Herb Suerth

Herbert John Herb Suerth Jr October 28 1924 October 14 2017 was an American Army soldier and World War II veteran He served as a Corporal with Easy Company 2nd Battalion 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division joining the company as a replacement shortly before the Battle of the Bulge Born in Chicago Illinois Suerth attended DePaul Academy before enrolling at Marquette University to study mechanical engineering He enlisted in the US Army in November 1942 and initially volunteered for the Reserve Engineer Corps In 1944 he transferred to the airborne forces and completed parachute training before joining Easy Company in France Suerth arrived with Easy Company at MourmelonleGrand shortly before the German offensive in the Ardennes He was sent with the company to Bastogne in December 1944 and fought during the Battle of the Bulge including the fighting around Foy On January 9 1945 Suerth was severely wounded by German artillery fire near Recogne northwest of Foy Both of his legs were badly fractured but doctors were able to save them He was evacuated to England and returned to the United States in April 1945 ending his combat service He was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds After the war Suerth returned to Marquette University and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering He married Monna and raised a large family in Minnesota He later became general manager of Leef Brothers a Minneapolis industrial laundry company serving in the position from 1980 until his retirement in 1990 Suerth remained closely involved with his fellow Easy Company veterans attending company reunions for six decades and serving as president of the Men of Easy Company for ten years He was also involved in efforts to establish an airborne memorial near Foy Belgium Suerth appeared as himself in the HBO documentary We Stand Alone Together The Men of Easy Company which included interviews with surviving members of the unit He was also portrayed by Luke Roberts in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers appearing in the fifth episode Crossroads Suerth died on October 14 2017 in Minnesota at the age of 92 He was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis