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Gerald Lieberman
| Gerald Lieberman | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Jerry Lieberman |
| Born | 2 December 1924 Munich, Germany |
| Died | 24 November 2011 Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Awards | Purple Heart |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | |
| ASN | 32861763 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Rank at Ritchie | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 10 (23 July – 20 September 1943) |
| Section | 5C |
| Enlisted | New York City, New York |
| Unit / division | 3rd Infantry Division |
| Purple Heart |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Gerald “Jerry” Lieberman (2 December 1924 – 24 November 2011) was a Munich-born Ritchie Boy (Class 10) who interrogated for the 3rd Infantry Division in North Africa, Italy, and southern France.
Biography
Gerald Lieberman was born on 2 December 1924 in Munich. After Kristallnacht his father Leo was briefly imprisoned at Dachau; with help from the American consul the family obtained visas, left Germany in early 1939 via the Dominican Republic, and reached New York that spring. Jerry graduated high school on his eighteenth birthday.
Drafted about 1942 and naturalized, he first trained as a cook and baker in Virginia, then volunteered for German-language intelligence work and went to Camp Ritchie (Class 10). As a sergeant he served as a replacement interrogator in North Africa, then with the 3rd Infantry Division in Italy and southern France. Near Anzio / on the road to Rome he was wounded when a German aircraft strafed his jeep and received the Purple Heart.
Discharged in December 1945, he built B&G Lieberman Co. with his mother under the GI Bill, later moving the firm to Charlotte, North Carolina. He was active in Sierra Club leadership and local civic boards. He died at home in Charlotte on 24 November 2011.
Research notes
- 5th Army
- Charlotte Observer obituary and Associated Press / Gastonia Gazette feature (2011) are the principal narrative sources.
Gallery
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Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 87 |
| Nara ASN | 32861763 |
| Nara Name | LIEBERMAN GERALD |
| Nara State | 23 |
| Nara County | 81 |
| Nara POE | 2364 |
| Nara DOE | 120343 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | NO |
| Nara Branch Code | 2 |
| Branch | No branch assignment |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 5 |
| Term of enlistment | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| Defer. Date | 0 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | N1 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 24 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 4 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 992 |
| Nara Marital Status | 1 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 90 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 124 |
| Class_ASN | 32861763 |
| Class_Name | LIEBERMAN, Gerald |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Timeline
- 2 December 1924 — Born in Munich.
- November 1938 – spring 1939 — Kristallnacht; father’s Dachau detention; emigration via Dominican Republic to New York.
- c. 1942 — Drafted; cook/baker training; Camp Ritchie Class 10.
- WWII — Interrogator, North Africa; 3rd Infantry Division, Italy and southern France; Purple Heart (strafing near Anzio/Rome).
- December 1945 — Returned to New York.
- 1949 onward — B&G Lieberman Co.; later Charlotte; Sierra Club / civic leadership.
- 24 November 2011 — Died in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sources
- Associated Press / Gastonia Gazette, 28 August 2011 — “Jewish man recalls revenge on Nazis” (RB Archive transcript)
- Legacy — Gerald Lieberman
- Charlotte Observer, 27 November 2011 — Gerald “Jerry” Lieberman obituary (RB Archive transcript)
- Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
- Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
- NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)