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Henry E. Funk
| Henry E. Funk | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1917 Philadelphia March 22, 1917. |
| Died | 28 January 1982 |
| Nativity | United States |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 33793436 |
| Rank | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 13 (30 October – 23 December 1943) |
| Section | 7A (13); E (13) |
| Enlisted | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Team | MII 412-G |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Henry E. Funk (1917–1982) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 13.
Biography
Henry Elwell Funk II was a Ritchie Boy. Henry Elwell Funk II was born in Philadelphia March 22, 1917. He graduated from Haverford College June, 1943. He was the first student to major in Spanish there. Previously he had studied French, German, and Portuguese at Princeton University and at the University of Pennsylvania. The following deals with his participation in World War II. Prior to Registration Day (October 16, 1940) he tried to enlist in the army in any capacity but was refused because of poor eyesight and underweight. During March 1943, he applied for a commission as interpreter in the Navy but was refused because he was not a college graduate. A similar result was obtained from the Army. After his graduation from Haverford College in June 1943, he was reclassified at his own request from 4-F to 1-A. He appeared for induction on August 2 1943, and was accepted for active military service as private in the infantry. (This was due to a vast breakfast of milk, bananas, steak and French-fried potatoes which increased his weight to 142 pounds—more than he ever weighed before or since C1945). He passed the eye test by memorizing the first four lines on the chart with glasses on before they asked him to take them off.) At the time of his induction, he was offered a three-week furlough. This he did not accept but departed forthwith for Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. (Total wealth, 10 cents and a streetcar token, good only in the city of Philadelphia.) Subsequently he was sent to the tank destroyer school, North Camp Hood, Texas, for basic training. After six weeks he was sent to the Military Intelligence School, Camp Ritchie, Maryland, for training as a French Interpreter. In December 1943, he graduated and was sent to the European Theater of Operations, February 4, 1944. In March he attended and completed the Combat Intelligence Course at the American School Center, Shriven-ham, England. As a result, he was assigned to the Military Intelligence Service and attached May 1944, to the headquarters of the 82d Airborne Division, with which he remained as French interpreter until his demobilization January 16, 1946. Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe. He saw service in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, England, and Wales. Decorations and citations: Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 bronze stars and 1 arrowhead. World War II Victory Medal. Fourragere of the Belgian Croix de Guerre, 194o. Orange Lanyard of the Militaire Willeurs Orde, Knight of the Fourth Class, Royal Dutch Army. Promotions: From Private to Sergeant, July, 1944 from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant December, 1944. He qualified as a gliderman. Wounds received in action on September 28, 1944, in the Netherlands. He took part in the occupation of Berlin from September 8 to November 15, 1945. Under the supervision of the Paris TWCA center, he attended the University of Paris from July 15, 1945, to September 8, 1945, and completed the course in French Language and Literature with the grade of excellent. Upon demobilization he joined the Enlisted Men's Reserve Corps Army of the United States, with the rank of Staff Sergeant in the military intelligence service. On January 27, 1950, he accepted an appointment as First Lieutenant, military intelligence, United States Army Reserve; in 1954 he was promoted to Captain. From 1946 to 1948 he was an instructor at the Staunton Military Academy, Staunton, Virginia. From 1948 to 1950 he studied toward a Master's degree at the University of Virginia. From 1949 to 1950 he was instructor in modern languages and on June 12, 1950, received a Master of Arts degree. He continued at the University of Virginia working for a Ph.D. degree which he received June 15, 1953. Henry Elwell Funk II passed away on January 28, 1982.
Research notes
- MII 412
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 65 |
| Nara ASN | 33793436 |
| Nara Name | FUNK HENRY E |
| Nara State | 2 |
| Nara County | 101 |
| Nara POE | 3295 |
| Nara DOE | 20843 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | P T |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | NO |
| Nara Branch Code | 2 |
| Branch | No branch assignment |
| 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 | 32 |
| Nativity.1 | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Nara Year of Birth | 17 |
| Nara Race | 1 |
| Nara Race Description | White citizen |
| Nara Education | 8 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 992 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 0 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 0 |
| Class_ASN | 33793436 |
| Class_Name | FUNK, Henry E.; Funk, Henry E. |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
| Census_HISTID | 208C88EB-4742-4E0E-84A7-C465E949501F |
| Census_State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Census_Relate | Head/Householder |
| Census_Sex | Male |
| Census_Age | 23 |
| Census_BirthYear | 1917 |
| Census_Marital | Married, spouse present |
| Census_Race | White |
| Census_BPL | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Census_MBPL | 0 |
| Census_FBPL | 0 |
| Census_Educ | Grade 11 |
| Census_OCC | 156 |
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 2022-12-21 (1 post)