Ib J. Melchior
| Ib J. Melchior | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Ib Jørgen Melchior |
| Born | 17 September 1917 Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Died | 14 March 2015 West Hollywood |
| Nativity | Denmark |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 32909534 |
| Rank | Technician Third Grade |
| Rank at Ritchie | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 10 (23 July – 20 September 1943) |
| Section | 5C |
| Enlisted | New York City, New York |
| Team | MII 425-G |
|
| Bronze Star Medal |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Ib Jørgen Melchior (September 17, 1917 – March 14, 2015) was a Danish-American novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and film director of low-budget American science fiction movies, most of them released by American International Pictures.
Biography edit
Melchior was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark, the son of Lauritz Melchior, an opera singer.
During World War II, getting his training at Camp Ritchie in Maryland which classifies him as one of the Ritchie Boys.
Ib Jørgen Melchior (September 17, 1917 – March 14, 2015) was a Danish-American novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and film director of low-budget American science fiction movies, most of them released by American International Pictures. In July 1942, Melchior became member of OSS. He also participated in the liberation of Flossenbürg concentration camp as well as the discovery of stolen currency, gold and art at Merkers-Kieselbach Cavern, and the capture of a Werwolf unit in 1945, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Ib worked as cryptographer for OSS. He worked as news broadcaster in Europe. He worked as stage manager at Radio City Music Hall.
He worked as stage manager; also as news broadcaster in Europe. He was captured buried SS records in Regensburg. Which was confiscated by the communist government of East Germany and never returned.
Melchior died of natural causes on March 14, 2015, at the age of 97, five months after the death of his wife of over 50 years, architect Cleo Baldon.
In the field he served on MII Team 425-G (constituted 29 November 1944; attached to Twelfth Army Group / XII Corps, Third Army), working with CIC Detachment 212. Teammates included Felix P. Arnstein (Class 16) and Kurt Lowenstein (Class 11). Team reports under his name cover ammunition depots, underground factories, fortifications, and a V-2 site near Baumholder. A 19 May 1945 memo by Arnstein on Melchior’s Werewolf investigations supported his Bronze Star; the team also noted a Good Conduct Medal and battle credit for Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.
Research notes edit
- CIC 212
- OSS (OS) from 7/42
- ASTP
- Science fiction films
- Novelist,
- Order of Battle
- MII 425-G + CIC 212; Bronze Star (Werewolf investigations memo 19 May 1945); campaigns Normandy–Central Europe (Gross NARA notes)
Gallery edit
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Technical record edit
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 98 |
| Nara ASN | 32909534 |
| Nara Name | MELCHIOR IB J |
| Nara State | 23 |
| Nara County | 61 |
| Nara POE | 2364 |
| Nara DOE | 190543 |
| 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 | M2 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 17 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 8 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 2 |
| Nara Marital Status | 2 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 43 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 123 |
| Class_ASN | 32909534 |
| Class_Name | MELCHIOR, Ib J. |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Timeline edit
- July 1942 — Became member of OSS.
- 19 May 1943 — Drafted into Army in NYC as Pvt (ASN: 32909534).
- 21 January 1944 — Became naturalized U.S. citizen in Washington, DC.
- 3 December 1944 — Assigned to MII Team 425-G attached to XII Corps.
- ? Promoted to T/3.
- ? Worked as cryptographer for OSS.
- Also assigned to OSS and CIC.
- Also attached to CIC Detachment 212 (XII Corps).
- Assigned to MII Team 425-G attached to XII Corps.
- Awarded Bronze Star Medal.
- Captured buried SS records in Regensburg.
Sources edit
- Dan Gross research archive (miscellaneous timeline-adjacent documents; not uploaded): IB MELCHIOR Reports.doc
- Wikipedia: Ib Melchior
- 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)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Ib J. Melchior for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 3 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Melchior, Ib J. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 3 source files: IB J. MELCHIOR (2020).doc, IB J. MELCHIOR.doc, IB J. MELCHIOR.docx)