Soft launch: Soldier biographies and research notes vary in completeness. Prefer class-roster, NARA, newspapers, and other cited sources for contested facts — treat Research notes as leads, not settled history. Anyone can correct a page; contact us with questions.

Gaertner, Bernard (32874468): Difference between revisions

From Ritchie Boys Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Normalize spacing before lifespan in opening summary
Expand exact roster rank codes (class_rank: Pfc -> Private First Class)
 
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 5: Line 5:
|first=Bernard
|first=Bernard
|class_section=5D
|class_section=5D
|class_rank=Pfc
|class_rank=Private First Class
|birth_year=1922
|birth_year=1922
|death_year=1945
|death_year=1945
|nativity=Ge
|nativity=Germany
|religion=H
|religion=Jewish
|enlistment_place=NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK
|enlistment_place=NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
Line 24: Line 24:
|birth_place=Danzig, Germany
|birth_place=Danzig, Germany
|death_date=1 January 1945
|death_date=1 January 1945
|photo=2414237098598197.jpg
}}
}}


Line 143: Line 144:


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* 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)
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-25 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-25 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-26 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-26 (1 post)

Latest revision as of 05:40, 16 September 2026

Bernard Gaertner
Bernard Gaertner
Personal details
Born1 April 1922
Danzig, Germany
Died1 January 1945
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN32874468
RankPrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 19 (16 May – 13 July 1944)
Section5D
EnlistedNew York City, New York
TeamIPW 147
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Bernard Gaertner (1 April 1922 – 1 January 1945) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19 and served with IPW Team 147.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Staff Sgt Bernard Gaertner was born April 1, 1922 in Hagen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Sgt Gaertner is buried in the Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, NY. From the history of 87th Infantry division: "Early in the afternoon, a jeep bearing Second Lieutenant Fredrick Gottlieb, of Brooklyn, New York, and Sergeant Bernard Gaertner (also a Ritchie Boy), of New York City, both members of the Interrogation of Prisoner of War team, struck a mine; killing them and wrecking the vehicle.

He was with the 1st Prisoner of War Team, 147 G-2, HQ. He was assigned to the 345th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division, and killed in action, along with Ritchie Boy Fred Gottlieb, by a German mine near Rondu, Belgium. Ritchie Boy 2nd Lt Fred Gottlieb was born in Danzig, Germany in 1914.

He grew up in New York, and enlisted in the US Army at Camp Upton Yaphank on August 25, 1941. He served with the Headquarters of the 87th Infantry Division, and was Killed in Action on January 1, 1945. A few seconds earlier a ton and a half truck, loaded with 57 mm ammunition had also struck a mine and burst into flame.

The two vehicles effectively blocked a convoy of Headquarters Company vehicles moving toward Rondu. Enemy observers spotted the stalled column of vehicles and soon German artillery began to explode all around." Lt Gottlieb was awarded the Purple Heart and the Legion of Merit (posthumous) for exceptionally meritorious conduct.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • 3rd Army

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 23
Nara ASN 32874468
Nara Name GAERTNER BERNARD
Nara State K3
Nara County 61
Nara POE 2364
Nara DOE 260343
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 22
Nara Race J
Nara Race Description White not yet a citizen
Nara Education 7
Nara Civilian Occupation 513
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 46
Nara Weight (lbs) 154
Class_ASN 32874468
Class_Name GAERTNER, Bernard
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both
Census_HISTID 74CA2927-2D5E-4B5B-9D19-66DB0F826CC0
Census_State NEW YORK
Census_Relate Child
Census_Sex Male
Census_Age 18
Census_BirthYear 1922
Census_Marital Never married/single
Census_Race White
Census_BPL 453
Census_MBPL 0
Census_FBPL 0
Census_Citizen Not a citizen
Census_Educ Grade 12
Census_OCC 416

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • 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)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-25 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-26 (1 post)