Soldiers from New York: Jewish Soldiers in The New York Times, in World War Two: Private Alfred A. Berg – December 23, 1944

An obituary for Private Alfred A. Berg, an Army infantryman, accompanied a Casualty List published in The Times on February 22, 1945.

Born on August 31, 1923, he was a member of the 89th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized), of the 9th Armored Division, Private Berg was killed in action on December 23, 1944.  He was buried at Riverside Cemetery, in Rochelle Park, New Jersey, on July 27, 1948.  (Family Section 11, Map 325, Block I, Section 33, Plot 27, Grave 1.)

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Veteran of D-Day Landings is Killed in Luxembourg

One of the first to hit the Normandy beaches on D-day, Pvt. Alfred A. Berg, who did reconnaissance work in the mechanized cavalry, was killed in December in the unsuccessful German counterattack in Luxembourg, the War Department has notified his family here.

Private Berg, who was 21 years old, saw active service in all the major engagements leading up to the German break-through.  He never had much time to write his family of all his experiences because, as he explained in one of his letters, “I’m always in the foxholes.”

Born in this city, he was graduated from De Witt Clinton High School in 1941.  He was active in sports and was a member of the school’s swimming team.  He attended Pennsylvania State College before enlisting in the Army on June 25, 1943.  After five and a half month’s training at Fort Reilly, Kan., he was sent to England.

The Purple Heart was awarded to him posthumously.

Surviving are his father and stepmother, Mr. and Mrs. William Berg of 639 West End Avenue; a brother, Lieut. Russell Berg, now serving with the First Army in Belgium, and a stepbrother, Pfc. Laurence Curtis, who is stationed in Spokane, Wash. 

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An image of the location of his parents’ residence, at 639 West End Avenue (from apartments.com) is shown below:

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Some other Jewish military casualties on Saturday, December 23, 1944 include the following…

Killed in Action
– .ת.נ.צ.ב.ה. –

Chodash, Joseph, Pvt., 42088672
United States Army, 87th Infantry Division, 345th Infantry Regiment, A Company, Purple Heart
Mr. Harry Chodash (father), 177 Broadway, Bayonne, N.J.; Joseph H. Chodash (nephew)
Born 12/21/15
United Hebrew Cemetery, Staten Island, N.Y.
American Jews in World War II – 229

Goldberger, Edward L., Cpl., 32797851
United States Army, 1st Infantry Division, 26th Infantry Regiment, Silver Star, Purple Heart (Matzeva gives date of 12/22/44)
Mr. Albert Goldberger (father), 1511 Sheridan Ave., New York, N.Y.; Edward and Stella (uncle and aunt)
Born 12/5/24
Riverside Cemetery, Rochelle Park, N.J. – Section Temple Beth Elohim, Map 129, Block G, Section 20, Plot 19, Grave 8; Buried 11/10/47
American Jews in World War II – 325

Hene
, Julius A., Capt., 0-477319, Purple Heart

United States Army, 106th Infantry Division, 422nd Infantry Regiment
Mrs. Bianka J. Hene (wife), 15 West 106th St., New York, N.Y.
Born 1909; Graduate of Cornell University
POW ~ 12/16/44; Interned at Stalag 12A (Limburg an der Lahn); Killed when stray bombs struck prisoners’ barracks during RAF bombing of adjacent rail yard
Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Holland – Plot F, Row 17, Grave 25
Casualty List 3/13/45; American Jews in World War II – 343

Klores
, Daniel N., PFC, 12022507, Purple Heart

United States Army, 101st Airborne Division, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment,
Mrs. Molly Klores (mother), 3109 Brighton 7th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born 3/29/18
Mount Judah Cemetery, Cypress Hills, N.Y. – Section 1, Block S, Grave 138, Path R07, Charles Weinstein Society – Buried 11/29/48
Casualty List 3/9/45
American Jews in World War II – 364

Posner
, Norman F., Pvt., 42057685, Purple Heart

United States Army, 3rd Armored Division, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment
Mr. Jacob Posner (father), Box 721 / 940 North Hill St., Oceanside, Ca. // 5151 North 4th St., St. Petersburg, Fl.
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 1925
Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Holland – Plot I, Row 11, Grave 6
American Jews in World War II – not listed

Prosnick
, Leonard, 2 Lt., 0-1032549, Purple Heart

United States Army, 106th Infantry Division, 106th Reconnaissance Troops
Mrs. Gladys Alene (Scott) Prosnick (wife) and Sherrylynn Prosnick (daughter) Born 9/24/44 (Murfreesboro, Tennessee?)
Mrs. Selma Fogel (mother), 117 South 55th St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Holland – Plot H, Row 8, Grave 5
Born Philadelphia, Pa., 6/6/21
American Jews in World War II – 544

Saltzman
, Solomon, Pvt., 42004657, Purple Heart

United States Army, 10th Armored Division, 420th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
Mrs. Ida Saltzman (mother), 700 Avenue A, Bayonne, N.J.
Born 1926
Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium – Plot H, Row 1, Grave 69
Casualty List 3/6/45
American Jews in World War II – 252

Died in other circumstance…

Feinberg, Sydney Charles, Capt., 0-482585
United States Army
Mrs. Nettie Feinberg (wife), Jimmy (son), New York, N.Y.; Mrs. Sadie Feinberg (mother); Dorothy and Melvin (brother and sister)
Graduate of Columbia University
Died in New York State
Place of burial unknown
American Jews in World War II – 305

Prisoners of War

Goldberg, Sheldon A., Pvt., 20218182, Purple Heart
United States Army, 3rd Infantry Division, 15th Infantry Regiment
POW at Reslaz Magdeburgh
Mrs. Gloria L. Goldberg (wife), 678 Linwood St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Casualty List 6/5/45
American Jews in World War II – 325

Levy, Milton, PFC, 32874904
United States Army, 28th Infantry Division, 109th Infantry Regiment
POW at Stalag 3A (Luckenwalde)
Mrs. Lena Levy (mother), 1945 64th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Casualty Lists 4/19/45 and 5/23/45
American Jews in World War II – Not listed

Semel, Jason W., Sgt., 32352898
United States Army, 101st Airborne Division, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment
Location of POW Camp unknown
Mr. and Mrs. Milton and Anna Semel (parents), 305 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born N.Y., 4/21/20
Casualty List 6/21/45
American Jews in World War II – Not listed

Skoler, David, 1 Lt., 0-1292948
United States Army, 84th Infantry Division, 333rd Infantry Regiment
POW at Oflag 13B (Hammelburg)
Mrs. Gertrude Skoler (mother), 115 Quincy St., Quincy, Ma.
Casualty List 6/12/45
American Jews in World War II – Not listed

Weitman, Morris, PFC, 12219182, Purple Heart
United States Army, 82nd Airborne Division, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment
POW at Stalag 12A (Limburg an der Lahn)
Mr. Jacob Weitman (father), 212 East Seventh St., New York, N.Y.
Casualty List 6/20/45
American Jews in World War II – 471

Zimberg, Bernard, Pvt., 32204882
United States Army, 101st Airborne Division, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment
POW at Stalag 4B Muhlberg
Mrs. Bessie Zimberg (mother), 1448 57th St. / 5701 15th Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born 1914
Casualty List 7/19/45
American Jews in World War II – Not listed

Wounded in Action

Fogel, Edward, PFC, 13008356, Purple Heart (in Germany)
United States Army
Mr. George Fogel (father), 1289 East Chelten Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.
Born Pa., 1922
Philadelphia Record 1/11/45
American Jews in World War II – 521

Savran
, Bernard, PFC, 13054181, Purple Heart (in Germany)

Mrs. Fannie Savran (mother), 3122 West Clifford St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Born Pa., 1919
Philadelphia Record 2/18/45
American Jews in World War II – 549

Simon
, Henry I., PFC, 33588283, Purple Heart (in France)

United States Army
House Sergeant George Simon (father) [policeman], 5030 F St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Born Pa.; 1923
The Jewish Exponent 4/20/45
Philadelphia Record 1/30/45
American Jews in World War II – 522

Weisman
, Edward, Pvt., 33806816, Purple Heart (in France)

United States Army
Mrs. Edith Weisman (wife), 1608 S. 7th St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Born Pa.; 1914
The Jewish Exponent 2/9/45, 2/23/45
Philadelphia Record 1/28/45
American Jews in World War II – 559

Reference

Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947.

 

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