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Maxwell Jerome Papurt
| Maxwell Jerome Papurt | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 June 1907 Cleveland, Ohio |
| Died | 1944 |
| Nativity | United States |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 0298501 |
| Rank | Major |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 6 (13 March – 11 May 1943) |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Maxwell Jerome Papurt (12 June 1907–1944) was a U.S.-born Jewish Camp Ritchie graduate (Class 6, Counter Intelligence) who later served with the OSS; wounded and captured near Wallendorf in September 1944, he died when Allied aircraft bombed the hospital where he was being treated.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Maxwell Jerome Papurt was born on 12 June 1907 in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Miami University in Ohio for two years and earned a B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. in psychology at Ohio State University. Before the war he worked as executive director of the Brooklyn Children’s Home.
On 17 April 1942, Papurt was serving as a captain in the Counter Intelligence Corps. He entered Camp Ritchie’s Class 6 (Counter Intelligence) on 17 March 1943 and later served with the Office of Strategic Services as a major.
In late September 1944, Papurt and his driver were traveling by jeep toward Wallendorf with Navy Lieutenant Robert Jennings and OSS agent Gertrude Legendre when the party came under German machine-gun fire. Papurt and his driver were wounded in both legs. The Americans surrendered; they burned and buried OSS and SHAEF passes and other papers before capture. Papurt was taken for medical treatment and later died when Allied planes bombed the hospital in which he was being held.
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- POW note in roster materials: 29 November 1944, Lorraine
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 37 |
| row_source | demographics |
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- Born 12 June 1907 in Cleveland, Ohio (Jewish).
- 17 April 1942 — Serving as captain, Counter Intelligence Corps.
- 17 March 1943 — Entered Class 6 (Counter Intelligence) at Camp Ritchie.
- Joined the Office of Strategic Services; later held the rank of major.
- 24 September 1944 — Gertrude Legendre and Lt. Cdr. Robert Jennings left Paris by car for Luxembourg (unauthorized); later met Major Papurt.
- Late September 1944 — Near Wallendorf, the jeep party came under German machine-gun fire; Papurt and driver “Dick” were wounded in both legs; the party surrendered after burning OSS/SHAEF papers.
- Papurt was evacuated for hospital treatment; he died when Allied aircraft bombed the hospital where he was being treated.
- Research note: POW / Lorraine dating also appears as 29 November 1944.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Nancy Caldwell Sorel, The Women Who Wrote the War (account of Gertrude Legendre and the Papurt capture party)
- Dan Gross research archive (miscellaneous notes; not uploaded): NOTES entry “Papurt Capture” (8/27/2019), summarizing OSS agent Gertrude Legendre’s report (NARA RG 226 Entry 190, Box 25)
- 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 Maxwell Jerome Papurt for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Papurt, Maxwell Jerome for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: MAXWELL J. PAPURT.doc)