Welcome Center of Kettles VAMC Renamed After WWII Veteran Dr. Guy Stern
PRESS RELEASE
January 13, 2023
Ann Arbor , MI — The Welcome Center of the LTC Charles S. Kettles VAMC on Friday was renamed after local WWII Veteran and “Ritchie Boy” Dr. Guy Stern. Dr. Stern, who celebrates his 101st birthday on January 14th, attended the ceremony.
Dr. Stern, a German-Jewish refugee, came to America in 1937. His parents made the difficult decision to send their oldest child to the U.S. amid the Nazi party coming to power in 1930s Germany.
Stern was drafted in the United States Army in 1943 and was later stationed at Camp Ritchie for intelligence training. The Army utilized Stern’s ability to speak multiple languages to gain intelligence information from captured German POW’s. A 2022 “60 Minutes” report, of which Dr. Stern was featured, credits the Ritchie Boys with gathering more than 60% of the actionable intelligence used by the Army during WWII. Stern was awarded the Bronze Star in 1945.
“Dr. Stern’s story is remarkable and unique. His service to our military, amid the uncertainty of war that his family was facing in Nazi Germany, speaks to his selflessness and service to something greater than himself,” said Medical Center Director Dr. Ginny Creasman. “Now, and for many years to come, when Veterans walk into our facility, the first fellow-Veteran who will greet them is Guy Stern.”
Retired Army Brigadier General Donald Schenk, now a member of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, Department of Michigan, also spoke on behalf of Dr. Stern at the dedication.
After the war, Dr. Stern dedicated his life to education. He was a professor at many universities in the United States and a visiting scholar at German universities. He’s served as an advisor to Fisher House Michigan and remains active in the Jewish War Veterans Community. Most recently, Dr. Stern has filled various positions at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
