Manny Berkman was Jewish and born in Russia. He migrated to America with his family at a young age. It is unknown for sure as who his parents were but there was a large Berkman family from Russia who were living in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 1910 U.S. Census. Manny reported that he lived in Cincinnati after he arrived in America.
However, Manny's wife's naturalization papers state, "My Husband was naturalized 06/14/1906, through the naturalization of his father, Max Berkman, in the District Court of Ramsey County, at St. Paul, Minn." This leads this writer to believe his parents were Max and Sarah R. Berkman who lived and died in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Manny enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 03/08/1917 at Marine Barracks, Port Royal, South Carolina (later named Parris Island).He reported he had worked as a plumber in his civilian occupation. After he completed two months of training, Manny boarded the USS PANTHER and sailed for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he joined the 53rd Company. Not long after his arrival he was hospitalized for an illness that kept him there for approximately two months. After his release he was assigned to mess duty and at some point was found asleep while on post (probably guard duty). The Marine Corps has always dealt harshly with this offense and Manny was no exception, being fined $99.00 and placed on bread and water in solitary confinement for 30 days. The lesson was well learned - especially the loss of $99.00 which, on a privates pay in 1917, was a fortune. He spent all of World War One in Haiti and learned to be a cook and an orderly. In December, 1919, he shipped out to Marine Barracks, Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina. Once again, Manny was hospitalized almost immediately, and remained there until being discharged on February 7, 1920, with a character rating of "excellent."

Manny returned to Ohio and for unknown reasons re-enlisted in the Marines on February 10, with the provision that he be allowed a 19 day furlough before reporting to Mare Island, California, for duty. He was in California only briefly as he soon received orders for China. This may have been the reason he left the Marines at Charleston as he desired duty in the Orient but did not get it. By discharging and re-enlisting, he was able to to re-enlist for China service. China was where every Marine wanted to go due to the Asian mystique, excellent overseas duty, the women and the enlisted Marine's ability to live very well on the economy; the American dollar went a long way in China at that time. Soon he reported to the American Legation Marine Guard in Peking, China. Though he continued to be plagued with health problems, he excelled in marksmanship and was returned to the United States as a marksmanship instructor.

In June, 1924, Manny was once again sent Port-au-Prince, Haiti, this time with the 196th Company, 8th Marine Regiment. The 8th had been fighting the Cacao rebels in Haiti for years, and by 1924 had eliminated almost all traces of "banditry." Manny saw no fighting in Haiti and when their mission was complete, the 8th Marines were deactivated in 1925. Now a sergeant, Manny returned to guard duty in the States.

After a brief stint with the machine-gunners of the 29th Company, Fourth Marine Regiment in California, Manny was attached to the Marine Detachment USS CALIFORNIA as the Police Sergeant. He was aboard the battleship for two years, including a stop in Nicaragua during the Banana Wars, where he was detached to join the 61st Machine Gun and Howitzer Company, 11th Marine Regiment in San Fernando.

In February, 1929, Manny returned to quieter duty as Property Sergeant of the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, New Jersey. But in about a year he was back overseas in China, this time with the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai.

Manny married a "White Russian", probably from Belrus/Belarussia, named Alexandria Chirnoff or Chirkoff, in Shanghai, China, on 09/3/1930. There was a large population of White Russians that migrated to China, specifically Shanghai, after the Tzar was overthrown in Russia by the Communists. The Connecticut Naturalization papers for her, gave her birthplace as being Zabaykalsk, Russia and birthdate 04/22/1902). Other travel records for he show her birthdate as 05/06/1902.

Following his second tour of China, Manny returned to Mare Island, and then to the Submarine Base at New London, Connecticut, where he would remain until September, 1935.

Now a gunnery sergeant, Manny returned to China for a third time with the Second Battalion, Fourth Marines. He joined up with Company C, First Battalion, Sixth Marines and his records show he and Alexandra lived at 354 Seymour Road, Shaghai, China. Manny returned to the United States in February 1938.

Manny enlisted yet again on February 10, 1940. That November, he left the Sixth Marines for Sea School, where he was appointed as a marksmanship coach. He taught at the San Diego rifle range (now known as Edson's range) in 1941, before joining the Marine detachment of the USS ASTORIA on October 30.

The 1940 U.S. Census shows Manny and his wife Alexandria living together in San Diego, California. The had no children.

Manny was one of the senior Marines aboard the USS ASTORIA when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. The ship was about 700 miles away from it's dock at Pearl Harbor and missed being involved. Manny and the ASTORIA would soon get their first taste of combat in the Battle of the Coral Sea and at Midway. He had been in the Marine Corps at that time for 25 years. Their next action, would be off the coast of Guadalcanal near Savo Island.

Manny was killed when the ASTORIA was sunk in the Battle of Savo Island on August 9, 1942. His remains were never recovered, and he was listed as missing in action (MIA) for a year and one day before being declared dead. He rests with his ship and fellow crewmen at the bottom of an area of water now known as "Iron Bottom Sound" due to all the ships sunk there in World War II.

At the time of Manny's death, his wife Alexandra C. Berkman was living at 3611-46th Street, San Diego, California.

Manny Berkman had the kind of career most Marines desired during the early part of the 20th century. He was involved in a large part of Marine Corps history and would have had stories upon stories to tell his younger Marines over a cold beer, or around a home fireplace to tell his grandchildren, had he ever had any.

Gunnery Sergeant Manny Berkman, Sn# 160244, earned the following verified badges/decorations for his service to the United States Marine Corps during World War II:
- Purple Heart Medal
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with five bronze stars #77155
- Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal #2800 with 2 device
- Yangtze Service Medal #309
- Haitian Campaign Medal #605
- Dominican Republic Service Medal
- Nicaraguan Campaign Medal #2194
- American Defense Service Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations with one bronze star
- World War I Victory Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Marine Corps Rifle Expert Badge with 3 re-qual bars
- Marine Corps Pistol Expert Badge

**NOTE** - A portion of this bio is based on information from the website missingmarines.com. They have done a fantastic job of researching approximately 3000 US Marines whose bodies were lost in the war. This writer wholeheartedly recommends their site for researchers or families of the missing. - Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR {RET})

**NOTE** - Some records show his year of birth to be 1895. His final records note that Berkman stood 69 1/4" tall, weighed 155 pounds with brown eyes and dark brown hair.