Gerald Alden Kline was born on July 7, 1925 to William and Ida Kline who lived in Royersford, Pennsylvania. In 1938, the family later moved to 21 Whiteside Avenue in Downingtown. His father worked as a night supervisor at Downingtown Iron Works on Race St.

 Gerald loved baseball, and was a talented player; his friends nicknamed him “Chuck” after a famous baseball player.  But “Chuck” was also was a talented musician - he played the Saxophone.

 Gerald was active with the Downingtown Methodist Church  (then on Route 322 just south of Route 30).  He played his sax in the church orchestra at services, conducted by his mother, as well as at church events.  His mother was the church organist, his sister, Jane, played the trumpet, and Diane, the trombone. Some asked his father what instrument he played.  His typical response – “I play the Radio!”

 

Gerald graduated in June1943 from Downingtown High School (in 2007, the empty 9^th grade center on Route 322 just north of Route 30). He was a member of the school band and played Flight of the Bumble Bee at graduation ceremonies on his Saxophone.

 After graduation, Gerald worked at Johnny Miller’s Service Station (in 2006, the closed Sunoco station on Route 30 just east of the center of town). 

 Gerald is remembered as tall, with dark brown hair, big brown eyes, very outgoing, with a wonderful personality. He was popular with students and church members and he was close to his family.

 Gerald enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 14, 1943.  After basic training, he was assigned to Company K, 3^rd Battalion, 22^nd Marines (Regiment), 6^th Marine Division and sent overseas to the Pacific theater in January 1944.

 He served on Guadalcanal for additional training.  There he became close friends with a fellow Marine he had met on the transport: Corporal Phillip Ham. 

 Phillip, whose nickname was “Rusty”, was born and raised in New England.  His parents died at an early age, and he was raised by a foster mother who also died.  He spent most of his childhood in an orphanage.

 Gerald wrote home frequently, and Phillip commented he wished he had someone with which to correspond.  Gerald wrote to his family about his best friend, and his family invited Phillip to write to them also.

 Gerald participated in a number of raids against the enemy as well as the amphibious invasion of Guam. On the latter he was wounded on July 27^th in the right shoulder by an enemy machine gun bullet.  Gerald was sent back to a hospital on Guadalcanal to recover from his wounds, and later sent back to join his unit.

 Gerald participated in the amphibious invasion of Okinawa.

 Corporal Gerald Alden Kline was Killed in Action on Easter Sunday morning, April 1, 1945, while leading his men ashore.   He was buried in a local military cemetery.

 His father received the tragic news while at work at the Downingtown Ironworks.  He recounts only that somehow the men in the office got him home.  Of those dark days that followed, he only remembers endless cups of coffee, chain smoking, and sleepless nights and deep despair.

 His best friend Phillip continued to write to the Klines – the family he never had. Phillip did not learn of Gerald’s death until nine days later. 

 In January 1946, Phillip returned to the states and sent a telegram to the Klines from San Francisco: “Dear Mother and Dad…” When he was discharged in February, Phillip called the Klines from Philadelphia.  The Klines jumped in the family car and drove to Philadelphia to meet their adopted son.  They embraced him as a long lost son, finally returning home. Phillip helped quench the despair in their hearts.  They figured God had taken their only son, but had given them a second son.

 Gerald’s sister, Jane, had just began her training as an Army Nurse Cadet at Coatesville Hospital. Because of duty, she could not make the trip to Philadelphia to meet Phillip.  She considered him as a brother, and shared memories of Gerald with ‘Rusty’.  ‘Rusty’ later married Doris, a fellow nurse cadet of Jane’s, and moved to a house two blocks from his adopted family.

 In 1949, Gerald's body was returned for burial in his home country. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 9^th at the Kelm and Wilson Funeral Home, 107 West Lancaster Pike, Downingtown. Interment was at the Fernwood Cemetery on Walnut Street, Royersford, with full military honors.