Rudolph W. Riefkohl
Encyclopedia
Colonel Rudolph William Riefkohl (1885 – November 13, 1950), was an officer in the United States Army
, who played an instrumental role in helping the people of Poland
overcome the 1919 typhus epidemic.
, Riefkohl was the oldest of five siblings born to Luis Riefkohl and Julia Jaimieson. His younger brother was Frederick Lois Riefkohl
, the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy
and to be awarded the Navy Cross
for his actions in World War I
, who retired from the Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral
His other siblings were Helen, Emily and Louise Riefkohl.
In the spring of 1898, as a young 14 year old, Riefkohl was involved in a curious encounter with an American spy on the eve of the Spanish-American War
. As recounted by the spy, Edwin Emerson, Jr. in Century magazine in September 1898, Emerson, who was pretending to be a German journalist, had been given Riefkohl's father's name by the German consul in St. Thomas. Upon his arrival in the town of Maunabo he met young Rudolph and asked the lad in German
if he had a map of Puerto Rico (Emerson had lost his). Riefkohl answered that he did, but it was decidedly too big for Emerson's use. Riefkohl returned home, not knowing that Emerson was a spy, and quickly drew another map with a depiction of the major ports and harbors of Puerto Rico. It is believed that Emerson gave Riefkohl's map to another spy, Lieutenant Henry Howard Whitney, who posed as a British
crew member in the furnace-room of the merchant ship, and that Whitney gave the map to General Nelson A. Miles
, thereby influencing the general's decision as to the disembarkation points for the invasion of Puerto Rico. A Photostat copy of Riefkohl's map was published in the Century article. After the war Riefkohl moved to the United States and concluded his secondary education in Concord, Massachusetts
, serving as a cadet in the Sixth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers, the same regiment that saw service in the southern areas of Puerto Rico in 1898 during the Puerto Rico Campaign. In 1910, Riefkohl earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
In 1911, Riefkohl joined the regular army and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. When the United States declared war on Germany in World War l, he was assigned to the 63rd Heavy Artillery Regiment in France
and actively participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
. According to the United States War Department, on April 1, 1918, Riefkohl served as Captain of Coastal Artillery at the Letterman Army Medical Center in Presidio of San Francisco
, in California
. His commanding officer was Colonel Henry Howard Whitney. Whitney asked him if he knew the Riefkohl family of Maunabo. Upon realizing that Riefkohl was the lad that drew the map which he, Whitney, had handed to General Miles during the Spanish-American War, they became good friends.
In June 1919, Col. Harry L. Gilchrist was informed to assist Poland
in coping with its typhus
epidemic
. He emphasized the necessity of having trained personnel to deal with the emergency and to instruct the Poles with the use of the equipment being purchased. General John J. Pershing
had decided that organizational matters should be handled by General William Durward Conner, who in turn instructed Lieutenant Colonel
Frank E. Estes, of the Army Service Corps, to mount the expedition.
Estes then dispatched Riefkohl, who was then a Major, and Captain Pumhrey to Brest, France
where they were instructed to assemble a new command. The Army Service Corps at Brest was organized into two separate units and later reorganized into a battalion commanded by Riefkohl. Riefkohl's battalion was successful in its mission and played an instrumental role helping the Poles overcome their epidemic. However, since the Red Army
was approaching their command in what is known as the Polish-Soviet War
, Riefkohl and his comrades were transferred to Danzig, which was under British control. Riefkohl was awarded the Polish Commemorative Medal for the War of 1919-1921 and transferred to United States Army of Occupation in Germany.
Riefkohl was among the Army officers who attended and graduated from the third course of the Army Industrial College which was held from February 2, 1925 to June 30, 1925 He also attended and graduated from the Army War College and Quartermaster Corps School of the French Army in France. Riefkohl obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1935. As war broke out in Europe, in 1939, he was instrumental in the planning and construction of Punto Borinquen (Ramey) Air Base in Aguadilla.
During World War ll Riefkohl served in various administrative positions, among them: Director of supply of the 3rd Service Command at Baltimore
, Director of Business Administration at Quartermaster Corps School and Assistant Commandant of the Army Industrial college in Philadelphia. Riefkohl retired as a Colonel in the United States Army Corps of Engineers
in 1945.
. There he became a member of the Surfside City planning board and of the Military Order of the World War. He ran for mayor of Surfside and was elected in May 1949.
Riefkohl's term as mayor was short lived because he soon fell ill and on November 13, 1950, died of a heart attack. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery
. Riefkohl was survived by his wife Aimee Preston.
Foreign award
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, who played an instrumental role in helping the people of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
overcome the 1919 typhus epidemic.
Early years
Born and raised in the town of Maunabo, Puerto RicoMaunabo, Puerto Rico
Maunabo is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the southeastern coast, northeast of Patillas and south of Yabucoa. Maunabo is spread over 8 wards and Maunabo Pueblo . It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Mayor of the town is Jorge L. Márquez Pérez...
, Riefkohl was the oldest of five siblings born to Luis Riefkohl and Julia Jaimieson. His younger brother was Frederick Lois Riefkohl
Frederick Lois Riefkohl
Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl , a native of Maunabo, Puerto Rico, was an officer in the United States Navy and the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy and to be awarded the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is the second highest medal, after the Medal of Honor, that...
, the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
and to be awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for his actions in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, who retired from the Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
His other siblings were Helen, Emily and Louise Riefkohl.
A special map
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. As recounted by the spy, Edwin Emerson, Jr. in Century magazine in September 1898, Emerson, who was pretending to be a German journalist, had been given Riefkohl's father's name by the German consul in St. Thomas. Upon his arrival in the town of Maunabo he met young Rudolph and asked the lad in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
if he had a map of Puerto Rico (Emerson had lost his). Riefkohl answered that he did, but it was decidedly too big for Emerson's use. Riefkohl returned home, not knowing that Emerson was a spy, and quickly drew another map with a depiction of the major ports and harbors of Puerto Rico. It is believed that Emerson gave Riefkohl's map to another spy, Lieutenant Henry Howard Whitney, who posed as a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
crew member in the furnace-room of the merchant ship, and that Whitney gave the map to General Nelson A. Miles
Nelson A. Miles
Nelson Appleton Miles was a United States soldier who served in the American Civil War, Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American War.-Early life:Miles was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, on his family's farm...
, thereby influencing the general's decision as to the disembarkation points for the invasion of Puerto Rico. A Photostat copy of Riefkohl's map was published in the Century article. After the war Riefkohl moved to the United States and concluded his secondary education in Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
, serving as a cadet in the Sixth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers, the same regiment that saw service in the southern areas of Puerto Rico in 1898 during the Puerto Rico Campaign. In 1910, Riefkohl earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT).
Military career
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and actively participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
. According to the United States War Department, on April 1, 1918, Riefkohl served as Captain of Coastal Artillery at the Letterman Army Medical Center in Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
, in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His commanding officer was Colonel Henry Howard Whitney. Whitney asked him if he knew the Riefkohl family of Maunabo. Upon realizing that Riefkohl was the lad that drew the map which he, Whitney, had handed to General Miles during the Spanish-American War, they became good friends.
In June 1919, Col. Harry L. Gilchrist was informed to assist Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in coping with its typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
. He emphasized the necessity of having trained personnel to deal with the emergency and to instruct the Poles with the use of the equipment being purchased. General John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
had decided that organizational matters should be handled by General William Durward Conner, who in turn instructed Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Frank E. Estes, of the Army Service Corps, to mount the expedition.
Estes then dispatched Riefkohl, who was then a Major, and Captain Pumhrey to Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
where they were instructed to assemble a new command. The Army Service Corps at Brest was organized into two separate units and later reorganized into a battalion commanded by Riefkohl. Riefkohl's battalion was successful in its mission and played an instrumental role helping the Poles overcome their epidemic. However, since the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
was approaching their command in what is known as the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
, Riefkohl and his comrades were transferred to Danzig, which was under British control. Riefkohl was awarded the Polish Commemorative Medal for the War of 1919-1921 and transferred to United States Army of Occupation in Germany.
Riefkohl was among the Army officers who attended and graduated from the third course of the Army Industrial College which was held from February 2, 1925 to June 30, 1925 He also attended and graduated from the Army War College and Quartermaster Corps School of the French Army in France. Riefkohl obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1935. As war broke out in Europe, in 1939, he was instrumental in the planning and construction of Punto Borinquen (Ramey) Air Base in Aguadilla.
During World War ll Riefkohl served in various administrative positions, among them: Director of supply of the 3rd Service Command at Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Director of Business Administration at Quartermaster Corps School and Assistant Commandant of the Army Industrial college in Philadelphia. Riefkohl retired as a Colonel in the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
in 1945.
Later years
Riefkohl and his wife moved to Surfside, FloridaSurfside, Florida
Surfside is a town in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,909 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 4,710.-Geography:...
. There he became a member of the Surfside City planning board and of the Military Order of the World War. He ran for mayor of Surfside and was elected in May 1949.
Riefkohl's term as mayor was short lived because he soon fell ill and on November 13, 1950, died of a heart attack. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. Riefkohl was survived by his wife Aimee Preston.
Awards and decorations
Among Riefkohl 's military awards and decorations are the following:
World War I Victory Medal
Army of Occupation of Germany MedalArmy of Occupation of Germany MedalThe Army of Occupation of Germany Medal is a type of decoration of the United States military which was created by the act of the United States Congress on November 21, 1941. The decoration recognizes those members of the U.S...
American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalThe European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
Foreign award
- Polish Commemorative Medal for the War of 1919-1921
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- Puerto Ricans in World War IPuerto Ricans in World War IPuerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent have participated as members of the United States Armed Forces in every conflict in which the United States has been involved since World War I. One of the consequences of the Spanish-American War was that Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States...
- Puerto Ricans in World War IIPuerto Ricans in World War IIPuerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent have participated as members of the United States Armed Forces in every conflict in which the United States has been involved since World War I. In World War II, Puerto Rican members of the U.S. armed forces guarded U.S...
- German immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto Rico increased when German businessmen immigrated to Puerto Rico during the early part of the 19th century. However, it was the economic and political situation in Europe during the early 19th century plus, the fact that the Spanish Crown issued the Royal Decree of...