|
Joseph John Gerda, Sr., was born in Cleveland, OH, on 6 Mar 1927
to John and Elizabeth Gerda. While attending West Technical High School, he made
good marks and worked upwards of 40 hours per week to assist his parents in
supporting their family of eight in the poor working area of Cleveland.
His first military experience was in the Marine Corps; he was
drafted in July 1945 and received an honorable discharge in Great Lakes, IL July
1946. During his enlistment, he served in the Asiatic Pacific Area, including
China. This was a great adventure for the son of a steel mill worker, meeting
people
from faraway places.
The ensuing years were spent working in a bicycle shop and
applying to colleges. In 1948, Joseph enrolled in Heidelberg College with the
intention of becoming a mathematics educator. His father encouraged (some say
harassed) Joe about attending West Point, reasoning that if his son was going to
spend time in college, he should attend the best.
Joseph dismissed his father’s suggestion with “If you get me an
appointment, I will go.”
Joseph entered in the fall of 1950 and immediately felt
comfortable with the military aspect but challenged by the academics. He greatly
enjoyed the comradeship of his company. During a spring break trip to New York
City in 1954, Joseph met his future bride, Dolores Naturale, a beautiful and
bright Kent State University senior. A few months later, Joseph graduated in the
“upper eight percent of the lower twenty percent.”
His first assignment, following a stint at Ft. Benning, was to
Ft. Carson, CO, training recruits in Company M, 28th Infantry. The entire 28th
moved to Heilbronn, Germany, for more combat training. While there, the Gerdas
found time to create a life of travel memories in Switzerland, Italy, France,
Spain, the Netherlands, and Brussels for the World’s Fair.
Their next assignment was to Ft. Benjamin Harrison, with Joseph
on staff at the Finance School, teaching many subjects, including nuclear
warfare. The year was 1963 and Viet Nam was becoming a larger part of the
military landscape. In September, CPT Gerda was in Viet Nam with the Vietnamese
32nd Ranger Battalion. On New Year’s Eve 1963 and the next day, Joseph
“distinguished himself by gallantry in action while engaged in military
operations … as an advisor to the Vietnamese Ranger Battalion. When contact was
made with a strong enemy force and developed into a battle that lasted eight
hours … he immediately advised his counterpart to pursue the hostile force which
delayed their action … Captain Gerda bravely exposed himself to automatic
weapons fire to make front line estimates and then attempt to block the enemy
action. When supporting aircraft appeared … he remained exposed to the intense
gun fire to direct the armed helicopter strikes against the enemy position.
Then, when an additional enemy battalion attacked the west flank … Captain Gerda
ran to this position with elements of the rifle company and directed the
engagement with the enemy … As darkness drew, they were attacked viciously by a
third enemy battalion. Despite the critical situation, Captain Gerda
courageously made trips to all parts of the perimeter … exposed himself to
mortar fire to guide supporting aircraft on enemy targets. Through his
fortitude, determination, and professional skill, the Vietnamese forces were
enabled to inflict heavy casualties upon the enemy.” For gallantry in action,
CPT Gerda was awarded the Silver Star. A Detroit newspaper reported, “when the
battalion walked out of the jungle, everyone was shocked … the battalion was
thought to have been annihilated.”
CPT Gerda returned stateside in September 1964 for three one-year
assignments, first with 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry at Ft. Bragg, NC, with a
three month excursion to the Dominican Republic and major’s rank; then at Ft.
Devens, MA, with the HHC, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry; and finally Command &
General Staff College.
In 1967, Joseph was assigned to Washington, DC. MAJ Gerda, who
had never been a Boy Scout, quickly found himself co-founding a new troop for
his eldest sons, Terry and Joseph, Jr. As a project officer at the Military
Personnel Center, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 1968. Later, LTC
Gerda
was back in Viet Nam with the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne
Division for another year.
In 1971, LTC Gerda moved to Newark, NJ, as commander of the Armed
Forces Examination & Entrance Station for four years. The Gerda family of eight lived in the wonderful old
officer quarters on Ft. Wadsworth, 50 miles down the Hudson River from where
Joseph began his army career 21 years earlier. In addition to the Silver Star,
he was awarded three Army Commendation Ribbons, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Vietnamese Ranger Badge, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with
Silver Star, and other campaign ribbons. LTC Joseph Gerda retired in May 1975.
In 1976, the Gerdas settled down for good in Arlington, TX.
Joseph earned an MBA from University of Texas at Arlington that prepared
him for the City of Fort Worth Budget Department, where he worked for eleven
years. During his 24 years in Texas, he played golf several times a week, helped
raise funds for a new church, assisted in the rearing of his first grandchild
Brittani, and spent quality time with all his beautiful grandchildren.
Joseph quit smoking in September 2000; unfortunately, two months
later he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. With his wife of 45 years,
five children, and seven grandchildren at his side, Joseph passed away on
Christmas Eve 2000. A celebration of his life, gifts and passions occurred a few
days later. LTC Joseph Gerda was cremated and his ashes buried at West Point
alongside his daughter, Deirdre, who drowned in 1975 while a freshman at The
College of William and Mary. Classmate Frank Ianni and wife Carmela joined the
Gerda family for a fitting farewell to a man who represented Duty, Honor,
Country so well to all who were close to him.
—Joseph J. Gerda, Jr.
|
