Jewish Heroes of World War II by Avi Heiligman

Forgotten Her es Jewish Heroes of World War II

By Avi Heiligman

Soldiers in Buna, New Guinea Captain George Laven U.S. soldiers taking cover during the Battle of Attu Captain Edward Rothkrug was only 5-foot-3, the shortest combat man in the 98th Bomb Group

Most of the war heroes known to the public are the stories of Medal of Honor recipients and top-ranking officers that make headline news telling of their bravery on the battlefield. Yet the vast majority of war heroes’ stories are often relegated to books that were printed years ago or documents not easily accessible. Even historians may have a tough time tracking them down and spend years of research to properly document their history. After a lot of research, more stories of Jewish Forgotten Heroes during World War II have come to light with some incredible acts of bravery to be told.

PFC Albert H. Feingold from New Jersey was an infantry soldier during the Battle of Sicily. In July 1943, his squad from Company G, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division was held up by intense fire coming from a machine gun pillbox. Feingold voluntarily went forward and despite a hail of bullets was able to drop grenades into the emplacement. The pillbox exploded, and his unit was able to advance. Feingold was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.

The Americans sent troops to New Guinea to block the Japanese advance on the island and to bolster the Australian fighting force. In addition to the intense fighting on New Guinea was the inhospitable terrain and difficult fighting conditions. If the Japanese were to take control over the entire island, then Australia would have been threatened. Captain Rafael Gamso was a medical officer from the 32nd Division stationed near Buna, New Guinea. On December 29, 1942, Gamso was one of five men who volunteered to go through Japanese lines to bring medical supplies to a surrounded company. The men went unarmed and unescorted but made it through safely. Gamso stayed all night treating the wounded. The enemy fire was so intense that the wounded were wounded again, but Gamso kept on going despite the danger. He made it back to American lines the next day and was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.

Even with research, there are some stories with only scant details available. The entire story of First Lieutenant Sylvan Feld, for example, may never be known. Feld, a fighter pilot, was credited with shooting down nine German planes before becoming a prisoner of war. His POW camp was bombed, and Feld was killed during the bombardment. His nine aerial victories made him an ace but few details on how they were achieved came up during research.

While we may not be able to dig up details on some servicemen, others, are like fighter pilot George Laven, are more accessible. Born in Illinois and calling San Antonio his hometown, Laven flew with the 54th Fighter Group and the 343rd Fighter Group of the Eleventh Air Force in the Pacific – Alaska, to be specific. He flew in both P-38 Lightning and P-39 Aircobras.

The Japanese had invaded the Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska as a diversionary tactic during their attempt to invade Midway in June 1942. Considerable resources were spent building up American bases in the region in preparation for an invasion. Air units were sent to the area on both reconnaissance and offensive missions. On one mission, Laven flew six hundred miles from his base in Umnak and destroyed a Japanese flying boat, strafed enemy gun emplacements, and scored a hit on a small boat. He also reported a previously unnoticed antisubmarine net in the harbor at Kiska. During this mission, he had been under constant anti-aircraft fire and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

In total, Laven had four aerial victories to his record and had destroyed many locomotives on air-to-ground missions. After the war, he continued working for the air force as the leader for combat units. He retired in 1969 and became a consultant for McDonnell Douglas while in Israel.

Oftentimes, the stories that come up while doing research are those of airmen serving in the Army Air Corps. Many of these air heroes were pilots, navigators, bombardiers and gunners on heavy aircraft, such as the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and B-29 Superfortress. Captain Edward Rothkrug was a navigator with the 98th Bombardment Group on a B-24 Liberator named the “Northern Star.” He flew in 80 missions totaling 300 hours and took part in the raid over the Ploesti oil fields. In addition to serving in Europe, he also flew combat missions in North Africa; on one mission, his plane was so badly damaged by enemy fire that the plane was forced to make an emergency landing on the bomb-ridden island of Malta. He was awarded eleven medals for heroism in the air.

Over 550,000 American Jewish servicemen and women served during World War II, with thousands earning medals and commendations for bravery on the battlefield. These Forgotten Heroes’ stories are history deserving to be remembered.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.