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Bernhardt, John P. (01180419): Difference between revisions
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== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
John Bernhardt was a Ritchie Boy! John (Johannes) Bernhardt was born in 1899 in Reichenbach, Germany and grew up in Chemnitz. He earned his Abitur, but with an interruption. He was drafted into the Germany Imperial Army at age 17 as a “one-year volunteer.” He was a Corporal in a horse-drawn artillery unit along the Western Front. After the war he attended the University of Hamburg, then began an apprenticeship in international banking in New York. He ended up moving to the Chicago area to help relatives recover from a train tragedy. He became a US citizen in 1929. During the 1930s he worked in accounting, income tax consulting, real estate, community service, local politics and even owned a deli. He was drafted into the US Army (age 42). He completed basic training at Fort Roberts CA, officer training at Fort Sill OK (Class #60), got married in September, 1943, then headed to Camp Ritchie, MD for military intelligence specialist training (Class #12). His upbringing in Germany in language, culture and military knowledge were going to be put to good use. After landing on Omaha Beach (June 24, 1944) he and his team began work for Combat Command B of the 3rd Armored Division. Captain Bernhardt interrogated POWs, served at court martials, and conducted searches in dozens of towns. At war’s end he worked for OMGUS, compiling disarmament statistical data and sorting through Nazi material as well as valuable Eastern Europe/USSR maps. In 1946 he worked at the Pentagon and Fort Holabird, MD evaluating maps and compiling Nazi membership lists. He then was transferred to Heidelberg, Germany (1948-1950) to help with the reorganization of the German government. During the Korean Conflict, John spent 17 months in Taegu, Korea as an intelligence advisor to the ROK. In 1953 he transferred to the US Army Reserves at 5th Army Headquarters in Chicago, working as Chief of Plans and Operations in the G-2 section with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He retired in 1958. He then worked as an accountant for the SSA, H&R Block and the IRS and he did international banking correspondence for Continental Bank. In 1990, after the Berlin Wall came down, John took his 3 daughters to see the family homestead in Schoemberg (near Weida) that had been behind the Iron Curtain for decades and legally got the property back. John died at a VA hospital near his Riverside, Illinois home in 1997. Three wars and a ton of history! John's family provided us with a number of photos and documents regarding his service. | |||
== Research notes == | == Research notes == | ||
Revision as of 14:13, 26 August 2026
| John P. Bernhardt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1899 Reichenbach, Germany |
| Died | 1996 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Arm / service | Field Artillery |
| ASN | 01180419 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 12 (27 September – 25 November 1943) |
| Team | IPW 36 |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
John P. Bernhardt (1899–1996) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 12 and served with IPW Team 36.
Biography
John Bernhardt was a Ritchie Boy! John (Johannes) Bernhardt was born in 1899 in Reichenbach, Germany and grew up in Chemnitz. He earned his Abitur, but with an interruption. He was drafted into the Germany Imperial Army at age 17 as a “one-year volunteer.” He was a Corporal in a horse-drawn artillery unit along the Western Front. After the war he attended the University of Hamburg, then began an apprenticeship in international banking in New York. He ended up moving to the Chicago area to help relatives recover from a train tragedy. He became a US citizen in 1929. During the 1930s he worked in accounting, income tax consulting, real estate, community service, local politics and even owned a deli. He was drafted into the US Army (age 42). He completed basic training at Fort Roberts CA, officer training at Fort Sill OK (Class #60), got married in September, 1943, then headed to Camp Ritchie, MD for military intelligence specialist training (Class #12). His upbringing in Germany in language, culture and military knowledge were going to be put to good use. After landing on Omaha Beach (June 24, 1944) he and his team began work for Combat Command B of the 3rd Armored Division. Captain Bernhardt interrogated POWs, served at court martials, and conducted searches in dozens of towns. At war’s end he worked for OMGUS, compiling disarmament statistical data and sorting through Nazi material as well as valuable Eastern Europe/USSR maps. In 1946 he worked at the Pentagon and Fort Holabird, MD evaluating maps and compiling Nazi membership lists. He then was transferred to Heidelberg, Germany (1948-1950) to help with the reorganization of the German government. During the Korean Conflict, John spent 17 months in Taegu, Korea as an intelligence advisor to the ROK. In 1953 he transferred to the US Army Reserves at 5th Army Headquarters in Chicago, working as Chief of Plans and Operations in the G-2 section with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He retired in 1958. He then worked as an accountant for the SSA, H&R Block and the IRS and he did international banking correspondence for Continental Bank. In 1990, after the Berlin Wall came down, John took his 3 daughters to see the family homestead in Schoemberg (near Weida) that had been behind the Iron Curtain for decades and legally got the property back. John died at a VA hospital near his Riverside, Illinois home in 1997. Three wars and a ton of history! John's family provided us with a number of photos and documents regarding his service.
Research notes
No notes were in the source row. Add what you know.
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 97 |
| Class_ASN | 180419 |
| Class_Name | HERNHARDT, John P. |
| match_method | pass2_ocr_last_asn |
| row_source | both |
Sources
- Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
- 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 2022-12-12 (1 post)