Private First Class Max Maximilian Scherzer 32915722
Private First Class Max Maximilian Scherzer 32975722 was born in Vienna Austria on September 3, 1922, the son of Eva Scherzer of 1040 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn New York. He emigrated to the united states on July 30, 1939 aboard the SS Laconia to escape Nazism due to being Jewish.
He entered the US Army on June 28, 1943 in New York City, at the age of 20. At the time of his enlistment he was 5 foot 11 inches 156 pounds, he had Blue Eyes and Brown hair. He became a US Citizen on November 24th, 1943. PFC Scherzer served in 4th Platoon, Company A, 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division. Less than an hour after PFC Ova A. Kelley, had earned his Medal of Honor. PFC Scherzer was put in charge of watching over PFC Ova A. Kelley and Staff Sgt John W. Garlington. When Company A, was ordered to withdraw from their position were supposed to be filled by the 38th Infantry Division, which never happened. Several hours later that evening a squad of Japanese soldiers came to make sure that the Americans were dead. PFC Max Scherzer was killed by a sniper while standing guard over the wounded. PVT Ova A. Kelley was Killed by a Sniper. SSgt Garlington who had been wounded in the right thigh from a mortar shell from the fighting for the Buri Air Field. When the Japanese squad came to make sure that the Americans were dead. S/Sgt Garlington who was socked in his own blood played dead in the bottom of the foxhole under Kelley’s and Scherzer’s bodies the Japanese soldiers being stabbed their bayonets, into the bodies, S/Sgt Garlington played dead for about an hour after the Japanese soldiers were gone and crawled about 2 miles to the field Hospital.
Private First Class Max Maximilian Scherzer 32915722 , was Killed in Action on December 9, 1944, at the age of 22. PFC Scherzer awarded the Purple Heart Medal (PHM), The Combat Infantry Badge (CIB), Pacific Theater of Operations Medal (PTO), The American theater of operations Medal, The World War Two Victory Medal.
1- WWII Jewish Servicemen Cards, 1942-1947
2- New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957
3- https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&tf=F&q=Max+Scherzer&bc=sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=3470702
4- Illinois, Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991
5- 96th Division Unit History
6- Oral Histories with Harvey Webb