Skip to main content

Julius Wolfgang Bakst

PVT in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co B

ASN#32541826 Casualty: Wounded

Born 1910 in NY, Died 1993

County of residence at enlistment: New York County, NY
Other residence(s): Great Neck, Long Island, NY in 1958 until his death
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: boarding-house and lodging-house keepers
Notes: A/K/A Bokst; Co A in photo; From PVT to PFC per Travel Orders, 23d HQ, 29 August 1945
Source: 603rd Camouflage Engineer Roster provided by W. Anderson; Photo of 603rd Company A, 13 May 1945; Company A Roster; 603rd handwritten list; List of Casualties (Unofficial)

Born November 15, 1942 in Brooklyn; both of his parents were Latvian immigrants. He graduated from Boys' High School in Brooklyn in 1929.

In the 1930 census he was living with his mother and siblings and working as a house painter.

At the time of the draft in 1940 he was working for William Salmon, 435 West 100th Street, NYC. In the 1940 census, his profession is listed as "renting agent." His enlistment form in 1942 says his profession was in the category of "boarding house and lodging house keeper."

Married Sylvia Zwick on October 2, 1942, three weeks before his enlistment in the Army. In the Army for 3 years.

By 1958 was living in Great Neck, Long Island, NY where he lived until his death on January 30, 1993. He is buried at the Wellwood Cemetery in West Babylon, NY.

His wife served for many years as director of the Community Relations Department at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Sources:

1930 census

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6224&h=38654331&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bdi38&_phstart=successSource

1940 census

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2442&h=12857663&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bdi35&_phstart=successSource

Marriage record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61406&h=1014192&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bdi40&_phstart=successSource

City Directory records for Great Neck residences

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1788&h=89955659&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bdi33&_phstart=successSource

VA death record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2441&h=7760436&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bdi39&_phstart=successSource

Find a Grave record

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/253493326/julius-w-bakst

Article about his wife (identifies her as being from Great Neck, which confirms correct Sylvia Bakst)

https://www.newspapers.com/image/464780685/?terms=sylvia%2Bbakst%2Bgreat%2Bneck

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!