Carl E. Petersen

Carl E. Petersen
Personal details
Nativity	Denmark
Religion	Protestant
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
ASN	37152039
Rank	Sergeant
Camp Ritchie	Class 12 (27 September – 25 November 1943)
Section	5A

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.

Carl E. Petersen was a Denmark-born Ritchie Boy (Class 12) who served as a sergeant in military intelligence in England, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Norway.

Biography

Carl E. Petersen, a native of Denmark, trained with field artillery at Camp Barkeley, Texas, before attending Camp Ritchie (Class 12). He served about three and a half years in the Army.

Petersen went overseas to London in February 1944 and spent about a year in the campaigns in France and Germany. He also served in Czechoslovakia. In May 1945 he went to Norway on a special mission lasting about six months, stationed at Oslo. A contemporary biographical note records that the Norwegian government awarded him the St. Olaf Cross. After the war he worked as a service-station operator.

Research notes

• 1906-1984?
• A research note suggests life dates ~1906–1984; not published pending a clearer public vital-record match.
• St. Olaf Cross is named in a wartime biographical sketch; no ribbon image is set on the awards rack pending a suitable Commons asset.

Gallery

• 
  Contemporary biographical clipping with portrait — Carl E. Petersen, Sgt. (RB Archive FL3453711 scan)

Technical record

Field	Imported value
Class_ASN	37152039
Class_Name	PETERSEN, Carl E.; PETERSEN, Carl
match_method	asn_exact_name_exact
row_source	both

Timeline

• Trained with field artillery at Camp Barkeley, Texas.
• Camp Ritchie Class 12 (military intelligence).
• February 1944 — To London; campaigns in France and Germany (~one year); also Czechoslovakia.
• May 1945 — Special mission to Norway (~six months), stationed at Oslo; St. Olaf Cross (Norwegian government).
• About 3½ years total Army service; postwar service-station operator.

Sources

• RB Archive folder “Carl E. Petersen” photographs (portrait, biographical clipping)
• Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page material previously linked to this profile (2022-12-24)
• Contemporary biographical sketch / yearbook entry for Carl E. Petersen (RB Archive DOCX/PDF FL3453711_2318005_000262; private copy, not uploaded)
• 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 2022-12-24 (1 post)