| Bernard Gaertner | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1922 |
| Died | 1945 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 32874468 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 19 (16 May – 13 July 1944) |
| Section | 5D |
| Enlisted | New York City, New York |
| Team | IPW 147 |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Bernard Gaertner (1922–1945) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19 and served with IPW Team 147.
Biography
On this Memorial Day, let's remember those Ritchie Boys who paid the ultimate price during WWII. Staff Sgt 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 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.
Research notes
- 3rd Army
Gallery
Technical record
| 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
- 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 2019-05-25 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-26 (1 post)