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.
Harry A Jacobs
| Harry A Jacobs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Jakob Helmut |
| Born | 1924 Mannheim, Germany |
| Died | 2018 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 33743685 |
| Rank | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 12 (27 September – 25 November 1943) |
| Section | 5B |
| Enlisted | Ft Myer, Virginia |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Harry A Jacobs (1924–2018) was a Ritchie Boy (born Jakob; Helmut; from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 12.
Biography
Two special guests in the audience were Ritchie Boys Gideon Kantor and Harry Jacobs, who coincidentally both served together in the 4th Armored Division in WWII. Harry trained at Camp Ritchie, MD and Camp Sharpe, PA and specialized in Interrogation of Prisoners of War (IPW) and Order of Battle (OB). Afterwards, Harry joined OB Team 24 for duty with the 4th Armored Division. Harry entered combat on July 17, 1944 and saw action in the Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne, through Germany and into Czechoslovakia. This is just a snapshot of Harry Jacobs' story. Ritchie Boy Harry Jacobs published “The Pentagon Brank” in 2007. It is a fascinating novel of mystery and intrigue based on Harry’s experience in military intelligence during and after World War II. Ritchie Boy Harry Jacobs has had a WWII novel published entitled - "The Raid Toward Prague: May 1945. It became available on Amazon on June 29, 2018. Harry Jacobs graduated from Georgetown University and American University. Jacobs this past Friday, November 23, 2018 at age 94. Harry Jacobs was born in Mannheim, Germany and emigrated to the United States during the Nazi regime.
Research notes
- Also Class 10 GerOB
- Camp Sharpe
- OB 24
Gallery
-
In the photo to the left, Bruce Henderson (left) is with Ritchie Boy Gideon Kantor (right). In the photo on the right, Dan Gross, Camp Ritchie's (Unofficial) Historian (left) is with Ritchie Boy Harry Jacobs (right). -
In the photo to the left, Bruce Henderson (left) is with Ritchie Boy Gideon Kantor (right). In the photo on the right, Dan Gross, Camp Ritchie's (Unofficial) Historian (left) is with Ritchie Boy Harry Jacobs (right). -
-
Pictured below, they are (left to right): Harry Jacobs, Gideon Kantor, and Alfred Shehab -
-
-
-
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 94 |
| Nara ASN | 33743685 |
| Nara Name | JACOBS HARRY A |
| Nara State | 34 |
| Nara County | 1 |
| Nara POE | 3347 |
| Nara DOE | 230643 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| 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 | N1 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 24 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 5 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 101 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 4 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 0 |
| Class_ASN | 33743685 |
| Class_Name | JACOB, Helmut Albert; JAKOB, Helmut A. |
| match_method | pass2_asn_last |
| 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 2018-01-26 (2 posts)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-02-02 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-04-16 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-10-05 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-11-26 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-08-06 (1 post)