Ritchie Boys Wiki

Gerst, Eric F. (32416739): Difference between revisions

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Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch
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|surname=Gerst
|surname=Gerst
|first=Eric
|first=Eric
|middle=F.
|middle=Frank
|class_rank=Sgt
|class_rank=Sergeant
|birth_year=1918
|birth_year=1918
|death_year=2011
|death_year=2011
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|death_date=21 June 2011
|death_date=21 June 2011
|birth_place=Nuremberg, Germany
|birth_place=Nuremberg, Germany
|teams=MII 483-G
|rank_final=Master Sergeant
|division=63rd Infantry Division
|death_place=Venice, Florida
}}
}}


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'''[[Gerst, Eric F. (32416739)|Eric F. Gerst]]''' (23 March 1918 – 21 June 2011) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 21.
'''[[Gerst, Eric F. (32416739)|Eric Frank Gerst]]''' (23 March 1918 – 21 June 2011) was a Nuremberg-born Ritchie Boy (Class 21) who served as a master sergeant with the 63rd Infantry Division in Europe.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Eric Frank Gerst was a Ritchie Boy. Eric was born March 23, 1918 in Nuremberg, Germany, where he attended textile school in Reutlingen. Due to the rise of the Nazi party and Hitler's anti-Jewish policies, in 1937 he emigrated to the U.S. and worked in the textile industry at American Bemberg Corp in Tennessee. Determined to help his family escape Germany, Eric's efforts enabled his father Ernst, mother Annie and sister Lizelot to find asylum in the States too. Grateful for the refuge given him and his family, he wrote a letter published by the New York Times in 1942 objecting to the Selective Service ruling preventing German refugees from serving in the U.S. Army and requesting the right to defend his new homeland. He was subsequently able to enlist and trained as a radio operator at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he met and married Dawn Idarius of Chicago. Eric was then transferred to Camp Ritchie, MD. for intelligence training and was assigned in 1944 to the 63rd Infantry Division in Europe where he served in France and behind enemy lines in Germany until the end of the war, attaining the rank of Master Sergeant. Proud to have fought and also for being able to fit into his army uniform throughout his life, he would often wear the uniform on Veteran's Day. Eric passed away on June 21 2011.
Eric Frank Gerst was born on 23 March 1918 in Nuremberg, Germany, and attended textile school in Reutlingen. In 1937 he emigrated to the United States and worked in textiles at American Bemberg Corporation in Tennessee. His efforts helped his father Ernst, mother Annie, and sister Lizelot find asylum in the United States as well.
 
In 1942 a letter of his objecting to Selective Service rules that barred German refugees from Army service was published in the ''New York Times''. He enlisted, trained as a radio operator at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and there married Dawn Idarius of Chicago. Transferred to Camp Ritchie for intelligence training (Class 21), he was assigned in 1944 to the 63rd Infantry Division and served in France and Germany, rising to master sergeant.
 
After the war Gerst settled in New York with Dawn and joined the menswear division of Burlington Industries in 1949, advancing into managerial roles. They later lived many years in Port Washington, New York, and from 2001 in Venice, Florida. Dawn died in 2002 after 59 years of marriage. Gerst died on 21 June 2011 in Venice.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* DEML Also Fr 405
* DEML Also Fr 405
* 483-G
* Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Farley Funeral Home notice is the principal narrative source; family survivors listed there are not copied into the public biography.


== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
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| row_source || both
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== Timeline ==
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<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 23 March 1918 — Born in Nuremberg, Germany; textile school in Reutlingen.
* 1937 — Emigrated to the United States; American Bemberg Corp., Tennessee.
* 1942 — ''New York Times'' letter on refugee enlistment; enlisted; radio training, Sioux Falls; married Dawn Idarius.
* Camp Ritchie Class 21 — Intelligence training.
* 1944–1945 — 63rd Infantry Division, France and Germany; master sergeant.
* 1949 onward — Burlington Industries menswear management; lived Port Washington, New York; from 2001 Venice, Florida.
* 2002 — Dawn Gerst died.
* 21 June 2011 — Died in Venice, Florida.
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</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10 July 2011 — Eric Frank Gerst obituary (RB Archive ProQuest PDF; private copy, not uploaded)
* 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 2022-12-01 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-12-01 (1 post)
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