Howard J. Leavitt
Little is known of Jewish participation in the history of the United States: even less of Jewish
involvement in our armed forces. To read a history of our public schools, one would never know
that Jews have been citizens, much less soldiers, of our country, from the inception of the
Republic. While token mention is made of a Haym Solomon, or a Dr. Salk, scarce attention is
paid to the important role of Jewish-Americans in the history of the United States.
Footsteps of David acquaints the reader with dozens of stories of Jewish-American heroes, their
role, service, and sacrifice in the military. Some of the participants are well known, most are
obscure, unnoticed, and unpublicized. Other than their own circle of friends and family, few
know of their heroic and unselfish service. Jewish service has been important, but unrecognized.
While our ethnic/religious groups have all made their contribution to the aggrandizement,
success, and defense of our country, the Jewish role has been ignored. Footsteps of David
corrects that oversight. It fills that void.
In Footsteps of David, one reads of dozens of Jewish GIs and heroes, participants in all of our
conflicts and wars. They come to life. We read of their service, valor, honor, and sacrifice: the
same as those of all our countrymen in defense of our country. They faced the same hardships,
deprivations, and successes. But, at times, they had to do so in the face of antipathy and
contempt, which made their task doubly difficult. That they emerged from the forge of enemy
and friendly fire is further evidence of the difficult path that many trod. Thus, the undecorated as
well as the decorated are true heroes of our nation.
Cervantes said that his honor is dearer to him than his life. The pages of Footsteps of David
exemplify the words of the great Spanish writer.
Howard J. Leavitt was born in Boston, Massachusetts, March 4, 1929. Raised in neighboring
Brookline, he graduated from Brookline High School in 1947 (majoring in baseball and
swimming), and from American University (Washington, D.C.) in 1951. In 1959, he received a
Master of Arts degree in Spanish from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico
City).
Leavitt joined the Marine Corps Reserve in his senior year of high school, was called to active
duty in 1951, volunteered for service in Korea, and served two years, including seven months in
Korea. He is the recipient of the Presidential United Citation, Navy Unit Citation, National
Defense Service Medal, Korea Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, the Republic of
Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the Marine Sharpshooter Medal.
He taught high school Spanish and French for thirty years in California. Now in retirement in
Riverside, California, he operates a small photography business and is engaged in his new passion
of writing about Jews in the military. Married to the former Beatriz Moreno for over forty years,
he and his wife have two daughters and an autistic grandson whom they have been rearing since
his birth in 1986.
Leavitt has traveled extensively, including Korea and Tunisia (courtesy of the U.S. government),
Mexico, Cuba, and Japan. He camped throughout Europe to and from a sabbatical year in Israel.
He is an active member of his local synagogue and has been commander of Post 512, Jewish War
Veterans of the United States, for several years. Working out regularly at the neighborhood
sports club, he tries, with accompanying frustration, to stay in the shape he was as a gung-ho
Marine in the early '50s.
He is a member of the Semper Fi Marine Honor Detail, which renders military honors to veterans
interred at Riverside National Cemetery, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Marine Corps Association
and the 1st Marine Division Association. He is also an associate member of the 5th Marine
Division Association.
Leavitt has served as a volunteer with the Riverside Police Department.
First Kill at Pearl Harbor
American Jews have served in the United States Marine Corps in all of our major conflicts and
during peacetime. Although just one Jewish Marine, Samuel Gross (Margulies), won the Medal
of Honor, there were others just as worthy who did not receive our country's highest decoration.
Some, such as Samuel Glucksman and Meier Rothschild performed far above and beyond the call
of duty to win the Navy Cross. Their exploits and daring-do were the equal of others who were
recipients of the Medal of Honor. Some of the most renowned Marines of yesteryear, the
legendary Lou Diamond of China and Guadalcanal fame, LeRoy Diamond, hero of Guadalcanal
and model for the film Pride of the Marines, Major-General Melvin Krulewitch, veteran of four
wars, boxing champion and hero of Guadalcanal, Barney Ross, Abe Daniels, who sank a Japanese
destroyer in the Pacific after three of his squadron mates missed the target, flying ace Harold
Segal, actor Harvey Keitel, actress Bea Arthur of Golden Girls, Lieutenant-General Robert
Magnus, and famed writers Leon Uris and Art Buchwald are Jewish-Americans. Today, Jews
continue to serve in the US Marine Corps. Their numbers are not impressive, but they serve, as
proud as ever, in all of our bases, units, and detachments.
It is interesting to note that the first Japanese plane to be brought down at Pearl Harbor
on December 7, 1941, is credited to Bud Newman, a Jewish-American Marine.
His action is described in "The Pearl Buddha, an article in a journal of ham operators by
Alex (call number WB6ZWG):
"There's no denying that Bud Newman ... KD6YUD, is 'looking good.' However,
during the early hours of December 7, 1941, twenty-one year old Marine Corporal Lawrence
Newman's face reflected confusion, anger, and fear. He was a witness to Japan's early assault on
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
"Corporal Newman was returning to base from liberty in Honolulu as the Japanese
planes were strafing everything in the area. He could see black smoke coming from the ships in
the harbor as machine gun fire from a Jap plane killed a young Marine near him. Corporal
Newman was so angered that he grabbed a 30 cal air-cooled machine gun from its tripod and
emptied the ammo belt at the plane. The pilot was waving his fist at Bud as the plane burst into
flames and exploded on impact when it crashed in Waipio Point.
"Two squadrons of single seat Japanese fighters roared over the base as low as twenty to
twenty-five feet to avoid anti-aircraft fire. They attacked everything with machine gun fire,
bombs, and torpedoes. After the attack, Corporal Newman went to the plane he had shot down. It
was badly burned but Bud was able to remove one of the three propeller blades. He later had it
inscribed with '...Here is the first Jap that did not get back. December 7, 1941, 8 am. Pearl Harbor
T. Hawaii.'
"Corporal Newman's effort to ship his trophy home to Chicago proved to be a difficult
task. After crating it, his valued trophy weighed one hundred twenty pounds (he didn't weigh
much more). When he arrived at the ship, his valuable cargo was stored three decks down in the
hold. On arriving in San Francisco, he had to haul it three decks up. At that point, Bud was
thankful for that Marine Corps good conditioning. With his cargo on the dock, he still faced the
problem of getting it to Chicago. Finally, the Salvation Army came to Bud's rescue and helped
with transportation to the railway station. From there it traveled by Railway Express to the Windy
City.
"Colonel Chester Fordney, Chicago recruiting director, posed for a picture with Corporal
Newman and his prize propeller blade at the Treasury Center in Chicago. The picture gained wide
distribution and considerable publicity for Bud and his Pearl Harbor trophy.'
Many years later, the Smithsonian Institution contacted Bud and offered to ship his war
trophy to Washington if he would donate it to the Museum. However, they denied having funds
available to provide round-trip tickets for Bud and Mrs. Newman so they could make a proper
official presentation.
"Bud's valued souvenir remains in his garage. He tells me that he would be proud to
show the propeller to anyone who is interested. As we move forward in time, Bud's famed trophy
stands as a constant reminder of that tragic morning many years ago. It will continue to stimulate
vivid memories until Bud Newman enlists in that great ham station in the sky. When Bud stands
in final judgment before that great 'Control Operation,' he will hear these words...'Bud, you're
looking good!...Over."'
Chapter 78
