From the March 1st Chicago Tribune "'Foght' tells stories of Jews who served" by Donald Liebenson.
Anti-Semitic people felt that Jews would be physically unfit to serve and would not pull their weight and would take the so-called easy jobs. Statistics, however, as seen at the "Ours to Fight For: American Jews in the Second World War" opening at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois, show otherwise.
In all, 55,000 Jews, 11% of the total Jewish population, served. Nearly 40,000 were wounded and about 11,000 killed. Another 52,000 were decorated for gallantry.
The exhibit originally started in New York City in 2003 and contains video, audio and writing about these veterans.
Besides the enemy, many faced "pervasive discrimination and anti-Semitism." One recalled being rebuffed with a slur when he went to get his replacement for guard duty. "I reached down, pulled him out of the hole and pummelled him."
Another section included what they saw when they liberated the concentration camps Newsman Fred Friendly said, "Nobody said you're going to see the worst thing you're ever gonna see, now or for the rest of your life. No one gave you a hint."
More to Come. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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