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.
Richard I. Topus
| Richard I. Topus | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1924 |
| Died | 2008 |
| Nativity | United States |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 12156045 |
| Rank | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 24 (26 October – 29 December 1944) |
| Section | 6B |
| Enlisted | New York City, New York |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Richard I. Topus (1924–2008) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 24.
Biography
Richard Topus was a Ritchie Boy. Attached is his obituary in full, from the New York Times, dated December 14, 2008. I have broken up the image into two parts to make it easier to read.
Richard I. Topus lived 1924–2008, with nativity listed as United States, Jewish. Service notes include Camp Ritchie class 24; class rank Pvt. Roster notes also show enlisted at New York City New York; education listed as 1 year of college; civilian occupation listed as Machinists.
Research notes
- Pigeon training
- http://jewish1191.rssing.com/chan-15120684/all_p9.html
Gallery
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 84 |
| Nara ASN | 12156045 |
| Nara Name | TOPUS RICHARD I |
| Nara State | 23 |
| Nara County | 81 |
| Nara POE | 2364 |
| Nara DOE | 201042 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | SC |
| Nara Branch Code | 90 |
| Branch | Signal Corps |
| 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 | 23 |
| Nativity.1 | NEW YORK |
| Nara Year of Birth | 24 |
| Nara Race | 1 |
| Nara Race Description | White citizen |
| Nara Education | 5 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 475 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 69 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 153 |
| Class_ASN | 12156045 |
| Class_Name | TOPUS, Richard I. |
| 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 2022-12-08 (1 post)