Kenneth Bertsch

ASN:36628848

Kenneth Bertsch registered for the draft on June 27, 1942. Born April 4, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois, he was employed by J.L. Weiner, Chicago, Illinois, at the time of his registration.

This twenty-year-old enlisted in the US Army on December 1, 1942. He was 5’-9”, 170 pounds with a light complexion, brown eyes, and black hair. No identifying physical characteristics were listed at the time of his registration.

World War II Draft Card (front)

World War II Draft Card (reverse)

Kenneth Bertsch trained as a member of the 319th Field Artillery, A-Battery, of the 82nd Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. He traveled with the battalion aboard the SS Santa Rosa to North Africa arriving in Casablanca May 10, 1943.

Company Morning Reports

Company Morning Reports were produced every morning by the individual Army units to record personnel matters. The following events for Kenneth Bertsch were reported:

August 21, 1943, duty to absent sick 55th Station Hospital; APO 763 LD, 0600. Station: Kairouan, Tunisia.
August 28, 1943, from absent sick 55th Station Hospital to transferred in grade to Department of Patients, 3rd GH APO 763 per par 3. SO 200 HQ 82nd Airborne Division effective August 26, 1943. Station: 11 miles N. of Bizerte, Tunisia.
October 6, 1943, assigned to A-Battery 319th GFAB from replacement depot. MOS 238 (Lineman/Repairs Telephone and Telegraph). Station: 1 mile NE of Villa Literno, Italy.
July 17, 1944, from duty to furlough 5 days to Birmingham, England at 0600. Station: 4 miles west of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England WF 1406.
July 23, 1944, from furlough to duty. Station: 4 miles west of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England WF 1406.
August 2, 1944, from duty to detached service 407th A/B QM Company APO 469 U.S. Army. Station: 4 miles west (WF1406) Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England.
September 18, 1944, from 407th Airborne QM Company to duty A- Battery, 319th GFAB, 1700 hours. Station: 4 miles west (WF1406) Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England.
March 18, 1945, from duty to furlough 8 days, (Great Britain) and from furlough 8 days, (Great Britain) to duty, 26 Mar 1945. Station: Station: Camp Suippes, VT6863, Nor D’Guerre.
March 29, 1945, from duty to transferred to the 325th Glider Infantry APO 469 per par 1 SO 70, HQ 82nd Airborne Division. Station: Station: Camp Suippes, VT6863, Nor D’Guerre.

Private Bertsch fought in the major campaigns of Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. See a map of the 82nd Airborne Mediterranean-European Theater of Operations.

His service was awarded with the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Merit Badge, European/African Middle Eastern Service Medal with six bronze service stars, and one bronze service arrowhead.

While on furlough Kenneth Bertsch married Winifred Geary of Blaby, England, March 21, 1945. As one of many “High Point” soldiers with a score over 85 points he was discharged from the military on September 25, 1945, and returned to his hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

Kenneth Bertsch, 80, died May 22, 2002. God Bless this hero.