During WWI, Private Louis Gassel paused to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with his fellow Jewish soldiers in a French orchard. Just two months later, he was… Read More »The Final Rosh Hashanah of Private Louis Gassel
Created in partnership the the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, William Shemin: Above and Beyond the Call of Duty features artifacts from the… Read More »Online Exhibit: William Shemin – Jewish WWI hero who received Medal of Honor 100 years later
For some, a single stint in the military is enough. Others join and don’t leave for a lifetime. For Herman Gerofsky (who later changed his name to Charles Herman Gerard), it was in and out four times between 1907 and 1919.
Imagine a German Jew who was a decorated German soldier in World War I, a resister in Cologne at the start of Hitler’s reign of… Read More »10/31 2:00 ET – Hybrid Event – Richard Stern: A Doorway to Heroism with author W. Jack Romberg
When night came, they crawled unknowingly into the center of a German camp, where they lay for three hours undetected. Finally discovered, they made a dash to escape. In order to protect the officer, Private Herschkowitz deliberately drew the enemy fire to himself, allowing the officer to escape. Private Herschkowitz succeeded in getting through and delivering his message the next morning.
In January, 1918, Corporal Frank Abramson, U.S. Marine Corps, saw Navy Yeoman J.C. Mullaney fall from his ship into the freezing cold waters of the New York Bay off the 35th Street Pier in Brooklyn. Fully clothed in his winter Marine Corps uniform, Abramson demonstrated his heroism when he leaped in after him.
Arthur Klein was a race car driver who became Klein became a Chief Aeronautical Engineering Officer at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center (3AIC) at Issoudun, France during World War I.
On October 15th, Izan joined the ranks of wounded himself. At Busigny, the home of 27th Division headquarters, a shell exploded next to Izan on the road. Shrapnel struck him beneath his right eye. He was sent to Casualty Clearing Station #48 and from there to a base hospital.
When a Jenny or D.H. 9 fell from the sky and thundered into the ground, routine activities immediately ceased and the total emphasis of the medical group turned to the rescue and recovery of the involved airmen. Interrupting his other duties, Edwin rode out to accident sites in an ambulance, across bumpy, hole-ridden, rough roads and fields, kicking up massive clouds of choking light brown dust.
In World War I, Abel Davis commanded the 132nd Infantry. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism at Consenvoye.