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Private First Class Jerry Cohen

A young man looking right.
  • Unit: 8056th Engineer Depot
  • Date of Birth: January 15, 1933
  • Entered the Military: February 20, 1953
  • Date of Death: January 25, 2011
  • Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
  • Place of Death: St. Clair Shores, Michigan
  • Award(s): National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal
  • Cemetery: Section CW 40, Row D, Site 15. Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, Michigan
Contributed by Angela Binu, Alana Brown, Joshua Byrne, Ella Clouser, Jolie Farquhar, Hugh Flack, Liz, Victor Li, Alex Mandia, Emily Moon, Chloe Arrebot Natou, Lakshya Nyapathy, Sonakshee Phukan, Katie Robinson, and Julia
Mentored by Ms. Erika Berger
Boulan Park Middle School
2024/2025

Early Life

On January 15, 1933, Jerry Cohen was born to his parents, Jack and Hattie (Niss) Cohen, in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in a crowded home of three siblings, Milton, Hershel, and Sharon, as well as his uncle, aunt, cousins, and grandmother. Cohen’s father, Jack, worked as a dealer for a scrap metal company, while his mother, Hattie, maintained the household. Unfortunately, Jerry likely lost his father in the late 1940s.  

Cohen graduated from Central High School in June 1950. In the fall of 1950, he started classes at Wayne State University. At Wayne State, he was part of the American Newspaper Guild, a labor union representing journalists. This organization worked in collaboration with the local chapter, the Detroit Guild. While taking classes, he managed a salvage company before being drafted for the Korean War. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in February 1953.

The Cohen family resided in Detroit with the Weiss family (his uncle, aunt, and cousins), 1940. National Archives and Records Administration.
Cohen (back row, left) in the newly created American Newspaper Guild from the Wayne State University Yearbook, 1950. Ancestry Classroom.

Homefront

Known as the “Arsenal of Democracy” throughout World War II, Detroit’s automotive factories were converted to manufacture military weapons and vehicles. During this time, there was overall growth in population, and more women joined the workforce. Despite Detroit’s success and readiness to continue as the “Arsenal” for the Korean War, the city played a much smaller role. Regardless, the factories in Detroit and its suburbs still provided the military with equipment, including Army trucks, jet engines, cargo carriers, medium-caliber guns, plane engines, and aircraft.

Because of the Korean War, most metals around the country were saved for the war effort. This limited the availability of metals for automobile manufacturing. While the “Motor City” of Detroit still had 480,000 people working in manufacturing, especially in the automotive industry, high unemployment eventually rose significantly as automotive manufacturing slowed.

Michigan was a swing state in the 1952 presidential election, where the Korean War was one of the voters’ main concerns. On the campaign trail, candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower gave a speech at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, promising to make a trip to Korea to help end the war. With this promise, Eisenhower went on to win the election for the state of Michigan and the White House.

An article from the Detroit Free Press explaining how Detroit factories were ready to act again as the ‘Arsenal of Democracy’ during the Korean War if called upon, July 10, 1950.
A chart from the Detroit Free Press explaining the weapons, vehicles, and other goods produced in Detroit during the Korean War, June 3, 1951.
Dwight D. Eisenhower in downtown Detroit after delivering a speech at the Masonic Temple with the promise to end the Korean War. Detroit Free Press, October 25, 1952.

Military Experience

Jerry Cohen was drafted into the U.S. Army on February 20, 1953. Cohen began training at Fort Custer in Michigan before moving to Camp Atterbury in Indiana in September 1953. The Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed in July 1953, meaning Cohen did not directly serve in Korea during the war. 

In December 1953, the Army announced plans to deactivate Camp Atterbury. Instead of moving with the rest of his infantry, Cohen transferred to Yokohama, Japan. In April 1954, he completed a six-week engineering program to become a parts specialist. As an engineer parts specialist in the Army’s 8056th Engineer Depot, Cohen helped restore Japan from the damage it had incurred during World War II.  

During his time in the Army, many of his superiors commended his excellent behavior. He also earned the following medals: the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal. Cohen was promoted to Private First Class—Technical in October 1954 before he returned to the United States in December. On February 10, 1955, he received an honorable discharge from the Army. 

The entrance sign to Camp Atterbury, where Cohen trained in 1953. Fold3.
Cohen’s DD-214 officially discharging him from active military duty, 1955. Burn marks from the 1973 fire are visible on the document. Portions have been redacted for privacy. National Archives and Records Administration.

Veteran Experience

After his service, Jerry Cohen decided to use the technological knowledge he gained in the Army to become an industrial education teacher. He participated in a fellowship program through Wayne State University, where several urban school teachers developed an effective industrial arts model course.  

During this time, Cohen also focused on growing his family. He married Joanna Hirchak and had two children, Patti and Lynn.

Cohen was deeply passionate about his career and shared his views with others. He often expressed his concerns through the Detroit Free Press “Letters to the Editor” section. He advocated for improved school safety, calling for more fire alarms in Detroit Public Schools to protect students. He also championed environmental causes, writing about wetland conservation and the need to defend Alaska from exploiters.

A list of the Wayne State University fellowship participants working on creating a successful industrial education program for urban schools, 1969-1970. Wayne State University, Department of Industrial Education.
Jerry Cohen wrote to the editor of the Detroit Free Press about the need to protect the wetlands, October 19, 1979.

Commemoration

Jerry Cohen died on January 25, 2011, in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He lived a joyful life, dedicating himself to protecting the things and people he cared about. He is buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan.

Jerry Cohen’s funeral announcement published in the Detroit Free Press, January 26, 2011.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“1950 Census of Population: Volume 3. Census Tract Statistics.” United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779850v2p22ch3.pdf. 

31st Infantry Division Military Yearbook Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Digital Images. https://fold3.com.

Advertisement for Hudson’s Basement Store. Detroit Free Press, October 15, 1950. Newspapers.com (98030087). 

Advertisement for Sanders Confectioners. Detroit Free Press, October 15, 1950. Newspapers.com (98029982). 

“Americans Pay the Price.” Detroit Free Press, September 15, 1978. Newspapers.com (98618761).

“Arms won’t save El Salvador.” Detroit Free Press, September 29, 1984. Newspapers.com (99215904).

“Bad for U.S. Business.” Detroit Free Press, January 22, 1992. Newspapers.com (99603850).

Central High School Yearbook. Detroit Public Schools, 1950.

“Cohen, Jerry.” Detroit Free Press, January 26, 2011. Newspapers.com (364139162).

“Defend Alaska from the Exploiters.” Detroit Free Press, September 23, 1978. Newspapers.com (98622236).

“Detroit Baseball Scorecard.” Detroit Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A132489. 

“Detroit Caught in Gap Between War, Peace.” Detroit Free Press, January 28, 1951. Newspapers.com (97821721). 

“Detroit and Defense: Who’s Making What.” Detroit Free Press, June 3, 1951. Newspapers.com (97941390).  

“Diversity, Unity: What will Russians choose?” Detroit Free Press, January 7, 1992. Newspapers.com (99984620). 

“The Facts in Our News.” Michigan Chronicle, March 10, 1945. Newspapers.com (891041822). 

“Idleness in Democracy’s Arsenal Is Contrasted with Need for Arms.” Detroit Free Press, December 29, 1951. Newspapers.com (97746347). 

“‘It’s Elementary’ is an excellent guide.” Detroit Free Press, September 18, 1992. Newspapers.com (100131972). 

Jerry Cohen, DD-214 (partial), Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

“Lions Seek to Break Strangle Hold of Rams.” Detroit Free Press, October 15, 1950. Newspapers.com (98030035). 

“Make Sure That all Schools Have Fire Drills.” Detroit Free Press, March 14, 1996. Newspapers.com (99313468). 

Map depicting the migration of Detroit’s ethnic communities. Map. Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A141872. 

Michigan. Wayne County. 1930 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

Michigan. Wayne County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

Michigan. Wayne County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

Michigan. Wayne County. Marriage License. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

Music and Drama Page. Detroit Free Press, October 15, 1950. Newspapers.com (98030031).

New York. List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

“Practical Women See Value in Purchase of War Bonds.” United Automobile Worker, April 15, 1943. Newspapers.com (893523107). 

Resnick, Harold S., E. S. Mills, and R. W. Krause. Experienced Teacher Fellowship Program, 1969-1970. Detroit: Wayne State University, Department of Industrial Education, 1970. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED045805.pdf.  

Sanborn Map Company. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Map. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4114dm.g03985195110/?sp=1&st=image. 

“Squash Evils with Ballots.” The Detroit Tribune, May 27, 1950. Newspapers.com (668824373). 

“State’s Labor Force in Record Upsurge.” Detroit Free Press, December 30, 1946. Newspapers.com (98622410). 

“Still the Arsenal.” Detroit Free Press, July 10, 1950. Newspapers.com (97814131). 

“Text of Eisenhower Detroit Speech.” Detroit Free Press, October 25, 1952. Newspapers.com (97544594).

“Tough decision-making.” Detroit Free Press, August 29, 2008. Newspapers.com (362611296). 

“War and Taxes First in Women Voters’ Minds.” Detroit Free Press, September 19, 1952. Newspapers.com (97550593). 

“Wetlands Protection: for the good of all.” Detroit Free Press, October 19, 1979. Newspapers.com (99129479). 

“Why Doesn’t Detroit Take a Leaf From Milwaukee?” Detroit Free Press, September 14, 1966. Newspapers.com (97559420).

Secondary Sources

“Built to keep Black from White.” NBC News. Last modified July 19, 2021. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/detroit-segregation-wall/. 

“The Davison Freeway.” Detroit Historical Society. Last modified December 27, 2013. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://detroithistorical.org/blog/2013-12-27-davison-freeway.

“Edsel Ford Expressway.” Detroit Historical Society. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/edsel-ford-expressway. 

“The History of Camp Atterbury.” Indiana Military. Last modified October 21, 2022. Accessed January 17, 2025. http://www.indianamilitary.org/Camp%20Atterbury/History/history_of_camp_atterbury.htm. 

“Jerry Cohen.” Find a Grave. Updated July 31, 2021. Accessed March 22, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/230130794/jerry-cohen.

“Jerry Cohen.” National Cemetery Administration. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov. 

“Jerry Cohen.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed March 22, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/JERRYCOHEN/9d848c.

“Military Reconstruction in Japan.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Last modified March 2021. Accessed January 17, 2025. https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Historical-Vignettes/Military-Construction-Combat/074-Military-Reconstruction.aspx. 

“Segregation and White Flight in Detroit.” Story Maps ArcGIS. Last modified May 7, 2024. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/12b84ab10e734e72b59beac8df64c903.

“Separating Truth From Myth in the So-Called ‘Golden Age’ of the Detroit Auto Industry.” Smithsonian Magazine, May 9, 2019. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/separating-truth-myth-so-called-golden-age-detroit-auto-industry-180972139/.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.