Secret Heroes/First Class

Secret Heroes/First Class covers the first class trained at Camp Ritchie. Adapted from theritchieboys.com, with roster fields from the First Class chart.

The image below is a photo of the First Class at Camp Ritchie. There are two known copies of this photo, in which the numbering differs. The numbered list corresponds with the individuals marked on the photo.

If you know any information we do not have, please add it on this wiki or use the contact form on theritchieboys.com.

Image courtesy of Kay Fuller Mitchell, published in Ritchie Boy Secrets: How a Force of Immigrants and Refugees Helped Win World War II by Beverley Driver Eddy. Reproduced here with permission.

Members of the First Class

1. Thomas Robbins
2. John R. Guenard
3. George H. Rochman
4. John B. Jackson
5. Werner Fischer
6. Mario G. Manzone
7. Kenneth D. Koch
8. John F. Parker
9. Young A. Neal
10. Theodore J. Roberts
11. Henry J. Staudigl
12. Benno H. Selcke Jr.
13. Hanns G. Kurth
14. Edwin L. Ruprecht
15. Walter H. Rapp
16. Paul M. Birkeland
17. Arthur W. Curtis
18. Erhart A. Schinske
19. Sterling R. Ryser
20. Robert E. Walker
21. Jack A. Dabbs
22. Christo T. Mocas
23. Robert L. Grosjean
24. Leroy H. Woodson
25. Conrad C. Reining
26. John H. Brown
27. Henry C. Barringer

Not pictured / non-graduates

• 28* Edward Cap
• 29* Jovan M. Obradovic
• 30* Hubert J. Plumpe
• 31** Robert H. Place
• 32** Trygve Sandberg

* Not pictured    ** Non-graduate

Chart

#	Name	ASN	Nativity	Religion	Vitals	Rank	Specialty	Cert.	Unit
1	Thomas Robbins	Honorary	GB			Colonel		1
2	John R. Guenard	O-283852	US	P	1908-1976	Major	French	10
3	George H. Rochman	O-299825			1908-1982	Capt	German	6	Instructor
4	John B. Jackson	O-214183	FR		1909-1996	Capt	IPW German	11	9th Int
5	Werner Fischer	O-1100985		C	1905-1974	2nd Lt	IPW German	27	5th Army
6	Mario G. Manzone	O-448791			1919-1990	Capt	IPW German	19	MID
7	Kenneth D. Koch	O-418857	US	X	1919-1998	1st Lt	IPW German	17	Instructor
8	John F. Parker	O-472505			1898-1986	Capt	IPW German	4	Fort Hunt
9	Young A. Neal	O-909879			1895-1970	Capt	Italian	3	Fort Hunt
10	Theodore J. Roberts	O-343363	US	C	1913-1992	Capt	IPW German	5
11	Henry J. Staudigl	O-464796	AU	C	1911-1995	1st Lt	IPW German	24	Fort Hunt
12	Benno H. Selcke Jr.	O-1011082			1913-2007	Capt	IPW German	23	5th Army
13	Hanns G. Kurth	O-467204	GE	P	1916-?	Capt	IPW German	18	30th Int
14	Edwin L. Ruprecht	O-318445	US		1909-2003	Major	German	12	London
15	Walter H. Rapp	O-454231	GE	P	1914-1982	Capt	IPW German	21	Instructor
16	Paul M. Birkeland	O-466780	US		1918-2014	1st Lt	Norwegian	16	London
17	Arthur W. Curtis	O-903616	US		1906-1992	Major	IPW German	8	5th Army
18	Erhart A. Schinske	O-421844	US	P	1918-1992	Major	IPW German	14	London
19	Sterling R. Ryser	O-416428	US	LDS	1916-2013	Capt	German	13	London
20	Robert E. Walker	O-372698			1917-1991	1st Lt	IPW German	25	Fort Hunt
21	Jack A. Dabbs	O-300296			1914-1992	Capt	IPW German	2
22	Christo T. Mocas	O-1284369	US	P	1917-1999	Capt	Spanish	20	Instructor
23	Robert L. Grosjean	O-428338	BE	X	1908-1995	1st Lt	French	9	London
24	Leroy H. Woodson	O-1040846	US		1913-1983	1st Lt	IPW German	26	92nd Int
25	Conrad C. Reining	O-391394	US	P	1918-1984	Capt	IPW German	22	5th Army
26	John H. Brown	O-450073	US	P	1917-1994	Capt	German	7	Instructor
27	Henry C. Barringer	O-468301	US	CS	1920-2009	1st Lt	IPW German	15
28*	Edward Cap	O-304964			1911-1996	Capt	IPW German	28	5th Army
29*	Jovan M. Obradovic	O-1285805	US	GO	1917-1996?	Capt	Southern Europe	30
30*	Hubert J. Plumpe	O-340456			1913-2004	Lt Col	IPW German	29	Fort Hunt
31**	Robert H. Place	O-203646				Capt		NG
32**	Trygve Sandberg	O-902069			1899-1986	Capt		NG

Open each soldier’s page for the full infobox, or browse Class 1 / Category:Class 1.

See also

• Class 1
• Camp Ritchie
• Introduction
• Secret Heroes/Battle of the Bulge
• Contents
• Original page on theritchieboys.com
• First Class spreadsheet