Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Herman John Gerdes

Few people get more fun out of life than the “Dirty Gurds.” Three years at the Citadel, plus being born in the Old North State, plus his better half from back in Florence, S. C, made him one of the foremost exponents of the Confederacy, even unto speaking an Anglo-African dialect not unlike Gullah. That he made himself understood, however, his excellent job on our Ring Dance will testify. His one big worry was whether officers have to live in quarters at sub school, but you may be certain that some submarine is to be infested with aromas of the Deep South and graced by pictures of Billie.

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The Class of 1944 was graduated in June 1943 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Herman was lost when USS Robalo (SS 273) sank on July 26, 1944, possibly by a mine. Only four men survived the initial sinking, but they were captured and did not survive to tell what they knew of the loss.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In April 1936, Herman played the part of Brains R. Minus, just another absent minded inventor, in the junior class play at Florence High School. The play was written by the junior class.

He graduated in 1937. “Happy am I, from care I am free, Why can’t all be contented like me?” Band, ’34, ’35, ’36, ’37; President of Band, ’37; President of Lyre Club ’37; President Home Room, ’35, ’36; Junior Class Playwright, ’36; Junior Class Play, ’36. Prophecy: Herman is following a criminal career. That is, he is engaged by Uncle Sam to fingerprint criminals.

At the Citadel in 1939, he was a member of the Glee Club and a corporal in L Company.

Herman married Willie Fae Brown on June 3, 1943. She was also a member of his 1937 high school class. “She has two eyes, so soft and brown – Take Care! She gives a side-glance, and looks down, Beware! Beware!” Glee club, Junior Play, Criterian Literary Society, Freshman Basketball and Baseball, Hi-Y Sisters, Waitress Junior-Senior Banquet, Junior-Senior Committee, Patrol. Prophecy: inventor of a collapsible kitchenette which can be carried in the pocket or shut up like an accordion and hung on the wall. (“Billy” never did like house work.)

In 1940, his father was a traveling auditor for the steam railroad. In the April 1930 census, Herman and his mother were listed with his grandparents in Wilmington, North Carolina.

He was a member of the Citadel class of 1941 and has a memory marker in North Carolina. Herman was survived by his wife, Mrs. Willie Fae Gerdes of South Carolina.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

Related Articles

Charles Fell ‘34 and Reginald Proseus, Jr. ‘40 were also lost when USS Robalo (SS 273) was sunk.