Corpl. P. Gernandt Of Davenport Is Prisoner of Japs
First Reported Missing in Action;
Was Stationed in Philippines.
Corpl. Paul Gernandt, reported missing in action in May, 1942, is a prisoner of the Japanese, according to a telegram received by his aunt, Mrs. Mary Andersen, 1535 West Third street, from the war department.
The last word Mrs. Andersen received from her nephew was on Nov. 17, 1941, three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor. At that time Corpl. Gernandt was stationed on the Philippine islands, having enlisted a year before.
In May of last year, Mrs. Andersen was notified by the war department that Gernandt was missing in action, and the telegram received was the first word concerning her nephew that she had received since that time. No further information concerning him was available although the wire stated that a letter would follow shortly giving more details.
Corpl. Gernandt is the fifth Davenport man reported to be a prisoner of the Maps. The other four are Maj. Howard Pahl, Capt. Harold F. Bishop, Harold R. Williams and Harry G. Puck.
Source: The Daily Times - Davenport, Iowa - Wed. January 20, 1943
RECEIVE LETTER WRITTEN IN JAP PRISON IN JULY.
A typed message, written in faulty English and signed by Cpl. Paul Gernandt of Davenport, Japanese prisoner of war, has been received by his aunt, Mrs. Mary Andersen, 1535 West Third street. The card, arrived Tuesday, but dated July 22, 1944, is the second she has received since her nephew, who made his home with her, was taken prisoner following the seizure of the Philippines. A previous notice of September, 1943, had informed Mrs. Andersen that Cpl. Gernandt was prisoner and that his health was “fair.” The current one, which bears the address, Prison Camp No. 1, as did the last, describes his health as “good.”
It contains the following message: “Dear Folks: I was most overjoyed to receive your most long-for letter of which I really appreciate. Am glad everyone is o. k. Also received package and thank you. Wish this was over. Wish everyone the best of health and am sure glad everyone is alright.” Cpl. Gernandt, a former employe of the Rock Island arsenal enlisted in the army in 1940, and was stationed in the Philippines at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. His last letter was received by his family in November, 1941. The report that he was missing came in May, 1942, and the notice that he was a prisoner did not arrive until almost a year and a half later.
Source: The Daily Times - Davenport, Iowa - Wed. January 17, 1945
Gernandt, Freed From Japs, Gains Back 42 Pounds.
Sgt. Paul Gernandt of Davenport has regained 42 pounds, and largely recovered from the efforts of Japanese imprisonment on Luzon, it is indicated in a letter received by his aunt, Mrs. Mary Andersen, 1535 West Third street. It was written from Letterman general hospital, San Francisco, but he indicated he was expecting a transfer, and said he hopes to be home soon.
Sgt. Gernandt—he has been promoted from the corporally he held when captured on Bataan—revealed he weighted 108 pounds when freed from Cabanatuan prison camp by American Rangers and guerrillas in mid-January. Now he’s back to 150. Standing five feet, 10 inches, he normally weighed about 160 pounds. “I feel like every day is Christmas,” he said, in expressing his joy at being back in the United States. Referring to the liberation of the Bataan and Corregidor veterans at Cabanatuan, he praised the Rangers and guerrillas as “a wonderful bunch of soldiers, and entitled to all the honors they got.” Sgt. Gernandt also told of his amazement at the equipment of the liberating forces. He had seen nothing like it during his service in the Philippines after having enlisted in 1941.
Source: The Daily Times - Davenport, Iowa — Friday, March 16, 1945
Sergt. Paul Gernandt, First Davenporter Home from Jap Prison, Mum on Experiences.
“Swell,” was the answer given by Sergt. Paul Gernandt, 27, rescued from a Japanese prison camp on Jan. 30, and who retired to Davenport late Monday, when asked how it felt to be back in the United States again. Sergt. Gernandt, Davenport’s first soldier to return from Corregidor, said that during the entire time that he was a prisoner of the Japs, entered at the Cabantuan prison camp on Luzon from May 6, 1942, to Jan. 30 of this year, that he never gave up hope of being rescued by the Yanks, altho when he first saw the American Rangers, who liberated them, he could hardly believe his eyes.
“When the realization came that it really was American troops, I let out a yell, and joined in the wild celebration which was staged by all of the prisoners in the camp,” Sergt. Gernandt, said. An information on his experiences while in the prison camp, or any of the campaigns in which he took part, could not be divulged because of military censorship. However, Serge. Gernandt said that he weighed only 108 pounds upon his rescue from the prison camp, while his weight at the time entering the army was 170 pounds. At the present time he is almost back to normal, tipping the scales at 166 pounds now. Sharing Sergt. Gernandt’s happiness in being returned to the United States, is his aunt, Mrs. Mary Andersen, 1535 West Third street, with whom he is seeing a 10-day stop over while enroute to Schick general hospital at Clinton where he will report for a physical examination. Mrs. Andersen assumed the care of her nephew at the death of his parents when he was only eight years of age, and reared him as her own son.
Maj. Dallas P. Vinette, another Davenporter, was in the prison camp with Sergt. Gernandt, and the two spent considerable time together. Major Vinette has also been returned to the United States, according to Gernandt, and was in good health the last time he saw him in San Francisco.
Sergt. Gernandt enlisted in the army March 19, 1940, and was stationed at the Rock Island arsenal prior to being sent to the Philippines in April of 1941. Previous to his enlistment, he was engaged in farm work. He was the with the 60th coast artillery at Corregidor when he was taken prisoner on May 6, 1942. The sergeant was returned to the United States by ship, and said that the rescued prisoners received the best of food and care from the navy. He said that he was very impressed by the welcome given them when they arrived at San Francisco on March 8, and told of the throngs of people that participated in the celebration while they were being taken to Letterman general hospital there. After spending his 10-day stop over in Davenport, he will report to Schick hospital for examination, after which he will be given a 60-day furloughs before reporting for duty.
Source: Quad-City Times, Tuesday, March 27, 1945 (photo included)
[Photo Caption] Enjoying Such American Luxuries as cigarets after three years in Cabanatuan Prison camp in the Philippines are Sgt. Paul Gernandt of Davenport, left. Sgt. William Peterson of Lake Park, and Cpl. Oliver Wetzel of Spencer, now united at Schick General hospital, Clinton. All were stationed on Corregidor with the coast artillery at the time of Pearl Harbor. Liberated last Jan. 30, they have all gained from 40 to 80 pounds since. Opinion is unanimous among them that “the United States is the only place to be” and they never realized before just how wonderful it is.
Source: The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Sunday, April 8, 1945 (photo included)
Beverly Frazee and Sgt. Gernandt Marry.
Miss Beverly Jean Frazee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Frazee of 1932 Hill street, Davenport, will be married to Sgt. Paul Gernandt, nephew of Mrs. Mary Andersen of 1535 West Third street, Davenport, at 5 p.m. today in the manse of the McClellan Heights Presbyterian church with the Rev. J. Wayland McGlathery officiating. Mrs. Arline Groff and Sgt. Seney Enis will be the attendants.
The bride and Mrs. Groff will wear white afternoon dresses with matching accessories and corsages of pink rosebuds. A reception will be held Sunday, starting at 4 p.m. at the bride’s parental home and friends and relatives are invited to attend. The couple will leave later on a short trip.
Out-of-town guests will include: Mr. and Mrs. Cletus Hartzell and family and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hartzell of Victoria, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Frazee of Galesburg, Ill., and Mrs. and Mrs. Murray Bewley and family of Henderson, Ill.
Both the bride and Sgt. Gernandt attended the local schools. The latter has been in the service since March of 1940 and was released Jan. 30, 1945, from Cabanatuan prison camp, Luzon, Philippines. He is now on a 60-day furlough. Until Sgt. Gernandt reports Aug. 14 at Schick hospital the couple will make their home with the bride’s parents.
Source: The Daily Times - Davenport, Iowa - Sat. June 9, 1945
EX-PRISONER OF JAPANESE IS DISCHARGED.
Two More Are Mustered Out on Army Point System.
Sergt. Paul Gernandt, for nearly three years a prisoner of the Japaneses at Cabanatuan in central Luzon, is among three Davenport’s who have been discharged from the Army on points.
The other two are Virgil J. Shannon and Sergt. Fred Stamp.
Sergt. Gernandt, the first man from this area with such an experience to be mustered out on points, amassed a total of 120 for discharge. Altho he dropped from 165 to 87 pounds from malnutrition during his imprisonment, he is now back to 150 pounds and has been pronounced physically fit by army physicians at Schick hospital in Clinton, where he was a patient for 75 days after returning to the states last March.
Enlisting on March 19, 1940, he was on Corregidor when it fell May 6, 1942, and was held at Cabanatuan until being liberated by American Rangers and Filipino guerrillas last Jan. 30. When discharged he held the rank of sergeant. Gernandt, who is residing with his wife, Beverly, at 1932 Hill street, said he now plans to start looking for a job.
Source: Quad-City Times, Sunday, August 26, 1945
Paul Gernandt was born Aug. 1, 1917 to Louis P. and Della Killham Gernandt. He died Apr. 6, 1981 and is buried in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens, Norphlet, Arkansas. Paul served in World War II with the U.S. Army 60th Coast Artillery.
Source: ancestry.com
