Abt, Karl W. (16081924): Difference between revisions

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|class_number=16

|class_display=16

|birth_place=Helmstedt

|birth_place=Helmstedt, Germany

|rank_final=major

|teams=MII 499-G

|birth_date=20 August 1923

|death_date=9 August 2008

}}

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== Biography ==

~~He attended The papers are categorized by the courses~~ Abt ~~took~~ in ~~the College of Arts and Sciences, 1941-1943 and 1946-1947~~, ~~and the School of Commerce, 1946-1949~~. He ~~began attending~~ Northwestern University ~~in 1941~~ as a chemistry major~~, College of Arts~~ and ~~Sciences~~. Abt ~~attended~~ Princeton ~~University~~, ~~taking European language courses in accordance~~ with ~~his military duties~~, ~~from October to December~~, ~~1943~~. He in 1946 Abt returned to Northwestern and ~~declared a new~~ major in business administration~~, School of Commerce~~. He ~~writes about this experience~~ in ~~his newly published book,~~ A Few Who Made A Difference (~~Vantage Press,~~ 2004). He ~~you never wrote anything down. While at Northwestern, Abt was active in the NU Band, playing clarinet and bass clarinet, the Christian Youth League, and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity~~.

Karl W. Abt was born on 20 August 1923 in Helmstedt, Germany. He entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major in 1941 and played clarinet and bass clarinet in the university band.

Inducted into the Army in 1943, Abt studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16). Fluent in German, he served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, interrogating prisoners, translating captured documents, and helping identify enemy personnel and spies. He remained in military intelligence until his 1946 discharge.

Abt returned to Northwestern and changed his major to business administration. He later recounted his wartime work in ''A Few Who Made a Difference: The World War II Teams of the Military Intelligence Service'' (2004). He died on 9 August 2008.

== Research notes ==

* Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer

* Exact dates come from the packet folder identification; no death place or award is inferred. The live lowercase 'major' rank is not carried forward because the packet reviewed here does not support it.

== Gallery ==

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* ~~Karl W. Abt was born~~ in Helmstedt, Germany~~, August 20, 1923~~. ~~He began attending~~ Northwestern University ~~in 1941~~ as a chemistry major~~, College of Arts and Sciences~~. In 1943 ~~he left Northwestern and went to the U.S. Army where he was in~~ the Army ~~Intelligence Service,~~ European ~~Theatre, until his discharge in 1946. Abt attended~~ Princeton ~~University, taking~~.

* 20 August 1923 — Born in Helmstedt, Germany.

* ~~When inducted into service during World War II in 1943~~, ~~Karl W. Abt '48 soon found his German-language skills earned him a place in the Military Intelligence Service~~.

* 1941 — Entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major.

* In 1946 — ~~Abt~~ returned to Northwestern ~~and declared~~ a ~~new major in business administration, School of Commerce~~.

* 1943 — Inducted into the Army; studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16).

* ~~KW: How were you chosen for the Military Intelligence Service?~~.

* 1944–1945 — Served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.

* 1946 — Discharged and returned to Northwestern University.

* 2004 — Published A Few Who Made a Difference.

* 9 August 2008 — Died.

</div>

</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

== Sources ==

* RB Archive Northwestern biographical material and course-record summary

* David Alvarez, review of Karl W. Abt, ''A Few Who Made a Difference'', ''History: Reviews of New Books'' 33, no. 3 (Spring 2005): 124 (RB Archive ProQuest copy)

* 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

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 |class_number=16
 |class_display=16
-|birth_place=Helmstedt
+|birth_place=Helmstedt, Germany
 |rank_final=major
 |teams=MII 499-G
+|birth_date=20 August 1923
+|death_date=9 August 2008
 }}
@@ Line 31: / Line 33: @@
 == Biography ==
-He attended The papers are categorized by the courses Abt took in the College of Arts and Sciences, 1941-1943 and 1946-1947, and the School of Commerce, 1946-1949. He began attending Northwestern University in 1941 as a chemistry major, College of Arts and Sciences. Abt attended Princeton University, taking European language courses in accordance with his military duties, from October to December, 1943. He in 1946 Abt returned to Northwestern and declared a new major in business administration, School of Commerce. He writes about this experience in his newly published book, A Few Who Made A Difference (Vantage Press, 2004). He you never wrote anything down. While at Northwestern, Abt was active in the NU Band, playing clarinet and bass clarinet, the Christian Youth League, and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
+Karl W. Abt was born on 20 August 1923 in Helmstedt, Germany. He entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major in 1941 and played clarinet and bass clarinet in the university band.
+Inducted into the Army in 1943, Abt studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16). Fluent in German, he served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, interrogating prisoners, translating captured documents, and helping identify enemy personnel and spies. He remained in military intelligence until his 1946 discharge.
+Abt returned to Northwestern and changed his major to business administration. He later recounted his wartime work in ''A Few Who Made a Difference: The World War II Teams of the Military Intelligence Service'' (2004). He died on 9 August 2008.
 == Research notes ==
 * Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) Officer
+* Exact dates come from the packet folder identification; no death place or award is inferred. The live lowercase 'major' rank is not carried forward because the packet reviewed here does not support it.
 == Gallery ==
@@ Line 106: / Line 113: @@
 <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
 <div class="soldier-timeline-body">
-* Karl W. Abt was born in Helmstedt, Germany, August 20, 1923. He began attending Northwestern University in 1941 as a chemistry major, College of Arts and Sciences. In 1943 he left Northwestern and went to the U.S. Army where he was in the Army Intelligence Service, European Theatre, until his discharge in 1946. Abt attended Princeton University, taking.
+* 20 August 1923 — Born in Helmstedt, Germany.
-* When inducted into service during World War II in 1943, Karl W. Abt '48 soon found his German-language skills earned him a place in the Military Intelligence Service.
+* 1941 — Entered Northwestern University as a chemistry major.
-* In 1946 — Abt returned to Northwestern and declared a new major in business administration, School of Commerce.
+* 1943 — Inducted into the Army; studied European languages at Princeton and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 16).
-* KW: How were you chosen for the Military Intelligence Service?.
+* 1944–1945 — Served with IPW Team 94 from Normandy through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.
+* 1946 — Discharged and returned to Northwestern University.
+* 2004 — Published A Few Who Made a Difference.
+* 9 August 2008 — Died.
 </div>
 </div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
 == Sources ==
+* RB Archive Northwestern biographical material and course-record summary
+* David Alvarez, review of Karl W. Abt, ''A Few Who Made a Difference'', ''History: Reviews of New Books'' 33, no. 3 (Spring 2005): 124 (RB Archive ProQuest copy)
 * 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