American Jewish Veterans Who Fought For the USA Remembered on Veteran's Day

Nadene Goldfoot                                             

Today is Veterans Day – November 11, 2022. U.S. Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11, it is a tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, secured American independence from Great Britain. 

We have had 13 major wars:  American Revolution, War of 1812, Indian Wars, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War,  and Desert Shield.  We had to fight from 1775 and only ended for now in 1991.  Living War Veterans add up to 14,918,000.   Living Veterans (Periods of War & Peace) add up to 19,210,000.   

Not to be confused with Memorial Day, that honors those who died while in service.   Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still with us.  

Of an estimated population of 3,000 Jews, 160 Jews served on the Colonial side in the conflict, including Francis Salvador (1747-1776), the first Jew known to die for the cause of American independence. He was the son of the English financier and philanthropist, Joseph Salvador or Joseph Jessurun Rodrigues (1700-1786).  He emigrated from England in 1773, served in South Carolina's colonial legislature, and was scalped by Indians.  Grenadier Island. 

Captain Mordecai Myers,  a Jewish soldier born in 1776 in Rhode Island of the battle of 1812, distinguished himself.  His father was Hungarian and mother was Austrian.  Myers had moved to Virginia and was a merchant.  He joined the army and served with Chief Justice Marshall. Captain Mordecai Myers was very active in saving lives and property during this boisterous weather. It was resolved to send back to Sacketts Harbor all who could not endure active service in the campaign. Nearly two hundred of these were put on board two schooners with hospital stores. 

The vessels were wrecked and Captain Myers at his own solicitation was sent by General Boyd with two large boats for the rescue of the passengers and crew. He found the schooners lying on their sides, the sails flapping and the sea breaking over them. Many had perished and the most of those alive, having drank freely of the liquors among the hospital stores, were nearly all intoxicated. The hatches were open and the vessels were half filled with water. By great exertion and personal risk, Captain Myers succeeded in taking to the shore nearly all of the two hundred persons.  

Service. From September 1, 1939 to September 2, 1945-during World War II, 550,000 Jewish men and women served in the US Armed Forces. Serving in all branches of the military, some were born in the United States while others had immigrated prior to the war. WWII  involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers.

Two Jewish refugees to the United States, living in Brooklyn (Frederick Mayer, 23, and Hans Wijnberg, 22) enlisted in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the postwar CIA, and parachuted deep behind German lines into the Austrian province of Tyrol in February 1945. 

       Union Army Brevet Major General Frederick Salomon 

1. Brigadier General Frederick Salomon enlisted in the Union Army in 1861. He was commissioned as a captain in the 5th Missouri Volunteers. He was appointed as a colonel in the 9th Wisconsin Infantry. In June 1862 he was promoted to brigadier general and was assigned to command a brigade. He made an unsuccessful attempt to capture Newtonia, Missouri. His unit battled the Confederate Army to defend Helena and Jenkins Ferry. He served to the end of the war and he received the brevet of major general in March 1865.
   
   Maurice Rose: Major General Maurice Rose (1899–1945) was a United States Army general during World War II and World War I veteran. The son and grandson of rabbis, General Rose was at the time the highest ranking Jew in the U.S. Army.  Maurice Rose (November 26, 1899 – March 30, 1945) was a career officer in the United States Army who attained the rank of major general. A veteran of World War I and World War II, Rose was commanding the 3rd Armored Division when he was killed in action in Germany during the closing days of the war.

   The son and grandson of rabbis from Poland, Rose was at the time the highest-ranking Jewish person in the U.S. Army, though he was not especially religious, did not publicize his faith, and claimed in his Army records to be Protestant. He was also the highest-ranking American killed by enemy fire during World War II in the European Theater of Operations. Rose was married twice and had two sons.

   The 3rd Armored Division's official history of World War II memorialized Rose by stating "He was over six feet tall, erect, dark haired, and had finely chiseled features. He was firm and prompt of decision, brooking no interference by man, events or conditions in order to destroy the enemy."

2.     We had a Portland, Oregon rabbi-a Rabbi Emanuel Rose who may have been a relative.  Rabbi Emanuel Rose, a powerful voice for social justice who led Oregon’s largest synagogue(Temple) for nearly a half-century, died peacefully on Feb. 7, surrounded by family. He was 88.

   The Third Armored Division official history of World War II, published after Rose had been killed in action states "He was over six feet tall, erect, dark haired, and had finely chiseled features. He was firm and prompt of decision, brooking no interference by man, events or conditions in order to destroy the enemy."

   Rose was the highest-ranking American killed by enemy fire in the European Theater of Operations during the war.

Since the Revolutionary War of 1776 ended, 646,596 American troops have died in battle and more than 539,000 died from other, non-combat related causes. Over the years, a lot of veterans have described the reasons they volunteered to serve. Many admitted that they were afraid of dying in combat.

Another relative, Max "Motle"Jermulowsky (1921-1987) on my paternal grandmother's side.  He was son of Louie Jermulowske, my grandmother's brother who looked a lot like my father.    

               Nate and Don having a good time as seniors   My 2 male cousins  both served; Don and Nathan.  Nathan (1934-2020) was sent to Boussac, France, serving in 1958.  Don  was in the Army Reserve 4 yrs/Active 2 yrs and stationed at Ft. Ord. He made 1st sergeant and  laisoned with the air force's low flying aircraft.  

                     

 Danny (1938-2009), my husband from Brooklyn, NY and Miami, Fla  below when we lived in eastern Oregon getting ready to leave for Israel. He had served 4 years in the air force before we met.   below.                                                       

We Jews make up only 2% of the USA's population, but we had soldiers in the armed services.  

Resource:

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia

https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/fs_americas_wars.pdf

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/43059307.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Jewish_Americans#:~:text=Revolutionary%20War,-Main%20article%3A%20Jewish&text=Of%20an%20estimated%20population%20of,the%20cause%20of%20American%20independence.