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Glass, Walter H. (32883220): Difference between revisions

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Expand exact roster rank codes (class_rank: Pfc -> Private First Class)
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|surname=Glass
|surname=Glass
|first=Walter
|first=Walter
|middle=H.
|middle=Henry
|class_section=E (13); 5A (13)
|class_section=E (13); 5A (13)
|class_rank=Private First Class
|class_rank=Private First Class
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|death_date=15 April 2012
|death_date=15 April 2012
|photo=5733081696713704.jpg
|photo=5733081696713704.jpg
|birth_date=13 February 1921
|birth_place=Vienna, Austria
|death_place=Sleepy Hollow, New York
|alias=Walter Heinz Frauenglas; Walter Henry Glass
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Glass, Walter H. (32883220)|Walter H. Glass]]''' (1921 – 15 April 2012) was a Ritchie Boy (from Austria; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 13.
'''Walter Henry Glass''' (born Walter Heinz Frauenglas; 13 February 1921 &ndash; 15 April 2012) was an Austrian-born United States Army soldier who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 13]] and served with SHAEF in Europe.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
His last communication from his parents was a letter dated January 20, 1940, and he never heard from them again. Walter was born Walter Heinz Frauenglas in Vienna, Austria.
Walter Henry Glass was born Walter Heinz Frauenglas on 13 February 1921 in Vienna, Austria. Unable to persuade his family of the danger after Hitler’s rise, he fled alone—after an earlier failed attempt via France—sailing for New York on the ''Aquitania'' in February 1939 with Quaker encouragement. On leaving New York for college in Texas that September he adopted the name Walter Henry Glass, later his legal name upon naturalization in 1943. His last letter from his parents was dated 20 January 1940; postwar research indicated they were deported from Vienna toward Łódź.


On his departure from New York to Texas for college in September 1939 he adopted the name Walter Henry Glass, which became his legal name upon his naturalization in 1943. Walter graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin, completing his course work in three years and obtaining admission to Harvard Law School, where he enrolled in 1942.
Glass graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin in 1942 and began Harvard Law School before wartime service interrupted his studies. Trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 13), he served in Europe with the Army Psychological Warfare Branch / Signal Corps under Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, including the Battle of the Bulge period.


Army Psychological Warfare Branch (Signal Corps).
After the war he completed a Harvard J.D. (1947), worked for the SEC and on coal reorganization in postwar Germany with HICOG, and spent a long career in international contracts at General Electric (with a Raytheon interlude). He died on 15 April 2012 in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
 
He trained for this work at Camp Ritchie, the subject of the documentary film “The Ritchie Boys,” about the exploits of German-speaking Jewish immigrants in the U.S.
 
After being sent back to Vienna from France on his first attempt, he managed to escape Austria and Europe, sailing for New York on the Acquitania in February 1939. As a boy Walter was interested in international affairs and had read Mein Kampf. He held no illusions about what Hitler’s rise portended for European Jews.
 
However, he could not persuade his family of the danger, and was forced to flee alone. A son-in-law later found records that they had been shipped by train from Vienna to Lodz, Poland. There the trace was lost.
 
His legal education was interrupted by two years of military service in the U.S. And Europe, where he was a technician in the U.S. Army, stateside and at the front.
 
(He later copied his friend’s method to successfully teach each of his four children to drive stick-shift automobiles.) More information about Walter can be read here: Photos are from the archive of Walter's widow Ann, which were posted on the website - a project created by Walter's granddaughter, Sarah Poyet to celebrate his legacy.
 
Glass passed away on April 15, 2012 at the age of 91. When efforts to find them after the war proved fruitless, he assumed they had perished in the Holocaust. In Europe a fellow soldier patiently taught him to drive their truck.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
Line 49: Line 41:
* 4th
* 4th
* 5th Mobile
* 5th Mobile
* Photos WG-2–WG-5 are wartime group shots; WG-1 insignia printout; WG-6 destruction—curate carefully.


== Gallery ==
== 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">
* 13 February 1921 — Born Walter Heinz Frauenglas in Vienna, Austria.
* February 1939 — Sailed for New York on the Aquitania.
* 1942 — B.A., University of Texas at Austin (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa).
* Class 13 — Trained at Camp Ritchie; SHAEF / Psychological Warfare service in Europe.
* 1947 — J.D., Harvard Law School.
* 15 April 2012 — Died in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Paid notice, “Glass, Walter H.,” ''New York Times'', 18 April 2012 (RB Archive ProQuest)
* RB Archive / family narrative posted via theglassfiles.com (Ann Glass archive)
* 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
Line 130: Line 137:
* 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 2022-10-03 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-10-03 (1 post)
* Facebook-linked source: [http://walterglass.last-memories.com/ walterglass.last-memories.com]
* [http://walterglass.last-memories.com/ Walter H. Glass memorial site (last-memories)]
* Facebook-linked source: [https://www.theglassfiles.com theglassfiles.com]
* Facebook-linked source: [https://www.theglassfiles.com theglassfiles.com]

Revision as of 01:49, 17 September 2026

Walter Henry Glass
Walter Henry Glass
Personal details
Birth nameWalter Heinz Frauenglas Walter Henry Glass
Born13 February 1921
Vienna, Austria
Died15 April 2012
Sleepy Hollow, New York
NativityAustria
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN32883220
RankPrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 13 (30 October – 23 December 1943)
SectionE (13); 5A (13)
EnlistedNew York City, New York
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 Henry Glass (born Walter Heinz Frauenglas; 13 February 1921 – 15 April 2012) was an Austrian-born United States Army soldier who trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 13 and served with SHAEF in Europe.

Biography

Walter Henry Glass was born Walter Heinz Frauenglas on 13 February 1921 in Vienna, Austria. Unable to persuade his family of the danger after Hitler’s rise, he fled alone—after an earlier failed attempt via France—sailing for New York on the Aquitania in February 1939 with Quaker encouragement. On leaving New York for college in Texas that September he adopted the name Walter Henry Glass, later his legal name upon naturalization in 1943. His last letter from his parents was dated 20 January 1940; postwar research indicated they were deported from Vienna toward Łódź.

Glass graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin in 1942 and began Harvard Law School before wartime service interrupted his studies. Trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 13), he served in Europe with the Army Psychological Warfare Branch / Signal Corps under Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, including the Battle of the Bulge period.

After the war he completed a Harvard J.D. (1947), worked for the SEC and on coal reorganization in postwar Germany with HICOG, and spent a long career in international contracts at General Electric (with a Raytheon interlude). He died on 15 April 2012 in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

Research notes

  • 3rd
  • 4th
  • 5th Mobile
  • Photos WG-2–WG-5 are wartime group shots; WG-1 insignia printout; WG-6 destruction—curate carefully.

Gallery

Technical record

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 91
Nara ASN 32883220
Nara Name GLASS WALTER H
Nara State 13
Nara County 17
Nara POE 2364
Nara DOE 60443
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 N2
Nara Year of Birth 21
Nara Race J
Nara Race Description White not yet a citizen
Nara Education 7
Nara Civilian Occupation 177
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 98
Nara Weight (lbs) 119
Class_ASN 32883220
Class_Name Giass, Walter H.; GLASS, Walter H
match_method asn_exact_name_compatible; asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline

  • 13 February 1921 — Born Walter Heinz Frauenglas in Vienna, Austria.
  • February 1939 — Sailed for New York on the Aquitania.
  • 1942 — B.A., University of Texas at Austin (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa).
  • Class 13 — Trained at Camp Ritchie; SHAEF / Psychological Warfare service in Europe.
  • 1947 — J.D., Harvard Law School.
  • 15 April 2012 — Died in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

Sources

  • Paid notice, “Glass, Walter H.,” New York Times, 18 April 2012 (RB Archive ProQuest)
  • RB Archive / family narrative posted via theglassfiles.com (Ann Glass archive)
  • 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 2022-10-03 (1 post)
  • Walter H. Glass memorial site (last-memories)
  • Facebook-linked source: theglassfiles.com
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