Fred Gerdes
Writer searches for Fred Gerdes
I am under contract with St. Martin's Press (NY) for a book on the black infantry platoons in World War II. Since I have found about seven members of the fifth platoon, K Company, 394th, 99th Division, including Lt. Richard Ralston, the story of the black platoons will essentially be told around these men and that platoon.
I noticed in reading "Dauntless," the platoon leader for the black platoon in E Company, 395th, was Frederick H. Gerdes. I checked the SS death index and there are no Gerdes listed who would be the age of a second lieutenant in WWII. So I believe he still may be alive. I would like to interview him if I could find him.
Does the 99th maintain a list of WWII members and would he be on that list? Or does anybody know where he was from? Sometimes if I have a state, I can still find a man there.
David Colley
100 Pennsylvania Ave.
Easton PA 18042
Phone 610-253-8662
E-mail: dcolley@fast.net
