Ep 46. The Ritchie Boys

During World War II, a unique group of soldiers aided in the Allied victory: the Ritchie Boys. These were young men -- most of them Jewish -- who had fled Nazi Germany and were trained in espionage and interrogation techniques at a secret U.S. Army camp called Camp Ritchie. In this episode of 60 Minutes, correspondent Lesley Stahl meets some of the last surviving Ritchie Boys and hears their stories of courage and sacrifice.

Stahl begins her report at Camp Ritchie, now a historical site in Maryland. She describes how recruits were put through an intense 17-week training program that included weapons handling, map reading, and physical fitness. But the most important skill they learned was how to interrogate prisoners of war. Stahl speaks with one Ritchie Boy, Guy Stern, who says that they were taught to get inside the enemy's head and figure out what they knew.

From there, Stahl travels to France, where one of the most famous Ritchie Boys, Marcel Marceau, grew up. Marceau is better known as a mime, but during the war, he was a spy for the French Resistance. Stahl visits the house where Marceau hid Jewish children from the Nazis, and speaks with his son, Baptiste. Baptiste tells Stahl that his father never spoke much about his wartime experiences, but that he was proud to have been a Ritchie Boy.

Back in the U.S., Stahl meets with a group of Ritchie Boys who still meet annually to reminisce and honor their fallen comrades. They share stories of their missions behind enemy lines, including one operation in which they impersonated German soldiers and captured a crucial bridge. Stahl also hears from a Ritchie Boy named Werner Reich, who was sent back to Germany as a spy and had to pretend to be a loyal Nazi. Reich tells Stahl how he had to suppress his emotions and blend in with the very people who had persecuted him and his family.

Throughout the episode, Stahl emphasizes the bravery and patriotism of the Ritchie Boys. These were men who had fled their homes and families under the threat of persecution, and yet still volunteered to fight for their adopted country. They were also instrumental in helping to defeat the Nazis, using their knowledge of German language and culture to gain crucial intelligence.

At the end of the segment, Stahl reflects on the legacy of the Ritchie Boys. She notes that they were instrumental in shaping the U.S. intelligence community and that their techniques are still used today. She also says that their contributions have often gone unrecognized, in part because the Ritchie Boys themselves did not seek glory. For them, their service to their country and their fellow soldiers was reward enough.

Overall, this episode of 60 Minutes is a moving tribute to a remarkable group of soldiers. Through firsthand accounts and archival footage, it brings to life the story of the Ritchie Boys and their contribution to the Allied victory in World War II.