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WWI Profile

Over There: Herman Gerofsky

For some, a single stint in the military is enough. Others join and don’t leave for a lifetime. For Herman Gerofsky (who later changed his name to Charles Herman Gerard), it was in and out four times between 1907 and 1919.

Over There: Jack Herschkowitz

When night came, they crawled unknowingly into the center of a German camp, where they lay for three hours undetected. Finally discovered, they made a dash to escape. In order to protect the officer, Private Herschkowitz deliberately drew the enemy fire to himself, allowing the officer to escape. Private Herschkowitz succeeded in getting through and delivering his message the next morning.

Over There: Frank Abramson

In January, 1918, Corporal Frank Abramson, U.S. Marine Corps, saw Navy Yeoman J.C. Mullaney fall from his ship into the freezing cold waters of the New York Bay off the 35th Street Pier in Brooklyn. Fully clothed in his winter Marine Corps uniform, Abramson demonstrated his heroism when he leaped in after him.

Over There: Arthur Hays Klein

Arthur Klein was a race car driver who became Klein became a Chief Aeronautical Engineering Officer at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center (3AIC) at Issoudun, France during World War I.

Over There: Ernest Izan

On October 15th, Izan joined the ranks of wounded himself. At Busigny, the home of 27th Division headquarters, a shell exploded next to Izan on the road. Shrapnel struck him beneath his right eye. He was sent to Casualty Clearing Station #48 and from there to a base hospital.

Over There: Edwin Schwarz

When a Jenny or D.H. 9 fell from the sky and thundered into the ground, routine activities immediately ceased and the total emphasis of the medical group turned to the rescue and recovery of the involved airmen.  Interrupting his other duties, Edwin rode out to accident sites in an ambulance, across bumpy, hole-ridden, rough roads and fields, kicking up massive clouds of choking light brown dust.

Over There: Abel Davis

In World War I, Abel Davis commanded the 132nd Infantry. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism at Consenvoye.

Over There: Samuel I. Trachtenberg

Private Trachtenberg was shot 12 times in both legs, both thighs and right hand.  The next day as his comrades planned to continue the attack, news of the armistice arrived at 8:30am.

Over There: Abie Fox

Abie Fox, a Polish émigré and Fort Worth, Texas, coffee shop owner, entered the U.S. Navy in April 1917 and he immediately shipped out for training at the Great Lakes Naval Air Station.  He eventually joined the USS Texas as a Fireman Second Class on June 28, 1917.

Over There: Benjamin Prager

The riflemen of Company E were having difficulty identifying where the machine gun fire was coming from. Sergeant Prager had a solution. Give the Germans a clear target. He stood in the window of the house providing the Germans something to shoot at.

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