enemy. During the third conflict on 21 July, Gerdt found his superior officer, Captain Caj Toffer, lying severely wounded on a spot of terrain that had been bombarded with grenades. Gerdt carried the mortally wounded Toffer to safety, ignoring the severe and continuous artillery fire. Finnish Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim appointed Gerdt as one of his knights on the same day. Gerdt returned to battle, but was wounded in the face by a bullet the size of a fingertip. In military hospital, Gerdt received news that he had been promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Mannerheim Cross. Gerdt was sent to Reserve Officer School in Niinisalo after lying in hospital for four months. Gerdt participated in heavy battles in Siiranmäki in June 1944, where he was wounded for a third time. Before being wounded, Gerdt, now having the rank of a Second Lieutenant, commanded a stub-sized platoon, which made successful counter-attacks to drive off the enemy. Gerdt became well in hospital and could return to his regiment after the Äyräpää-Vuosalmi battles. He was sent home on 13 November 1944. A proposal to award Gerdt the Mannerheim Cross, signed by the chief of the Kannas Group, Lieutenant General Harald Öhquist on 24 July 1942, was sent to the military headquarters as a Creed message. A written proposal, signed by the chief of the 2nd Division, Major General Armas-Eino Martola and confirmed by the chief of the division staff, Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Ehrnrooth, was registered at the military headquarters on 27 July 1942. During the presentation given by the chief of staff, Öhquist's proposal to award Gerdt the Mannerheim Cross was supported. Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim awarded Gerdt the Mannerheim Cross, appointing him as Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #95, on 8 September 1942. During the Continuation War, Gerdt was promoted from junior sergeant to second lieutenant. He was finally promoted to captain in 1968, serving in the reserve. After the war Gerdt married Lea Marjatta Kosonen (1925–2013) on 9 June 1946. They had two children. Gerdt worked as the office manager of Oy Kaukas Ab and Kymmene Oy in Lappeenranta from 1971 to 1987. Gerdt has served as chairman of the board of the Mannerheim Cross Knight Foundation since 1998. In the 1940s and 1950s, Gerdt played pesäpallo in Savonlinnan Pallokerho. President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari started the tradition of inviting all living Knights of the Mannerheim Cross to the Independence Day Celebration in 1994,