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William R. Galen

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William R. Galen
William R. Galen
Personal details
Born1914
Died27 March 1944
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
Arm / serviceCoast Artillery Corps
ASN01044825
RankSecond Lieutenant
Camp RitchieClass 3 (2 November – 23 December 1942)
SectionD
TeamIPW 15
Teammates
Team — IPW 15
These are other soldiers listed on the same team roster. People moved between teams; overlapping service dates are not always documented.
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.


William R. Galen (1914 – 27 March 1944) was a Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 3 and served with IPW Team 15.

Biography

On June 16, 2022, Christopher Galen, son of Ritchie Boy Lt. Bill Galen, visited the site of Camp Ritchie. Bill Galen is in the center wearing a helmet, and Ritchie Boy Sgt.

In the article, Chris Galen describes how RB Visko was killed in action in Anzio, Italy, on March 27, 1944, and how Chris' father was unable to locate any family members of RB Visko after the war. The Signal Corps photo caption says Galen is with the 6695 Military Intelligence Service. Bill Galen, knew only a little about Visko's stateside ties in Manhattan.

But when Galen’s brother back in Illinois reached out to her, he was informed that Visko’s “wife” was married -- but not to Visko -- and the little girl was not Visko's daughter. Lieutenant Bill Galen was trained in the third Camp Ritchie class of World War II, from which he graduated two days before Christmas 1942. Galen was a native of Cleveland and grew up speaking some German because of his family heritage.

Galen was shipped to North Africa in April 1943, then was among the first wave of Allied troops to invade Sicily in July. In all, Galen served with the 3rd, 36th and 85th divisions, along with II Corps and the 5th Army HQ, and earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star in the process. After the victory in Europe, Galen was assigned to the U.S. occupation force in Austria that summer, finally coming back to the states in November 1945.

Research notes

  • 85th Infantry

Gallery

  • In the photo are three GI's and a number of captured German soldiers.
    In the photo are three GI's and a number of captured German soldiers.
  • Thanks to research done by Stephen Goodell, we can share a photo of Captain Galen receiving a Bronze Star from General Mark Clark, Commanding General of American Forces in Austria, in Salzburg, part of a commemoration of Salerno Day, September 9, 1945.
    Thanks to research done by Stephen Goodell, we can share a photo of Captain Galen receiving a Bronze Star from General Mark Clark, Commanding General of American Forces in Austria, in Salzburg, part of a commemoration of Salerno Day, September 9, 1945.
  • Sgt. George Visko interrogates a German POW in Dragoni, Italy, in the fall of 1943.
    Sgt. George Visko interrogates a German POW in Dragoni, Italy, in the fall of 1943.
  • Visko's gravesite in the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.
    Visko's gravesite in the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.
  • Galen paid a photographer to take this studio portrait in Rome, summer 1944, shortly after he was promoted to captain.
    Galen paid a photographer to take this studio portrait in Rome, summer 1944, shortly after he was promoted to captain.
  • The Cleveland Press newspaper also took Galen's picture in the summer of 1944, as he interrogated German POWs.
    The Cleveland Press newspaper also took Galen's picture in the summer of 1944, as he interrogated German POWs.
  • Galen at center with officers under his command at the 5th Army HQ IPW detachment in Florence, Christmastime 1944. Most are known to be Ritchie Boys. At lower left are: Eigen, Hobelman, Galen, Hergenreter, Allen; the back row includes Jacobson and Nielsen.
    Galen at center with officers under his command at the 5th Army HQ IPW detachment in Florence, Christmastime 1944. Most are known to be Ritchie Boys. At lower left are: Eigen, Hobelman, Galen, Hergenreter, Allen; the back row includes Jacobson and Nielsen.

Technical record

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 80
Class_ASN 44825
Class_Name GALEN, William R.
match_method asn_partial_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 2022-08-29 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-09-02 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2026-05-05 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2026-06-24 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2026-08-13 (1 post)
  • Facebook-linked source: g2warletters.com
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