Gaertner, Bernard (32874468): Difference between revisions

On this Memorial Day, let's remember those Ritchie Boys who paid the ultimate price during WWII. Staff Sgt [[Gaertner, Bernard (32874468)|Bernard Gaertner]] was born April 1, 1922 in Hagen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. 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. Sgt Gaertner is buried in the Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, NY.

On this Memorial Day, let us remember those Ritchie Boys who died in Europe while serving our country and fighting to defend our freedoms. 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. From the history of 87th Infantry division: "Early in the afternoon, a jeep bearing Second Lieutenant Fredrick Gottlieb, of Brooklyn, New York, and Sergeant [[Gaertner, Bernard (32874468)|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. 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.