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.
Meyer Krakowski
| Meyer Krakowski | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1901 |
| Died | 1978 |
| Nativity | Poland |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Arm / service | Air Corps |
| ASN | 0582821 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 21 (21 July – 18 September 1944) |
| Section | 5D |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Meyer Krakowski (1901–1978) was a Ritchie Boy (from Poland; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 21.
Biography
Some information on RB Meyer Krakowski Meyer Krakowski was a language teacher at Los Angeles City College when he enlisted in the U.S. After being discharged, he reenlisted, as an officer, for the Camp Ritchie Intelligence Training School program. He was was a "Ritchie Boy" and followed Patton all the way to Germany. He was attached to a forward fighter squadron of P47s in France and he interrogated Luftwaffe pilots and other German officers. With enemy surrender in May of 1945, he was sent to Germany and asked to stay to place German orphans in good homes so they wouldn’t be raised as Nazis. For his service he was commended by West Germany officials and awarded the civilian version of the Iron Cross. He is believed to be one of the few Jewish American soldiers, perhaps the only Jewish soldier, awarded the German Iron Cross for his work at the end of World War II. After the War, he returned to Los Angeles City College and eventually retired as the head of the language department.
Research notes
No notes were in the source row. Add what you know.
Gallery
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 77 |
| Class_ASN | 582821 |
| Class_Name | KRAKOWSKI, Meyer |
| 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 2022-09-24 (1 post)