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Beyond the call by GLORIA SHUKERT JONES Although an outstanding baseball player, he was devoted to When it came to answering the call of duty and putting serving his country. He was discharged from the Service their best efforts forward, Jewish military recruits were shortly before Pearl Harbor, due to the policy at that time to some of the first responders. This was especially evident at release soldiers over the age of 28. However, he re-enlisted the time of Pearl Harbor and the ensuing World War II. and served as both a lieutenant and captain in the United Military leaders at that time highly praised the efforts of States Air Force. Jewish men and women who had served when the United He also never forgot his Jewish heritage. One example was States declared war on Japan and Germany. At that time, when he gave up an important game that happened to fall on there were thousands of Yom Kipper that year, and Jewish lives lost in protectinstead, spent the day, ing the United States and praying and fasting in the its allies. At least four synagogue. The Tigers lost times that number were the game, but won the wounded in action. pennant. However, that It would take many same year, they lost the pages to describe all the World Series to the St. heroism and the dedicated Louis Cardinals. servicemen and women Equally fascinating is who put their lives on the the story of Barney Ross. line in the battlefields. All “As a boy in Chicago, of them deserve unending Barnet Rasofsky planned recognition. But the few to become a Talmudic mentioned here are represcholar and Hebrew sentative of all who fought teacher. In 1924, when for our country. Barnet was 14 years old, There were at least two two men who robbed the Jewish war heroes, family grocery store shot Raymond Zussman and and killed his father. Left Isadore Jachman, who with five children to supwere awarded port, Barnet’s mother had Barney Ross Congressional Medals of a nervous breakdown and Credit: wymaninstitute.org went to live with relatives. Honor for going far beyond what was expected of them. Although their situa- Barnet and his oldest brother, Morrie, went to live with a tions varied slightly, both, without regard to their personal cousin; his three youngest siblings were placed in an safety, proceeded ahead of their respective divisions into the orphanage. line of fire and disengaged the enemy, thus averting an In his grief, Barnet Rasofsky renounced his Orthodox attack. Unfortunately, Jachman suffered fatal wounds. faith and sought revenge on the world by becoming a petty More than a hundred Jewish war heroes received the thief, numbers runner and brawler. He vowed to make Distinguished Service Medal and crosses. Countless others enough money - by whatever means he could- to reunite his were proud recipients of the Silver Star. family. Barnet took up amateur boxing, pawning his medals Frances Slanger was a Jewish lieutenant in the Army for the few dollars they would bring. Sometimes, he took six Nurse Corps, who administered medical aid to wounded fights in a week, growing tougher with each confrontation. soldiers in a tent, which was a makeshift emergency medical At age 19, he turned professional and took the name Barney facility. However, she never thought of herself, but main- Ross so his mother, now back on her feet, wouldn’t worry tained the greatest respect and admiration for the soldiers. about him getting hurt. As Barney Ross, he won world So impressed was she by their bravery and good humor, that championships and was elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame. she wrote to the “Stars and Stripes,” the G.I newspaper, When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Ross, who at 32 thanking them for risking their lives and praising their was beyond draft age, received permission to join the efforts. Marines. Assigned to serve as a boxing instructor, Ross The following is an excerpt of that letter which appeared instead asked for combat duty and was shipped to in the Nov. 7, 1944 edition of that paper: Guadalcanal, scene of some of the bloodiest fighting in the “I am writing this by flashlight. The GIs say we rough it, but Pacific. On patrol one night, a superior force of Japanese we in our little tent can't see it. We wade ankle deep in mud. troops attacked Ross and three comrades. All three comYou have to lie in it. We are restricted to our immediate area, rades were wounded. Ross gathered them in a shell crater a cow pasture or hay field, but then, who is not restricted? We and defended them through the night by firing over 400 rifle have a stove and coal. We even have a laundry line in the tent. rounds. When he ran out of bullets, Ross threw 22 grenades Our GI drawers are at this moment doing the dance of the at enemy machine gun positions. Ross claimed that he said pants, what with the wind howling, the tent waving precari- two hours of prayers, many in Hebrew, hoping to make it ously, the rain beating down, the guns firing... through the night. Finally, at dawn, with two of his three Sure, we rough it, but you, the men behind the guns, driving comrades dead, out of ammunition and wounded in the leg our tanks, flying our planes, sailing our ships, building bridges, and foot himself, the 140-pound Ross picked up his 230and the men who pave the way, and the men who were left pound surviving comrade and carried him to safety. Ross, behind—it is to you that we doff our helmets...” whose helmet had more than thirty shrapnel dents, was (Used with permission from the Stars and Stripes (1944, awarded the Silver Star for heroism. 2011 Stars and Stripes.) These are just a few examples of valor and loyalty shown The letter was written on October 21, 1944. That evening, by Jews in the Military. There are many more stories, some along with two other nurses, Frances Slanger was killed by a of them closer to home. A few years ago, the Nebraska German shell as she huddled in the tent with her colleagues Jewish Historical Society presented a pictorial exhibit at the during an enemy raid lasting approximately 45 minutes. Jewish Community Center, of local Jewish veterans and war At the end of the war, she was buried in a military ceme- heroes. Many of you may remember viewing their pictures, tery in France, among the fighting men she served. She was reading about them and their contributions, and experienclater moved to a Jewish cemetery in the United States, near ing a variety of emotions. For many who had lost their loved Boston, where her family lived. ones to war, it was a mixture of pride and sadness. Jewish women veterans in that area formed an all-female Though many years have gone by, and many wars have chapter of Jewish War Veterans of the USA, naming it the been fought by this nation, the brave men and women of all “Frances Slanger Memorial Post” in honor and in memory faiths, who daily risk their lives to keep our country safe and of this courageous nurse lieutenant. preserve our freedoms, deserve a special place in our hearts. Perhaps more familiar to most people, particularly to (Barney Ross Greatest Battles Chapter 68, updated January baseball fans, was another Jewish war hero: Hank 25, 2011; Joel G. Ackerman Soviet Jewry collection; P-787; Greenberg, who played with the Detroit Tigers and the folder number 258; American Jewish Historical Society, Pittsburg Pirates. He was the highest paid player in the Newton Centre, MA and New York, NY. Used with permismajor leagues, and was drafted into the Army in 1941. sion from AJHS).
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