batch-8 enrichment: Chronological regen; Italy capture; DOD place; awards from headstone
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|birth_place=Cloud Chief, Oklahoma
|birth_place=Cloud Chief, Oklahoma
|arm_or_service=Infantry
|arm_or_service=Infantry
|death_place=Yuba City, California
|rank_final=Major
|awards=Bronze Star; Army Commendation
|awards_grid=Bronze Star;;Army Commendation
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_Army_Commendation_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_Army_Commendation_Medal_ribbon.png
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Janzen, Henry R. (01016309)|Henry Raymond Janzen]]''' (11 August 1919 – 25 March 1964) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States; Catholic) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 14.
'''[[Janzen, Henry R. (01016309)|Henry Raymond Janzen]]''' (11 August 1919 – 25 March 1964) was an Oklahoma-born Ritchie Boy (Class 14) who served as an interpreter with Fifth Army in Italy.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Henry Raymond Janzen was born August 11, 1919 in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma.
Henry Raymond Janzen was born on 11 August 1919 in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma. He married Viola Walters of Dinuba, California. Janzen received his commission at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in February 1943, then served with an armored unit at Camp Polk, Louisiana, and trained at Camp Barkeley, Texas, before military-intelligence instruction in Washington, D.C.


Reporting to Washington, he was assigned to Camp Ritchie for further instruction and graduated Jan.
Assigned to Camp Ritchie (Class 14), he graduated on 31 January 1944. After a brief New York furlough he shipped overseas in March 1944 and served with Fifth Army in Italy, where he was promoted to first lieutenant in August 1944. With Sergeant Eric A. Hurst of Jersey City he captured a German soldier who had been masquerading as an Italian hitchhiker about thirty miles behind American lines.


Janzen spent in New York, he was shipped overseas in March 1944. Serving with the Fifth Army in Italy, Janzen was promoted to First Lieutenant in August 1944. Janzen received his commission at Fort Knox.
His headstone records later promotion to major and the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal. Janzen died on 25 March 1964 in Yuba City, California, and is buried at Smith Mountain Cemetery in Dinuba.


A month later, word was received that Lt Janzen and a fellow interpreter succeeded in capturing a German 30 miles behind the Fifth Army's front lines in Italy. He was then assigned to duty in a tank division in the armor corps at Camp Polk, Louisiana. Next he went to Camp Barkeley, Texas, for six weeks training.
== Research notes ==
 
From there he went to Washington, D. C., for military Intelligence instruction. After a ten-day furlough which he and Mrs.
 
J., the Dinuban picked up a hitch-hiking stranger dressed in green cotton trousers and khaki shirt carrying an American rifle. After they led their captive to the nearest Military Police station, the hitchhiker admitted he was a German and had been masquerading as an Italian for ten days after being stranded 30 miles behind American lines. His headstone indicates he was promoted to Major, and earned a Bronze Star Medal as well as a Army Commendation Medal.


Henry Raymond Janzen passed away on March 25, 1964 at the age of 44.
== Research notes ==
''No notes were in the source row. Add what you know.''


== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
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| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 11 August 1919 — Born in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma.
* February 1943 — Commissioned at Fort Knox; armored training at Camp Polk and Camp Barkeley.
* 31 January 1944 — Graduated Camp Ritchie (Class 14).
* March 1944 — Shipped overseas; Fifth Army, Italy.
* August 1944 — Promoted first lieutenant; with Sgt. Eric A. Hurst captured a German behind the lines.
* 25 March 1964 — Died in Yuba City, California; buried Dinuba.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* RB Archive wartime clipping / OCR (Dinuba area press; Camp Ritchie graduation and Italy capture story)
* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52403857/henry-raymond-janzen Find a Grave — Henry Raymond Janzen]
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* 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
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records

Revision as of 20:45, 16 September 2026

Henry Raymond Janzen
Henry Raymond Janzen
Personal details
Born11 August 1919
Cloud Chief, Oklahoma
Died25 March 1964
Yuba City, California
NativityUnited States
ReligionCatholic
AwardsBronze Star; Army Commendation
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
Arm / serviceInfantry
ASN01016309
RankMajor
Rank at RitchieSecond Lieutenant
Camp RitchieClass 14 (2 December 1943 – 31 January 1944)
Section5B
Awards and honors
Bronze Star Army Commendation
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.


Henry Raymond Janzen (11 August 1919 – 25 March 1964) was an Oklahoma-born Ritchie Boy (Class 14) who served as an interpreter with Fifth Army in Italy.

Biography

Henry Raymond Janzen was born on 11 August 1919 in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma. He married Viola Walters of Dinuba, California. Janzen received his commission at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in February 1943, then served with an armored unit at Camp Polk, Louisiana, and trained at Camp Barkeley, Texas, before military-intelligence instruction in Washington, D.C.

Assigned to Camp Ritchie (Class 14), he graduated on 31 January 1944. After a brief New York furlough he shipped overseas in March 1944 and served with Fifth Army in Italy, where he was promoted to first lieutenant in August 1944. With Sergeant Eric A. Hurst of Jersey City he captured a German soldier who had been masquerading as an Italian hitchhiker about thirty miles behind American lines.

His headstone records later promotion to major and the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal. Janzen died on 25 March 1964 in Yuba City, California, and is buried at Smith Mountain Cemetery in Dinuba.

Research notes

Technical record

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 45
Class_ASN 16309
Class_Name JANZEN, Henry R.
match_method asn_partial_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline

  • 11 August 1919 — Born in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma.
  • February 1943 — Commissioned at Fort Knox; armored training at Camp Polk and Camp Barkeley.
  • 31 January 1944 — Graduated Camp Ritchie (Class 14).
  • March 1944 — Shipped overseas; Fifth Army, Italy.
  • August 1944 — Promoted first lieutenant; with Sgt. Eric A. Hurst captured a German behind the lines.
  • 25 March 1964 — Died in Yuba City, California; buried Dinuba.

Sources

  • RB Archive wartime clipping / OCR (Dinuba area press; Camp Ritchie graduation and Italy capture story)
  • Find a Grave — Henry Raymond Janzen
  • 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 2022-12-22 (1 post)