—Research by Christopher Stout
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and Louisville, KY, Mr. Stout first moved to Ridgewood, NJ in 1967 where he now lives with his wife of 45 years. They have one daughter, born in Korea and adopted when 9 months old. A career banker by profession, having worked in New York City and overseas, he has always been concerned with local community interests and activities. He has served on several non-profit boards, is an ordained Elder in the Presbyterian Church USA and has been active in various youth recreation leagues, coaching baseball and softball for 25 years. Mr. Stout served as President of the Rotary Club of Ridgewood A.M. and was named Bergen County American Legion Legionnaire of the year 2011-2012. As a radioman, he spent eight years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, based in Louisville, N.O.B. Norfolk and sailing out of Boston Harbor on the USCGC Duane. His interest in history and research dates to his school days. Educated at the University of Louisville, the Goethe Institute in Germany and the Université de Montpellier in France. Starting in June 2001, based on his own research, he wrote a column in the Ridgewood News entitled “Recalling First Line News” in which he described the lives and deaths of 20th Century service casualties from Ridgewood and the area, the foundation for this book.