Skip to main content

Joseph Edward Sherlock

T/5 in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co C

ASN#12127465

Born 1921 in NJ, Died 2010

Artist

County of residence at enlistment: Kings County, NY
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: artists, sculptors, and teachers of art
College education before the war: Pratt 3 years
Notes: Rank changed from PVT in GA Roster to T/5 per New York Area Leave List
Source: 603rd Camouflage Engineer Roster provided by W. Anderson; Company C roster

Joseph Sherlock was born on March 19, 1921 in Bayonne, NJ, the younger of two sons. His father worked as a chemist at a soap manufacturing company. At some point prior to 1935 the family moved from Bayonne to Brooklyn, NY.

Joseph registered for the draft on February 15, 1942 and enlisted on August 24, 1942, a few months after graduating from Pratt Institute. Like many of his classmates, he was assigned to the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion, and served in Europe during the war.

After the war he went to work as an industrial designer in New York City; he had a distinguished career that lasted nearly 40 years.

On April 9, 1949 he married Rose Clare Bies in Belleville, MI. Joseph and Rose would go on to have five children: Joseph, Thomas, Brian, Christine, and Clare. The family settled in New Jersey.

Joseph died on October 29, 2010 in Oradell, NJ and is buried at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, NJ.

Sources:

1930 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/18401710:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=8ff2ac7fe60e8d92bce9764c6c27878a&_phsrc=OEG12&_phstart=successSource

1940 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/8557528:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=8ff2ac7fe60e8d92bce9764c6c27878a&_phsrc=OEG4&_phstart=successSource

1942 draft card

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/193495342:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=8ff2ac7fe60e8d92bce9764c6c27878a&_phsrc=OEG3&_phstart=successSource

1942 enlistment record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=1141160&tid=&pid=&queryId=8ff2ac7fe60e8d92bce9764c6c27878a&usePUB=true&_phsrc=OEG1&_phstart=successSource

1949 marriage record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=9093&h=1565419&tid=&pid=&queryId=8ff2ac7fe60e8d92bce9764c6c27878a&usePUB=true&_phsrc=OEG6&_phstart=successSource

1974-1993 US public records index

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/196680168:1788?ssrc=pt&tid=174698397&pid=152280319505

2010 obituary in The Record (Hackensack NJ)

https://www.newspapers.com/image/505375065/?article=1faca6c1-febc-4ce1-9353-849d5ee6cfb0&focus=0.80840605,0.6881838,0.97370744,0.9249212&xid=3355&_ga=2.111732676.1125769506.1640813238-1718194094.1640813238

2010 Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7050990/joseph-edward-sherlock

2010 Social Security death index

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3693&h=88488044&tid=&pid=&queryId=8ff2ac7fe60e8d92bce9764c6c27878a&usePUB=true&_phsrc=OEG13&_phstart=successSource

2024 article on the North Jersey website about the Ghost Army and Sherlock’s role

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2024/03/14/ghost-army-soldiers-who-duped-nazis-congressional-gold-medal/72947639007/?fbclid=IwAR1gUNVR3xuwodZW3zIF3ie5CKSOp4YMspsAIciSxO5uywzbW__gmn5IMkA

Please Support Our Ongoing Efforts

The soldiers of The Ghost Army used inflatable tanks, sound effects, and imagination to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe. The Ghost Army Legacy Project is ensuring that these men and their accomplishments are never forgotten.

Give via credit card by clicking the yellow “Donate” button.

Or, send a check to:

Ghost Army Legacy Project
1305 S. Michigan Ave. #1104
Chicago, IL 60605

All donations are tax-deductible!