| Alfred Goodwin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1914 |
| Died | 1993 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 39094012 |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 4 (6 January – 6 March 1943) |
| Section | 5 |
| Enlisted | Presidio of Monterey, California |
| Team | IPW 33 |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Alfred Goodwin (1914–1993) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 4 and served with IPW Team 33.
Biography
Alfred Goodwin was a Ritchie Boy. Alfred Goodwin was born Alfred Gutmann in Karlsruhe Baden Germany, on August 4, 1914. Alfred immigrated to the United States from Hamburg, Germany on May 20, 1936. The destination was San Francisco, CA. From there, he traveled to Portland, Oregon, where he was employed by Bissinger and Company, a family-owned business. Alfred’s brother, Maximillan (Max), immigrated to the United States in December 1936 and his parents followed in 1938. Max made his home first in Portland, Oregon and later in Vancouver, Canada where he worked for Bissinger and Company and became a Canadian citizen. Alfred served in the Army of the United States during Second World War. The highest rank he held was that of Master Sergeant, Company F, 409th Infantry. Alfred was a member of an elite corps of soldiers known as the Richie Boys. Trained in military intelligence at Camp Richie in Maryland, the Richie Boys included former German or Austrian citizens who went to work on the front lines, interrogated prisoners and analyzed German forces and plans. Alfred fought at Normandy Beach and the Battle of Bulge. For his bravery, he was awarded a bronze star and a bronze star with an oak leaf cluster. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis, Washington on September 26, 1945. On January 10, 1947, Alfred married Lottie Hirsch, whom he had known in Germany, in the Rabbi’s study at Temple Beth Israel in Portland, Oregon. They lived in Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah, returning to Portland in 1966. They had one daughter, Helen. Alfred’s passion was collecting art, specifically works on paper. For his service to the Salt Lake City Art Barn, Alfred was elected its first lifetime trustee on May 6, 1963 in recognition of ten years of dedicated service. A lover of the outdoors, Alfred was an avid hiker, skier, camper and river rafter. He was a member of the Wasatch Mountain Club in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Mazama Hiking Club in Portland, Oregon, earning the Guardian Peaks Award on December 7, 1946 for climbing Mt. Photo is of Alfred in 1936, the year he immigrated to the US. Alfred passed away in 1993. Information courtesy of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education The link is to an oral interview conducted in 1986 about his story of his family, and life in Germany, his work, military service, etc. There is also a transcript of said interview.
Research notes
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 79 |
| Nara ASN | 39094012 |
| Nara Name | GOODWIN ALFRED |
| Nara State | 95 |
| Nara County | 51 |
| Nara POE | 9165 |
| Nara DOE | 160342 |
| 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 | 14 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 4 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 105 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 64 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 151 |
| Class_ASN | 39094012 |
| Class_Name | Goodwin, Alfred |
| match_method | asn_exact_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 2022-12-16 (1 post)
- Facebook-linked source: ojmche.org