Army

Melvin Rosen, a survivor of the Bataan Death March, recently passed in Falls Church, Va.
His story told in his own words, from a US-Japan WWII dialog site :

Arriving in the Philippines

I was graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1940. My parents were poor immigrants from Russia. I was extremely proud to be a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army!

I suspected that we would be forced into a war with Japan. The only logical place for Japan to attack, in my opinion, was the Philippines. Since this was so obvious to me, I felt that it must be so obvious to everyone else that we would have the most and the best of everything—equipment, supplies, etc.—there.

I arrived in Manila aboard the old US ARMY Transport, U.S. Grant in January 1941. We were greeted with a fly by of our Far East Army Air Corps flying planes that were obsolete in the States--P-26, O-46. B-10. My close friend, classmate, and roommate who chose the Philippines for the same reasons as I was standing beside me on the deck of the Grant. I can remember turning to him and saying, “Murph, we’ve been had!”

Fall of Bataan

It was very late at night on 8 April that I was told by my battalion commander that Bataan was being surrendered effective at 0600 the next day. . We were to destroy all our weapons and equipment except our vehicles because we would need them in which to ride out of Bataan to wherever the Japanese would be taking us. I destroyed all our weapons and equipment and left our vehicles. At 0600, from our position on a trail, I could still hear the Japanese shooting on the main road. I went up to make a personal reconnaissance. I saw Japanese tanks on the road shooting at Americans.

About 0900 I went back to the main road. Then I saw Americans in their trucks coming up the road with large white sheets that they were waving. The Japanese halted them made them get out of the trucks, loaded the trucks with Japanese soldiers, turned them around and headed back south.  I went quietly back to my battery and poured sugar in all the gas tanks. We then formed as a battery and marched up the trail to the main road where we turned in to a Japanese captain. He sent us up the road to a large open field already crowded with American and Filipino troops.  The Japanese immediately separated the Filipinos from the Americans.

My introduction to the Japanese came soon when I saw an American soldier squat at a huge latrine pit to defecate. A Japanese guard ran his bayonet through this man’s chest for no reason but for fun. When the bayonet did not immediately come out, the guard with his foot shoved the American off the bayonet and into the latrine pit where he disappeared into the feces. Another Japanese guard nearby was laughing during this whole episode.

The next morning the Japanese started us walking north on the main road and marched my group for 65 miles in four days with no food or water in severe tropical temperatures.  None was allowed to help anyone. If anyone could not make it on his own, he was bayoneted, shot, beheaded or clubbed to death. Even Filipino civilians who tried to pass food or water to us were immediately beheaded as an example to other Filipino civilians. This became known as the BATAAN Death March. By the time it was over, the route was littered with hundreds of American dead and thousands of Filipino dead.

Read more about Melvin Rosen, z"l...

By DOUGLAS MARTIN
Published: April 29, 2007
Robert Rosenthal, a highly decorated pilot in World War II who helped usher in a new kind of warfare, the strategic bombing of Germany, in which huge bombers scraped the ice-cold stratosphere while serving as easy targets for enemy fighters and ground guns, died on April 20 in White Plains. He was 89.

The cause was multiple myeloma, his son Steven said. Mr. Rosenthal lived in Harrison, N.Y.

He flew 52 missions over Germany as a bomber pilot, twice survived being shot down and won 16 decorations, including the Distinguished Service Cross for “extraordinary heroism.”

On one mission, his B-17 Flying Fortress was the only one in his group of 13 to return. On another, he was shot down and broke his right arm and nose. The next time he was shot down, he broke the same arm.

On Feb. 3, 1945, Rosie, as he was known, led the entire Third Division, an armada of 1,000 B-17s, on a raid on Berlin. He was later an assistant to the United States prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials, Robert H. Jackson.

Read more about Robert Rosenthal, z"l...

From the Annapolis newspaper…

Retired Army Col. Harry Lindauer, [z"l] had a favorite expression: “A new Pharaoh arose who knew not Joseph.”

What he meant by that, his wife Thea explained, is that a man can be honored for many things, but as generations follow generations eventually the man is forgotten.  But a man who lived a life like Col. Lindauer’s would be hard to forget, family and friends say. And what he’ll be remembered for depends on who is asked.

Col. Lindauer, a resident of Annapolis since 1967, died Friday at the Ginger Cove retirement community after a lengthy illness. He was 88.

In the city’s arts community, Col. Lindauer was known as president of Annapolis Opera Company, who alongside Thea Lindauer took a struggling business and made it “fantastic.”

“They brought in professional performers and artists to make it one of the most wonderful organizations,” said Carol Treiber, executive director of the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County.  Ms. Treiber remembers Col. Lindauer as a strong passionate person. A guy who really knew his music - and was often seen sporting a brightly colored suit vest.  The vest was made by women who worked in the opera company’s costume department, Mrs. Lindauer said.

“It was made from beautiful fabrics used in the opera - these were not cheap fabrics,” she said. “They made me a jacket too, and we treasured those.”

Read more about Col. Harry Lindauer...

Corporal, U.S. Army

Corporal Tibor “Ted” Rubin served in the Army from February 13, 1950 to July 20, 1953.  During that time he served in the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.  He was a POW in North Korea for 30 months, wounded twice and received two purple heart awards, and was recently awarded the Medal of Honor.

In the words of President George W. Bush:

Corporal Tibor “Ted” Rubin’s many acts of courage during the Korean War saved the lives of hundreds of his fellow soldiers. In the heat of battle, he inspired his comrades with his fearlessness. And amid the inhumanity of a Chinese prisoner of war camp, he gave them hope. Some of those soldiers are here today, and they have never forgotten what they owe this man. And by awarding the Medal of Honor to Corporal Rubin today, the United States acknowledges a debt that time has not diminished.

His heroic service in uniform is equally as amazing as his life prior to his enlistment.

Rubin is a survivor of 14 months in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. Liberated by the U.S. Army, he credits Army medics for saving the lives of survivors. He notes, “I thank God that I came to the United States.”

He follows a legacy of military service in his family--his father, Ferenz, was a Soldier in the Hungarian Army and a hero in World War I, and was a prisoner of war (POW) in Russia for over six years. During WWII, his father was moved to Auschwitz and later to Buchenwald where he died. Ted’s uncle was also a POW. His mother, Rosa and 10 year-old sister, Elonja died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz, Germany. His older brother, Mike Lesak fought with the English and Czech in World War II.

“I always wanted to become a citizen of the United States and when I became a citizen it was one of the happiest days in my life. I think about the United States and I am a lucky person to live here. When I came to America, it was the first time I was free. It was one of the reasons I joined the U.S. Army because I wanted to show my appreciation.”

Read more about Tibor Rubin...

Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves

Rabbi Bonnie Koppell, a U.S. Army Reserve chaplain since 1978, was promoted to colonel on May 3 of this year making her the first female rabbi in the U.S. Army to hold that rank.  Rabbi Koppel is used to firsts, as she was the first female rabbi commissioned in the Army and is currently one of only two military-wide. 

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Koppel joined the Army Reserves while a Rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist College in Philadelphia. She was ordained in 1981, and served Beth Sholom in Chandler, Arizona for 18 years before resigning this April when she deployed to Iraq.  She currently serves as a guest rabbi at Beth Hagivot in Fountain Hills, Arizona.

Earlier this year, in response to a phone request, Koppel volunteered to go to Iraq to conduct Passover services for the troops and to visit different units to encourage Jewish soldiers.  Koppel is currently assigned to the Chief of Chaplains Contingency Force Pool at the Pentagon, and is tasked to the Fifth US Army Headquarters at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.  As a Reservist, she lives in Mesa, AZ, and does her drills in many different places.

In her 26 years in the Army, Koppel has received many awards including two Meritorious Service Medals, an Army Commendation Medal, and two Army Achievement Medals. In 2003, she was named “Woman of the Year” by the City of Mesa.

Describing her role as a military chaplain, Rabbi Koppel stated:

Chaplains are noncombatants - we do not carry weapons, we are not trained to fight. We are there to minister to the religious needs of the troops and, as such, we are an essential part of the military force. No one likes war, no one wants war. No one prays for peace with more fervor than the soldier who stands ready to lay down his or her life for our country.

Yet, I am not a pacifist; I believe that there are times when war is justified. War is always a horrible tragedy, but it is not necessarily immoral. I am proud to consider among my many identities as wife, as mother, as rabbi, as teacher, as friend, yet another - as an American soldier. G-d forbid the need should arise, our Jewish soldiers deserve to have rabbis who are trained and ready to deploy alongside them, to be there to offer all the support they will need. I am proud to be among those who stand ready to go with them.

Excerpt from: The Jewish Virtual Library

Rabbi Koppell wants our readers to know that she gives talks about her experiences and is interested and available to travel to any of your communities.  She can be contacted at .

2nd Lt., U.S. Army Air Corps

In October 1942, at the age of 19, Paul Canin enlisted in the Army Air Corps and attended basic training at Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas.  At his gunnery school, Canin learned how to shoot .50 caliber machine guns from various types of gun turrets.  Following his gunnery training he attended tech school at Ellington Field in Houston and navigation school in Austin.  After this training he received his wings and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.  Lt Canin was later selected for additional training as a radar navigator at Langley Field, Virginia where he honed his flight crew skills before shipping off to Europe.

Lt Canin started his combat tour at Cerignola Airfield, Italy as a radar navigator in the 485th Bomb Group - 828th Bomb Squadron - 15th Air Force.

In the bombing missions over Europe, a “lead” plane, with the most experienced crew, would be flanked on each side by equally experienced “deputy lead” planes.  These three planes were responsible for leading an entire armada of bombers to their specific target and determining when they would drop their bombs.  As a radar navigator, Canin would fly with one of the lead planes and play a major role in the missions.

Read more about Paul Canin...

Sergeant, U.S. Army

SGT Popkin enlisted in the Army in 1999.  Following his initial training, he was stationed at Fort Riley, KS.  There he served as the commo chief of tank company in 1/13th Armor, which included an NTC rotation at Fort Irwin, CA.  From April of 2002 to December of 2003, SGT Popkin was stationed at Camp Carrole (Waegwan, Korea) where he served as the Team Chief of retrans member in Charlie 307th Signal Battalion.  He was then selected over his peers through an intense screening process to serve at his current position with the United Nation Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC).

In Korea there are two roadways that connect the Korean peninsula (one in the east and one in the west), SGT Popkin is currently located in the Western Transportation Corridor.  His mission includes serving as the eyes and ears for the Commander of UNC, assisting in processing requests for entrance into the DMZ and any crossings that occur between North or South Korea, and also monitoring the compliance of the Armistice and other Agreements. 

SGT Popkin said that:

I have been proud to have the chance to serve my country as well as help other countries.  I began working for UNCMAC in December 2003 and since then I have had the chance to work with it’s diversified members consisting of 16 other countries.  Since working for UNCMAC I have monitored the crossing of over 20,000 personnel and 13,000 vehicles through the DMZ either going to the north or returning to the south.

In addition to his regular duties, SGT Popkin has also participated in monitoring and facilitating 4 Joint Recovery Operations (JRO) Missions of returning US remains from the Korean War, briefed numerous Distinguished Visitiors inlcuding 16 UNC Ambassadors and the UNC Commander.

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Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Major General Sidney Shachnow is most known for his 32 years of service with the U.S. Army Special Forces which culminated in his position as commander of the U.S. Army Special Forces Command.  General Shachnow served two tours in Vietnam and earned two Silver Stars and three Bronze Stars with V for Valor.

General Shachnow’s story would be an impressive tale based on his military service alone, but there is another story that makes his accomlishments all the more amazing.  He was born and raised in Lithuania until he was 17.  At ten years old Shachnowski escaped the notorious Kovno concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Lithuania.  Courage must run in his family, because both of his parents escaped the ghetto and were partisan fighters as well.  His father hid him and his younger brother with a Christian family just before the ghetto was cleared and the inhabitants sent to extermination camps.  Through some miracle, both his parents survived as did the future General and his brother.  He made his way across Europe where he made a living by smuggling contraband.  He was impressed by American soldiers during the war and remembered them after he and his family were eventually admitted to the U.S.

Read more about Sidney Shachnow...

Private First Class, U.S. Army

PFC Levinson was 23 when he was drafted in 1960 and was stationed at Fort Ord for 2 years.  He served as a Chaplain’s Assistant and Supply Clerk.

In the third week of Basic Training at Ft. Ord, Levinson was called out of class and told that a sergeant would be his driver and that he was to put on his Class A’s and report ot the Jewish Chapel.  The base Jewish chaplain, Rabbi Livazer, was ill and Levinson was chosen to conduct services and preside over the Shabbat meal!  This was no small service either.  At least 40 to 50 attendees were at services since they served the Naval Post graduate School and the Army Language School in Monterey.  Levinson described it as,

a very heady experience for a lowly recruit.  From then on the Sgts in my unit were a little more circumspect in their language and would ask me all sorts of questions about Judasim.  I was the only Jew in the Company.  Yeshivah and Hebrew School paid off.

Read more about Jon S. Levinson...

Captain, U.S. Army

Captain Lev was born in Moscow in 1976.  While the Soviet Union was not the most welcoming environment for Jews at the time, she was able to have an active Jewish childhood.

I was lucky enough to attend Hebrew school and Youth Zionist camp while over there. I also participated in the Bat Mitzvah twin program and corresponded with Bat Mitzvah girls from the US and Great Britain. Talk about Jewish solidarity in action.

Her family moved to the US in 1990 and she enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1995 with only a green card. Her first MOS was Medical Supply, but she soon reclassed to Civil Affairs.  After completing Fordham University School of Law and passing the New York State Bar Exam she went on active duty in the JAG corps.
Capt. Lev’s present duty station is Baumholder, Germany.  However, as a part of 1st Armored Division she deployed to Iraq from May to December 2003 where she provded legal assistance to soldiers in the Baghdad area.

Many of my cleints downrange were immigrants like myself. In an effort to complete their naturalization we encountered numerous obstacles.  It was always my firm conviction that American citizenship is a privelege, but I believed GI’s in Iraq earned that privelege more than anyone.  During the visit of the Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee I brought my clients’ plight to his attention (and got a coin out of it).  Staring October 1 this year, our embassy in Baghdad will begin conducting naturalization ceremonies for soldiers.

As if that didn’t keep Captain Lev busy enough, she managed to work on a website between assisting clients.  She affectionately calls it her “Baghdad Baby.” It is a Jewish feminist website in Russian (the first of its’ kind).  You can see it at www.womenofvalor.net (if you speak Russian).