World War II Honoree

Bernard Lewis 'Bernie' Gelvin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bronx, New York

Honored By

Arlene Tanzer & Helen Goldberg

Relationship

Daughters

WHILE IN BASIC TRAINING, CHOSEN FOR MEDIC (657) AND INVESTIGATOR (301). SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE CORPS. INVESTIGATED HITLER'S RANKING SYSTEM; INTERROGATED GESTAPO AGENTS, MEMBERS OF THE SS, SUSPECTS OF THE ENEMY AND UNFRIENDLIES AGAINST ALL ALLIES. EVALUATED INFORMANTS, MAKING WRITTEN INTELLIGENCE REPORTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS, INCLUDING FRENCH INVESTIGATIONS OF KLAUS BARBIE CAPTURED BY FRENCH FORCES. SPOKE SEVERAL LANGUAGES, INCLUDING FRENCH AND GERMAN. INTERPRETER FOR RELEASING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS FOR ALLIES OF THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES GROUP. HEADQUARTERED AT WIESBADEN, GERMANY, JULY 14, 1945 AND LATER MOVED TO FRANKFURT. NEAR WAR'S END, HIS 970TH COUNTERINTELLIGENCE CORPS DETACHMENT CHANGED NAMES TO 'USFET' (U.S. FORCES EUROPEAN THEATER) AND COMMANDED BY GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY'S 12TH ARMY GROUP. ASSIGNED TO CAMP CARSON NEAR COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO AFTER RETURNING FROM THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HONORABLY SEPARATED AT FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY ON MARCH 4, 1946. AWARDED THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AND CONDUCT RIBBONS, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE ATTACHMENTS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL. U.S. SERIAL NUMBER 32 345 645.