| Gerald Forrest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1918 Berlin, Germany On July 12 |
| Died | 14 May 2013 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 39228276 |
| Rank | Technician Fifth Grade |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 12 (27 September – 25 November 1943) |
| Section | 5A |
| Enlisted | Los Angeles, California |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Gerald Forrest (1918 – 14 May 2013) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 12.
Biography
His parents, as well as Gerald and his brother Henry were forced to leave Germany in 1933 due to rise of the Nazi Party. Gerald passed away on May 14, 2013, at age 94 Born in Berlin, Germany on July 12, 1918. Henry left by bicycle, while their parents left by train, reuniting with long time friends in Paris. From there, they traveled to Scotland, where Jerry learned English. As his parents emigrated to the US, Jerry went to live in the Palestine Protectorate on a moshav near Gedera. In 1939, Jerry once more reunited with his parents in New York, where he enlisted in the US Army and was quickly inducted into US Army Combat Intelligence. He trained, among many other Europeans at Camp Ritchie, MD, becoming one of the famed "Ritchie Boys" who interrogated prisoners of war. He then returned to England with the other Ritchie Boys for the upcoming invasion. On June 6, 1944 he landed on Utah Beach, and made his way across Europe with the 10th Armored Division. Campaigns included the Battle of the Bulge, and in the liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich at the end of the war. Recognition for his contributions included the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Returning to the US at the end of the war in Europe, he rejoined his family in Los Angeles to work in the family business. In the early 1980s, he returned to Israel, working to repair tanks for the Israeli Defense Forces.
Research notes
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 95 |
| Nara ASN | 39228276 |
| Nara Name | FORREST GERALD |
| Nara State | 91 |
| Nara County | 37 |
| Nara POE | 9141 |
| Nara DOE | 270241 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | BI |
| Nara Branch Code | 0 |
| Branch | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 6 |
| Term of enlistment | Enlistment for the Panama Canal Department |
| Defer. Date | 0 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | N1 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 18 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 5 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 475 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 73 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 155 |
| Class_ASN | 39228276 |
| Class_Name | FORREST, Gerald |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| 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 2022-11-30 (1 post)