Helmut J. Haag

Helmut J. Haag
Personal details
Born	1921 Stuttgart, Germany
Died	2002
Nativity	Germany
Religion	Catholic
Awards	Purple Heart
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
ASN	01318539
Rank	Major

Awards and honors

Purple Heart (2 OLC)

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Helmut J. Haag (1921–2002) was a Stuttgart-born U.S. Army officer who trained at Camp Ritchie, landed with Rangers near Omaha Beach on D-Day, and later commanded the 205th Tank Battalion in the New York National Guard.

Biography

Helmut J. Haag was born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1921 and came to the United States in 1935. He enlisted in Company C of the 105th Infantry in 1938 and was a corporal when the 27th Division was federalized in October 1940. After training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and service in Hawaii, he attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was commissioned a second lieutenant on 29 April 1943. He instructed in heavy weapons at Camp Roberts, California, then attended the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, completing courses in interrogation of prisoners of war, order-of-battle intelligence, and aerial photo interpretation; he also taught judo there.

Early in 1944 he was assigned to First Army headquarters in England. He went ashore with a Ranger battalion before H-Hour on D-Day, 6 June 1944, near Omaha Beach. He served in five campaigns including the Battle of the Bulge and received the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 1 August 1944 while serving as an intelligence staff officer with First Army Headquarters, to captain on 1 February 1945, and went inactive in the Organized Reserve in November 1945.

Rejoining the National Guard in 1948, Haag later became commanding officer of the 205th Tank Battalion, 27th Armored Division (announced May 1955). He died in 2002.

Research notes

• OB 13;19

Gallery

• 
  Times Record (Troy, New York), 21 May 1955 — Maj. Helmut J. Haag named commander of the 205th Tank Battalion; article summarizes Camp Ritchie training and WWII Ranger service.

Technical record

Field	Imported value
Approx Age at Death	81
row_source	demographics

Timeline

• 1921 — Born in Stuttgart, Germany.
• 1935 — Came to the United States.
• 1938 — Enlisted, Co. C, 105th Infantry (National Guard).
• October 1940 — 27th Division federalized (corporal).
• 29 April 1943 — Commissioned second lieutenant (Fort Benning OCS).
• Attended Camp Ritchie (IPW, OB, aerial photo interpretation); taught judo.
• 6 June 1944 — Landed with Ranger battalion near Omaha Beach before H-Hour.
• 1 August 1944 — Promoted first lieutenant (First Army intelligence staff).
• 1 February 1945 — Promoted captain.
• November 1945 — Inactive Organized Reserve.
• May 1955 — Named commander, 205th Tank Battalion, 27th Armored Division.
• 2002 — Died.

Sources

• Times Record (Troy, New York), 21 May 1955 — “Major Haag Named 205th Commander” (clipping)
• 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)