Soft launch: Soldier biographies and research notes vary in completeness. Prefer class-roster, NARA, newspapers, and other cited sources for contested facts — treat Research notes as leads, not settled history. Anyone can correct a page; contact us with questions.
Bodlander, Walter V. (01176890): Difference between revisions
Fix Facebook gallery captions (scrub meta, restore IDs) |
Fix biography, profile photo, and gallery curation |
||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
|class_number=11 | |class_number=11 | ||
|class_display=11 | |class_display=11 | ||
|death_date=2 February 2020 | |death_date=2 February 2020 | ||
|death_year=2020 | |death_year=2020 | ||
| Line 26: | Line 25: | ||
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
Walter V. Bodlander (1920–2020) was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 11 and served as captain of IPW Team 34, 4th Infantry Division, leading the team into battle on D-Day, 6 June 1944. A photograph from 25 July 1944 shows him at St. Lô, France, interrogating a German prisoner of war and interpreting for Lt. Col. Hansen, G-2 of the division (he is partly hidden behind a helmet in the image). | |||
He was awarded the French Legion of Honor (Chevalier), the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Purple Heart, and two Bronze Stars. He gave an interview to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles in July 2018. He died on 2 February 2020 at age 99. | |||
== Research notes == | == Research notes == | ||
Revision as of 22:38, 26 August 2026
| Walter V. Bodlander | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Died | 2 February 2020 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Arm / service | Field Artillery |
| ASN | 01176890 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 11 (25 August – 23 October 1943) |
| Section | 5A |
| Team | IPW 34 |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Walter V. Bodlander (died 2 February 2020) (ASN 01176890) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 11 and served with IPW Team 34.
Biography
Walter V. Bodlander (1920–2020) was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 11 and served as captain of IPW Team 34, 4th Infantry Division, leading the team into battle on D-Day, 6 June 1944. A photograph from 25 July 1944 shows him at St. Lô, France, interrogating a German prisoner of war and interpreting for Lt. Col. Hansen, G-2 of the division (he is partly hidden behind a helmet in the image).
He was awarded the French Legion of Honor (Chevalier), the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Purple Heart, and two Bronze Stars. He gave an interview to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles in July 2018. He died on 2 February 2020 at age 99.
Research notes
- The Unauthorized Autobiography
- VI Corps. to Capt
- 11/30/1920-a
Gallery
-
Lt. Walter V. Bodlander (hidden behind the helmet) taken on July 25, 1944 at St. Lo, France, interrogating a German POW and interpreting for Lt. Col. Hansen, G-2 for the 4th Infantry Division
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Class_ASN | 176890 |
| Class_Name | BODLANDER, Walter V. |
| match_method | asn_partial_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Sources
- Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
- 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 2021-05-27 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-05-28 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-05-31 (2 posts)
- Facebook-linked source: YouTube video