Hall of Heroes:American Jewish Recipients of The Medal of Honor

LIEUTENANT (J-G) LEONARD G. MUSKIN

Navy Cross

Lieutenant Muskin was a Naval Reservist from Omaha, NE, who served in World War II as the pilot of a carrier-based torpedo bomber. He is the recipient of the Navy Cross and a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross, for courage, skill and determination in combat against the Japanese. Lieutenant Muskin was also decorated with the Aid Medal and two Clusters.

He earned his first Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in operations against major enemy fleet forces in the vicinity of the Central Philippine Islands. "In the face of extremely intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from all ships," the citation says, "he pressed home his attack through the screen and scored a hit from close range on a very large enemy battleship."

The day following the action, for which he was cited, Lieutenant Muskin engaged once more in air combat. Again defying a murderous curtain of flak and "skillfully piloting his plane" through it, he made a glide bombing attack on a Japanese battleship and this made a direct hit, "causing certain damage. "In addition to these instances of meritorious combat service, Lieutenant Muskin is credited with destroying two other enemy vessels.

MAJOR ROBERT M NEIMAN

Navy Cross

Major Robert M. Neiman, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, received the Navy Cross for action in the Pacific. His citation reads:

"For extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of a Marine tank company during the attack on Japanese held island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands during the period of June 15 to July 9, 1944. On June 19, 1944, while leading his company in attack against prepared fortifications and gun positions, his command tank was disabled by a large caliber gun. Major Neiman evacuated the immobilized vehicle and was continuing to lead the attack from a second tank when it was rendered inoperative by a land mine. Under heavy machine gun and mortar fire, he evacuated the vehicle and resumed command in third tank, organized his command and penetrated the well-entrenched hostile positions destroying several machine gun and mortar positions and inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. His inspiring leadership and fearless conduct in battle was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service."

MAJOR ARTHUR L. POST

Distinguished Service Cross

Engaged in photographic reconnaissance work, Major Post displayed extraordinary heroism in action near Rabaul, New Britain. On one mission he voluntarily flew unarmed and unescorted over Rabaul, evading attacks by a flock of Japanese planes and completing the run, during which he sighted and photographed an enemy convoy. When the Japanese had shot out both his engines, he bailed out, landing severely burned, with an injured leg, near an enemy base. Natives helped him to elude Jap patrols. When he returned to his base 100 days later, he had assembled intelligence information that later proved invaluable. In addition to the Distinguished Service Cross, Major Post received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart and Four Unit Citations.

PFC. SIDNEY RAPPAPORT

Distinguished Service Cross

For extraordinary heroism during World War II in wiping out five German machine gun nests in Tunisia.

BRIGADIER GENERAL MAURICE ROSE

Distinguished Service Cross

The son of a rabbi from Middletown, Connecticut, Brigadier General Rose joined the Army in World War I as a private. A career officer, during World War II, General Rose served with the three Armored Divisions; in Africa and Italy with the 1st "Ironsides" and the 2nd: finally beginning in August 1944, throughout the climactic western European campaigns at the head of his own 3d Armored Division, the organization he claimed to be the greatest tank force in the world, bearing the name "Spearhead." On March 31, 1945, MG Rose and the 3d Armored Division made the longest ground gain of any U.S. military unit in the war. MG Rose was at the head of the column in his jeep leading the 3d Armored Division in attacking a German tank training center outside Paderborn, Germany.

Turning a corner, his driver ran into the rear of a German Tiger Tank. The German tank commander, about 18 years old, opened his turret hatch and leveled his sub machinegun at MG Rose, yelling to him to surrender. Rose, his driver, and his aide got out of the jeep and put their hands in the air. For some reason, the tank commander became extremely agitated, and kept pointing to MG Rose and hollering at him while gesturing toward Rose's pistol. Rose lowered his right hand to release his web belt and thus drop his holster to the ground. Apparently, the German tank commander thought he was drawing his pistol. In a screaming rage, the German fired his weapon. MG Rose was hit in the head and was killed instantly. Later it was rumored in the U.S. Army that the German knew Rose was Jewish, but that almost certainly was not true. The driver and the aide managed to flee and lived to tell the story.

Maurice Rose was the first and only division commander killed in ETO. The North American Newspaper Alliance wrote of his death: "in Maurice Rose's death this Army has suffered its greatest single loss - great as the loss of Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War. He was a perfect example of the American soldier at its best." The Chicago Daily news added "He had the reputation of a remarkable leader of men.

German prisoners talked of him as the only successor of the status of Rommel." Among his medals are the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Legion of Merit with an Oak Leaf Cluster, The Bronze Star Medal with an Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster, French Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre with palm and the Belgian Croix de Guerre with palm.

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