Cool 1st Ranger Bn. portrait.

[Eric Queen]

Eugene Gerkins. Four (4) of these were found at a flea market in Maryland. One was sold with the wife's scrapbook on eBay and I bought the other three.

 

Original Ranger portraits are super hard to find in my experience and this one is nice because it's identified and he is wearing the PH.

[1SG_1st_Cav]

Very nice photo.

[Bellumbill]

Great photo Eric, thank you for posting. Interestingly, Pvt. Gerkins chose to wear the garrison cap and not overseas cap. You don't see that often from combat veterans that had been overseas in the US Army.

 

Very best,

 

Bill

[tarbridge]

Cool shot...the Garrison cap has a salty look tho...

[268th C.A.]

She is wearing a Drivers badge too. Very nice, Eric

[MattS]

That cap is not American made. The strap is too thin and lacks the sliders, it's a custom made crusher.

[Eric Queen]

Thanks to all for the comments and additional information. Things I did not know/notice. Always a chance to learn.

[Teamski]

Interesting. No CIB.....

 

-Ski

[Eric Queen]

Guess he was wounded by falling down a mountain.

[Eric Queen]

RIP Ranger

[Eric Queen]

His wife just passed away a few months ago and that must have been the source of these items. She lived to be 102 years old.

 

POTOMAC PARK - Martha Louise (Knight) Gerkins, 102, of Potomac Park, died Friday, September 18, 2015 at Moran Manor Nursing Home.
Born April 26, 1913 in Moundsville, WV, she was the daughter of the late Charles Ridgeley Knight and Margaret Hay (Forgey) Knight.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Byron Gerkins; her brother, Floyd F. Knight; and, her sisters Juliet M. Ruckman, Margaret E. Marsh, and Lucille V. Alt.
Mrs. Gerkins had attended Keyser High School and was a graduate of Catherman's Business School.
Mrs. Gerkins was a veteran of WWII, having served in the WACS.
She had been a secretary at the Department of Human Resources in Keyser.
Mrs. Gerkins was a member of Centre Street United Methodist Church for over 50 years; Women's Civic Club of Cumberland; Women's Sport Club of Cumberland; and, AARP-Chapter 2400.
Survivors include her niece, caregiver, and namesake, Martha Spencer, Keyser, WV, and a nephew whom she thought of as a son, Daniel Miller, LaVale.
Friends will be received at the Upchurch Funeral Home, Inc., Route 28, Fort Ashby, on Tuesday from 1 PM until 2 PM.
The funeral service will follow at 2 PM in the funeral home, with Rev. Thomas Young, officiating.
Interment will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions may be made to Centre Street United Methodist Church, 217 N. Centre Street, Cumberland, MD 21502.

[gwb123]

Eugene looks a lot thinner in his second photo, most likely after some hard training and perhaps even service at the front.

[5thranger17]

I'm glad that picture went to a good home! I actually was the one who picked up the scrap book. Most of it was post-war items and newspaper clipping. It does have quite a few items from the wife's service though.

 

- Jake

[katieony]

A rare photo indeed! Thanks for sharing.

 

Mike

[Eric Queen]

Jake, glad to hear you were the one who got the album. Nice piece. Here is another photo of Mrs.Gerkins in uniform.

[riflegreen297]

Eugene looks a lot thinner in his second photo, most likely after some hard training and perhaps even service at the front.

 

The newspaper photo was probably the younger thinner him and the portrait with his wife is post war after putting on some weight after recovering from a wound/injury (been there done that). Great photo.

[wooley12]

What I know - He is listed in the Ranger data base. He was born in 1912 and enlisted in 1942 making him 30 and an "old man". He was not an original Ranger

 

 

What I guess - He likely volunteered in Italy as a replacement and injured in training as he has no CIB. I have the page of the General Orders from Ranger HQ dated 13 March 1944 that authorizes the CIB for 198 men of the 1st Btn. through Anzio and his name is not on the list. Also, it was customary to get promoted from pvt to PFC after your first invasion or action.

[wooley12]

Edited version

 

What I know - He is listed in the Ranger data base. He was born in 1912 and enlisted in 1942 making him 30 and an "old man". He was not an original Ranger. His ASN 13102994

 

 

What I guess - He likely volunteered in Italy as a replacement and injured in training before he got into a battle as he has no CIB. I have the page of the General Orders from Ranger HQ dated 13 March 1944 that authorizes the CIB for 198 men of the 1st Btn. through Anzio and his name is not on the list.

[Championhilz]

I found this article in the Cumberland Evening Times (Maryland), October 29, 1942:

 

[wooley12]

He was listed as Wounded in Action on 9/18/43 during the fierce fighting in the Chiunzi Pass

[Eric Queen]

Thanks for the additional information. Much appreciated. Pretty cool that he was WIA under Darby.

[wooley12]

My father, John Gorski is listed as Wounded in action, not hospitalized. He got shrapnel in the buttox from a German 88 in an after his unit was ordered out onto an open slope for no known reason. He was shanghied by the surgeon, Sheldon Sommers, to "be his driver" and missed Cisterna. Stayed with the good doctor through France, Germany and Norway in the FSSF and then the 474th.

[173rdlt]

Very cool, RLTW

[Brig]

Very nice portrait. A little chubby for a Ranger. I wonder if he gained weight because of his injuries, or if he was just one of those heavier guys who can somehow run like the wind

[wooley12]

He's wearing his purple heart so the picture was taken after he got home and is wife had time to fatten him up. He looks fit in the news clipping. If he was a replacement after Sicily the training was cut back to 3 weeks or less and there was not nearly as much PT. Rangers were getting killed and wounded faster than replacements could be fully trained.

 

I'm not sure where I pulled this picture from and I intend to get the date and some of the names. This is "C" Co. prior to Anzio.