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Smith, Karl G (32475883): Difference between revisions
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Scrub Facebook voice; factual biographical summary |
Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch |
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|birth_year=1921 | |birth_year=1921 | ||
|death_year=2002 | |death_year=2002 | ||
|nativity= | |nativity=Germany | ||
|religion= | |religion=Jewish | ||
|enlistment_place=SYRACUSE NEW YORK | |enlistment_place=SYRACUSE NEW YORK | ||
|state=NEW YORK | |state=NEW YORK | ||
Revision as of 19:05, 26 August 2026
| Karl G Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Karl Goldschmidt Karl Goldsmith |
| Born | 1921 |
| Died | 2002 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Known for | Denazification of Eschwege; Karl Goldsmith interview |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 32475883 |
| Rank | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 20 (19 June – 16 August 1944) |
| Section | 5A |
| Enlisted | Syracuse, New York |
| Specialty | IPW (interrogation of prisoners of war) |
| Unit / division | IPW Team 143; American Military Government, Eschwege |
| Team | IPW 143 |
Interview Watch Karl G Smith on About Face interview (Steve Karras).
On film Karl G Smith appears in About Face (Steve Karras).
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.
Karl G Smith (1921–2002) was a Ritchie Boy (born Goldsmith; from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 20 and served with IPW Team 143.
Biography
Karl G. Smith (also known as Karl Goldsmith / Karl Goldschmidt; 1921–2002) was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 20 and served with IPW Team 143. Author and filmmaker Steven Karras recorded a lengthy interview with him in 2001.
Research notes
- About Face
- PI 18
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 81 |
| Nara ASN | 32475883 |
| Nara Name | SMITH KARL G |
| Nara State | 23 |
| Nara County | 109 |
| Nara POE | 2386 |
| Nara DOE | 100942 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | BI |
| Nara Branch Code | 0 |
| Branch | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| 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 | 21 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 6 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 340 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 67 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 145 |
| Class_ASN | 32475883 |
| Class_Name | SMITH, Karl |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Sources
- Ritchie Boy Interviews (Karl Goldsmith / About Face interview)
- Steve Karras interview on YouTube
- 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)
- The Stories essay
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2024-03-30 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2024-04-28 (1 post)
- Facebook-linked source: YouTube interview