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Katzenstein, William B. (33722535): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 20:11, 2 September 2026
| William B. Katzenstein | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1924 |
| Died | 2012 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Awards | Purple Heart; Bronze Star Medal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 33722535 |
| Rank | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 11 (25 August – 23 October 1943) |
| Enlisted | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Specialty | S-2 / airborne intelligence |
| Unit / division | 505th Pir, 82nd Airborne |
| File:Ribbon Purple Heart ribbon.png;Ribbon Bronze Star Medal ribbon.png |
| Purple Heart; Bronze Star Medal |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
William B. Katzenstein was a German-born refugee from Schenklengsfeld and a Camp Ritchie-trained airborne intelligence soldier. Serving in the S-2 section of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, he took part in the Normandy and Holland campaigns.
Biography
William B. Katzenstein grew up in Schenklengsfeld, Germany, as Nazi persecution made continued Jewish life increasingly dangerous. He left Germany in 1937 and settled in New York, beginning again in the United States several years before America entered the war.
After joining the U.S. Army, Katzenstein was selected for military intelligence training at Camp Ritchie. His German fluency and personal knowledge of the country prepared him to interpret enemy documents, question prisoners, and evaluate information about German forces.
Katzenstein volunteered for the paratroops and was assigned to the S-2 intelligence section of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. The assignment placed a refugee from Germany in one of the Army's most mobile combat formations, where reliable intelligence had to be collected and communicated quickly.
With the 505th, Katzenstein served in the Normandy campaign and later in Holland. He supported airborne operations by helping the regiment understand the enemy troops and material it encountered. His training connected German language and cultural knowledge directly to the needs of regimental headquarters in combat.
Katzenstein continued his intelligence career after the war. He worked for U.S. Army Intelligence in Washington, D.C., carrying the specialized skills developed at Camp Ritchie and in the 82nd Airborne into postwar government service.
William attended college CCNY (AB and graduate work). He graduated George Washington University. On 6 June 1944, Katzenstein served as Pathfinder during D-Day invasion. Katzenstein sent to Algiers where he provided weekly news program for the United Nations radio.
Research notes
- "CIB; BS; The Enemy I Knew" "About Face"
- 505th PIR
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 88 |
| Nara ASN | 33722535 |
| Nara Name | KATZENSTEIN WERNER B |
| Nara State | 31 |
| Nara County | 7 |
| Nara POE | 3110 |
| Nara DOE | 230443 |
| 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 | 24 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 3 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 50 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 24 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 111 |
| row_source | demographics |
Timeline
- Born 1924.
- 23 April 1943 — Enlisted as Pvt (ASN 33722535).
- 25 August 1943 — Entered Class 11 (German) (did not complete – ‘Dropped’).
- June 1943 — Entered Class 9 (French) but ‘Dropped’.
- 6 June 1944 — Served as Pathfinder during D-Day invasion.
- Purple Heart; CIB (505th GO 19, 11-29-44, Box 10474). Bronze Arrowhead.
- Assigned to 82nd Airborne Div. (505th PIR). Served with HQ (S-2).
- Awards: Bronze Star (w 4 clusters), CIB, French and Belgian CdeG, Purple Heart.
- Awards: Bronze Star (w 4 clusters); French and Belgian Croix de Guerre.
- Entered Class 11 (German) (did not complete – ‘Dropped’).
Sources
- 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)
- The Stories essay
- Dan Gross, Timeline of William B. Katzenstein for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 2 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Katzenstein, William B. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 2 source files: WILLIAM B. KATZENSTEIN.doc, WILLIAM KATZENSTEIN.doc)