In Memoriam
Ainslee R. Ferdie lived a life defined by service: in uniform, in the law, and in building this institution.
Born in Oak Park, Illinois, and raised in Chicago, Ferdie came of age during the World War II. As a teenager, he participated in Junior ROTC and ceremonies honoring returning American commanders, experiences that helped shape a lifelong connection to military service.
Though he later joked that he came “from a long line of draft dodgers,” Ferdie himself was, in his words, “always… a volunteer.” He joined the Army Reserve while in college and was later commissioned through ROTC at the University of Miami, graduating as part of its first Army ROTC class in 1953.
He entered active duty in June 1954 as a Second Lieutenant in the Transportation Corps and trained at Fort Eustis, Virginia. From there, he was deployed to Newfoundland, where he served as a legal officer at a strategic Cold War installation. The base supported long-range bomber operations, part of the United States’ nuclear deterrence program.
As a legal officer, he handled courts-martial, investigations, and maritime incidents across a vast northern theater. He completed his service honorably as a First Lieutenant.
But Ferdie’s commitment to service did not end with his discharge. He remained deeply engaged in veterans’ life, eventually serving as National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States from 1973 to 1974, and continuing his advocacy for decades.
For this institution, however, his most enduring contribution came in the years that followed.
In 1980, he was, as he later put it, “drafted” once again—this time into leadership as president of the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. At a critical moment, Ferdie helped negotiate the acquisition of the museum’s current building in Washington, D.C., working to secure a permanent home for preserving the history of Jewish American servicemembers.
When the building was formally dedicated in 1984, Ferdie stood before the audience as president of the memorial and articulated a vision that still defines the institution today. The building, he explained, was not simply a structure, but “a lesson in learning… planted… with the memories of the service and sacrifice” of Jewish servicemembers.
He imagined it as something that would grow over time:
“We expect, as time goes by, that this tree will flourish and grow as our museum, our memorial, our archives… become ever more glorious and meaningful.”
His vision of a living and growing institution has guided the museum ever since.
Ferdie remained closely involved in those early years, helping oversee collections, shape exhibitions, and build the foundation for what visitors experience today. The museum’s earliest displays, assembled even as the building was still being prepared, reflected the urgency he felt to begin telling these stories without delay. He served as president until 1986.
Throughout his life, Ferdie remained dedicated to service with responsibility. Reflecting on his service and career, he offered advice that was both simple and direct: “Do what you want to do… do your service, do your duty… do the best you can with whatever you do.”
It is a sentiment that applies to his military and veterans service and to his role in building the National Museum of American Jewish Military History.
Ainslee Ferdie helped create the framework through which we tell the stories of Jewish American service members. We will continue to work to ensure his legacy endures.