Sedgebrook Resident Shares About His Life as a Spy
"Always carry a can opener," advises former United States spy and Sedgebrook resident, Phil Wertz, "you never know when it will come in handy."
Phil's job in the Counter Intelligence Core, CIC, (the Army's version of the FBI) was to keep the riff-raff out of the Army by qualifying job applicants to work for the Department of the Army in Europe. He was charged with keeping spies, Nazi's, criminals and malcontents off the payroll.
"Fortunately, the Germans were the best record keepers in the world," said Phil. It made his job of meticulously combing through records easier.
Phil married his sweetheart in August of 1950 and he was drafted in April of 1951. After 16 weeks of training, a Berlitz course in German and relocation to Bad Wildungen, Germany, he settled into his job. His credentials included being able to type 55 to 60 words per minute. He graduated with the second highest grades in the CIC and was an expert shooter surpassing even marksman and sharp shooter ranking. On May Day, 1952 his wife joined him and took a job as a typist and they found an apartment in the second most beautiful building in the area.
Researching what had gone on in WWII, locating Russian spies and training new recruits were part of Phil's job but scouring the German records that arrived every Monday was the most disturbing responsibility he had. However, his work helped the United States prepare for a Russians attack during the Cold War.
Phil is a strong advocate for military families and believes that the return of a veteran after his service has concluded is a difficult transition for the entire family unit. He speaks openly and passionately about this cause and hopes that greater awareness of the problem will help inspire attention that results in better counseling for all.
Phil grew up on the west side of Chicago in a small home that has since been torn down. He went to Crane Tech High School and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He intended to work in finance but that changed when he was drafted. He spent his career as an attorney and has four children and six grandchildren.
Phil and his wife Mary were the seventh couple to move into Sedgebrook, ten years ago. Since that time he has been very active and involved.. Phil started the Sedgebrook library, has served on the Resident Advisory Council and completed reading over 80 books about his hero, Harry Truman. For more information on his interesting experiences, see his book Harry, Oscar and Me which is scheduled for publication later this year.
"This is another great example of the fascinating people who have made Sedgebrook their home," said Deann Daniel, executive director of Sedgebrook. "Everyone has a story and amazing life experiences."
Sedgebrook is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) offering a diverse lifestyle, maintenance-free living and outstanding amenities. Five-star rated Radford Green Health Care and Rehabilitation is located on the 92-acre Sedgebrook campus in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Sedgebrook is owned by Senior Care Development LLC and managed by Life Care Services LLC. For additional information visit www.WelcomeToSedgebrook.com or call 847-901-3319.