Rudolph E. Friedman
Rudolph E. Friedman
Personal details
Born1914
Germany
Died1999
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN39076100
RankCaptain
Rank at RitchieCorporal
Camp RitchieClass 16 (6 February – 5 April 1944)
Section7C
EnlistedSacramento, California
SpecialtyInterrogation of prisoners of war
TeamIPW 164
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.


Rudolph E. Friedman (1914–1999), known as Rudy, was a German-born Jewish Camp Ritchie graduate of the 16th class (April 1944) who served as a master sergeant on IPW Team 164 in France and Germany. Family posts on the Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page preserve his diploma, IPW photographs, and unit mementos shared by his son Ronald.

Biography edit

Friedman]] (ASN 39076100) as born in 1914 in Germany, of Jewish faith, with Camp Ritchie Class 16 (section 7C, corporal), IPW Team 164, overseas service, and enlistment at Sacramento, California. On 1 February 1941, he joined the Army in Sacramento, CA (ASN: 39076100). He died in 1999. Rudolph attended college in Germany (Economics) (non-graduate). He worked as Chief Clerk in Coca-Cola plant. (0907226)|Fred W. Ronald later noted the Latin motto on the MITC completion certificate, Fas est ab hoste doceri ("It is right to be taught even by an enemy"), as a fitting description of how Ritchie Boys worked. After Ronald's messages were posted, a relative of teammate Fred Hellman also contacted the page, linking the IPW 164 story across families.

Research notes edit

  • Also Class 1 IPW Ge

Gallery edit

Technical record edit

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 85
Nara ASN 39076100
Nara Name FRIEDMAN RUDOLPH E
Nara State 91
Nara County 89
Nara POE 9170
Nara DOE 10241
Nara Grade Alpha PVT
Nara Grade Code 8
Nara Branch Alpha BI
Nara Branch Code 0
Branch Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Nara Term or Enlistment 3
Term of enlistment Enlistment for Hawaiian Department
Defer. Date 0
Nara Source 0
Nara Nativity N1
Nara Year of Birth 14
Nara Race J
Nara Race Description White not yet a citizen
Nara Education 8
Nara Civilian Occupation 591
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 73
Nara Weight (lbs) 158
Class_ASN 39076100
Class_Name FRIEDMAN, Rudolph E.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline edit

  • Born 25 May 1914 in Danzig (Germany).
  • 1 February 1941 — Joined the Army in Sacramento, CA (ASN: 39076100).
  • 6 February 1944 — Entered Class 16 (French).
  • 5 April 1944 — Graduated Class 16 (French Translator; German Asst Interrogator).
  • 4 October 1944 — Transferred to DEML. Promoted to M/Sgt.
  • May 1943 — Clerk with 267th Sep CA Battalion as Cpl.
  • Assigned to IPW Team 164 attached to Seventh Army, XXI Corps.

Sources edit

  • Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
  • Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
  • 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 2018-01-10 (4 posts)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-01-15 (1 post)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Rudolph E. Friedman for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Friedman, Rudolph E. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: RUDOLPH E. FRIEDMAN.doc)