Jerry Geza Toth was born on March 17, 1915, in Michigan. He was the son of Andrew and Helen Toth. He was married to Ruth Kort Kamp. After finishing high school, Jerry Toth enlisted in the Regular Army to earn an appointment to West Point. He served three years as an enlisted soldier, and his perseverance was rewarded when he received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. The news reached him while he was recovering at the Station Hospital in Fort Totten, New York, after collapsing during a track meet.

Upon graduating in 1940, he chose the Philippine Islands as his first duty station. He moved to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he completed Infantry training before his overseas assignment. In January 1941, Jerry departed from New York City for the Philippine Islands, traveling through the Panama Canal, San Francisco, and Hawaii on a two-month voyage.

As the Japanese invasion advanced, Jerry and his men fought valiantly in the defense of Bataan, clinging to the hope that American reinforcements would arrive in time. Despite exhaustion, disease, and dwindling supplies, his courage and optimism never wavered. In the final days of the campaign, Jerry and Major Paul Krauss planned to escape into the jungles to continue the fight as guerrillas, but Jerry’s regiment was suddenly ordered into a desperate counterattack to restore the shattered American line. During the subsequent withdrawal, the column was ambushed by a Japanese roadblock, and a 47mm shell struck his jeep, killing him instantly on April 6, 1942. His name is memorialized in the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Silver Star Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Captain (Infantry) Jerry Geza Toth (ASN: 0-23065), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 45th Infantry Regiment (Philippine Scouts), in action against the enemy in the defense of Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, in 1942. On many occasions he disregarded his own safety in a demonstration of aggressive leadership, especially on or about 7 April 1942, when he assumed the initiative and gallantly organized and led scattered groups against greatly superior enemy forces. His disdain for danger in his effort to fulfill his self-assumed mission resulted in the loss of his life, but in material gain for the Bataan defense. Captain Toth brought great credit upon himself and upheld the fine traditional ideals of the military profession.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, alumni.westpointaog.org, valor.militarytimes.com