Start here is a short path for teachers, students, and first-time visitors who want the story of the Ritchie Boys before diving into the 21,000-person roster.
1. What was a Ritchie Boy?
At Camp Ritchie, Maryland, the Army’s Military Intelligence Training Center trained soldiers — many of them immigrants and refugees who spoke the enemy’s languages — for interrogation, document work, photo interpretation, and related intelligence duties in World War II. Read the overview:
- Secret Heroes: Camp Ritchie and the Making of The Ritchie Boys
- Camp Ritchie — the camp, curriculum, and who trained there
- By The Numbers — class sizes, specialties, and awards at a glance
2. One human story
Pick one essay, then open the linked soldier profile:
- The Stories — curated biographies
- Or start with Guy Stern, Karl Goldsmith, or Patricia Crane (WAC)
3. Hear a voice
- Ritchie Boy Interviews — watch on the wiki, then Watch next
- Documentaries/Movies — film trailers and free-watch links
4. Find someone in the roster
- Find a soldier by name or Army serial number (ASN)
- For families — three steps if you are looking for a relative
- By birth country · Classes · Themes — other ways in
5. Help the record
- Contribute — edit text without an account; upload photos when logged in
- Contribute documents — OCR a roster scan for review
- About the data — what is verified vs still a lead