Funk, Henry E. (33793436): Difference between revisions

. Henry Elwell Funk II was born in Philadelphia March 22, 1917. Henry Elwell Funk II passed away on January 28, 1982. He graduated from Haverford College June, 1943. He was the first student to major in Spanish there. Previously he had studied French, German, and Portuguese at Princeton University and at the University of Pennsylvania. The following deals with his participation in World War II. Prior to Registration Day (October 16, 1940) he tried to enlist in the army in any capacity but was refused because of poor eyesight and underweight. During March 1943, he applied for a commission as interpreter in the Navy but was refused because he was not a college graduate. A similar result was obtained from the Army. After his graduation from Haverford College in June 1943, he was reclassified at his own request from 4-F to 1-A. He appeared for induction on August 2 1943, and was accepted for active military service as private in the infantry. (This was due to a vast breakfast of milk, bananas, steak and French-fried potatoes which increased his weight to 142 pounds—more than he ever weighed before or since C1945). He passed the eye test by memorizing the first four lines on the chart with glasses on before they asked him to take them off.) At the time of his induction, he was offered a three-week furlough. This he did not accept but departed forthwith for Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. (Total wealth, 10 cents and a streetcar token, good only in the city of Philadelphia.) Subsequently he was sent to the tank destroyer school, North Camp Hood, Texas, for basic training. After six weeks he was sent to the Military Intelligence School, Camp Ritchie, Maryland, for training as a French Interpreter. In December 1943, he graduated and was sent to the European Theater of Operations, February 4, 1944. In March he attended and completed the Combat Intelligence Course at the American School Center, Shriven-ham, England.