For any WWII history buffs out there, 60 Minutes this Sunday is running a piece on the Ritchie Boys. This is a group who did intelligence work against Germany. Many were German and other European born Jews who had come to the US as children or teens when their families fled Germany in the 1930’s. They had native fluency in German, Polish, Italian etc and knew local customs, making them invaluable assets. Those who went behind the lines in Europe damn well knew what they were facing if captured, but went anyway. Incredible courage.
They are called the Ritchie Boys because they trained at the now-closed Ft Ritchie in Cascade MD, in Washington County, up near the PA border. Ft Ritchie was closed as part of the BRAC closings in the 90’s, but most of the grounds are still open for community use for walking, running, etc. Many of the beautiful old stone buildings are still there, albeit overrun with vines. There is also an abandoned base housing area, with an entire neighborhood of 70’s era houses. Wandering through that neighborhood is like being in a twilight zone. There are two lakes on the grounds, which have their own history as they were used as ice lakes in the early 1900’s, before the US Govt acquired the property. The whole atmosphere at Ft Ritchie is so rich with history that it’s almost palpable. If you’re looking for something to do on a nice day, you could do worse than taking an hour or so to ramble through Ft Ritchie. Pen Mar Park and the Appalachian Trail are just a mile or so away, so you could do some hiking or bring a picnic to enjoy at Pen Mar.