Manfred Steinfeld

Manfred Steinfeld
Personal details
Born	1924
Died	2019
Nativity	Germany
Religion	Jewish
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
ASN	36737899
Rank	Private First Class
Camp Ritchie	Class 17 (11 March – 8 May 1944)
Section	5C
Specialty	G-2; airborne intelligence
Unit / division	504th Pir, 82nd Airborne Division

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.

Manfred Steinfeld (died 2019) was a Kindertransport refugee from Josbach, Germany, and an airborne intelligence soldier. After Camp Ritchie he served in the G-2 section of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, during Operation Market Garden.

Biography

Manfred Steinfeld was raised in Josbach, Germany, in a Jewish family living under the escalating pressure of Nazi persecution. In 1938 he escaped on a Kindertransport, leaving his home and family while still young. He eventually reached the United States and settled in Chicago.

After entering the Army, Steinfeld participated in the Army Specialized Training Program before being sent to Camp Ritchie. There his German language, education, and direct knowledge of the country were adapted to military intelligence. He learned to assess enemy units and documents and to report information for operational headquarters.

Steinfeld volunteered for airborne service and joined the G-2 intelligence section of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. His first combat came in the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden. As an intelligence soldier in an airborne regiment, he supported a force operating rapidly and often under difficult battlefield conditions.

After the war Steinfeld returned to Chicago and entered the furniture business. He helped build Shelby Williams Furniture into a successful manufacturer, turning his energy from wartime service to industrial and commercial leadership.

Steinfeld also became known for philanthropy, supporting educational, civic, and charitable causes. His postwar record combined entrepreneurship with a commitment to the community that had received him as a refugee. He died in 2019.

Research notes

• OTC; Also PG Class 15 OB
• About Face
• OB16;45

Gallery

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Technical record

Field	Imported value
Approx Age at Death	95
Class_ASN	36737899
Class_Name	STEINFELD, Manfred
match_method	asn_exact_name_exact
row_source	both

Sources

• 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 2019-07-09 (1 post)
• The Stories essay