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.
Secret Heroes/First Class
Secret Heroes/First Class covers the first class trained at Camp Ritchie. Adapted from theritchieboys.com.
The image below is a photo of the First Class at Camp Ritchie. There are two known copies of this photo, in which the numbering differs. The numbered list corresponds with the individuals marked on the photo.
If you know any information we do not have, please add it on this wiki or use the contact form on theritchieboys.com.
Image courtesy of Kay Fuller Mitchell, published in Ritchie Boy Secrets: How a Force of Immigrants and Refugees Helped Win World War II by Beverley Driver Eddy. Reproduced here with permission.
Members of the First Class
- Thomas Robbins
- John R. Guenard
- George H. Rochman
- John B. Jackson
- Werner Fischer
- Mario G. Manzone
- Kenneth D. Koch
- John F. Parker
- Young A. Neal
- Theodore J. Roberts
- Henry J. Staudigl
- Benno H. Selcke Jr.
- Hanns G. Kurth
- Edwin L. Ruprecht
- Walter H. Rapp
- Paul M. Birkeland
- Arthur W. Curtis
- Erhart A. Schinske
- Sterling R. Ryser
- Robert E. Walker
- Jack A. Dabbs
- Christo T. Mocas
- Robert L. Grosjean
- Leroy H. Woodson
- Conrad C. Reining
- John H. Brown
- Henry C. Barringer
For structured roster fields (nativity, religion, ASN, birth/death years, rank, specialty, and related data when known), open each soldier’s page above, or browse Class 1 / Category:Class 1.