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William D. Van Loon
| William D. Van Loon | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Gerard Willem Van Loon |
| Born | 16 January 1911 Munich, Germany |
| Died | 1980 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Arm / service | Field Artillery |
| ASN | 01177676 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Rank at Ritchie | Second Lieutenant |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 8 (17 May – 16 July 1943) |
| Section | 5D |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
William D. Van Loon (born Gerard Willem Van Loon, 16 January 1911 – 1980) was a United States Army captain and Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 8.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Gerard Willem Van Loon was born on 16 January 1911 in Munich, Germany. He later used the name William D. Van Loon in United States records.
Van Loon trained at Camp Ritchie in Class 8 as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery. He became a naturalized U.S. Citizen on 14 June 1943 and served as a Ritchie Boy, including work as a translator and propaganda broadcaster. He later served as Theater Control Officer in Bavaria.
After the war he worked as an entertainer (dancer, actor, and director). In 1972 he published a biography of his father, Hendrik Willem Van Loon.
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- Also OB5, 8/28/43
- Class 8 IPW Ge
Gallery[edit | edit source]
After you are autoconfirmed, upload a photo and add [[File:Example.jpg|thumb|caption]] here, or set |photo=Example.jpg in the infobox.
Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 69 |
| row_source | demographics |
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 16 January 1911 — Born in Munich, Germany as Gerard Willem Van Loon.
- 14 June 1943 — Became naturalized U.S. citizen.
- During World War II — Served as a Ritchie Boy; translator and propaganda broadcaster; Theater Control Officer in Bavaria.
- 1972 — Published a biography of his father, Hendrik Willem Van Loon.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Dan Gross research archive (miscellaneous notes; not uploaded): NOTES entry “Military Governors” — Ritchie Boy Gerard Van Loon as Theater Control Officer in Bavaria
- 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 Gerard W. VAN LOON for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of VAN LOON, Gerard W. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: GERARD W. VAN LOON.doc)