pagesofhistory Beyond Duty
Servicemembers gather at Fort McPherson, Ga., to pay tribute to a warrior from America’s greatest generation who helped a dozen fellow servicemembers flee from gunfire to safe ground.
S
eymour S. Lavine, a 98-year- old World War II veteran, re- ceived the Bronze Star Dec. 16,
2010, more than 65 years after his heroic actions saved the lives of his fellow sol- diers while serving in the South Pacific. Army Gen. James D. Thurman, com- mander of the U.S. Army Forces Com- mand, presented the medal to Lavine during a ceremony held at Fort McPher- son, Ga., in front of several of Lavine’s family members and friends. “This medal is in recognition of the contribution of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary soldier because he chose to serve his nation and his fel- low citizens,” Thurman said. “And he did this during the most dangerous period of the 20th century.” Lavine served as a sergeant with the
Army’s 37th Infantry Division on the island of Luzon in the Philippines Jan. 9, 1945, when his unit was ambushed. Lavine grabbed an automatic rifle from the soldier behind him and yelled for the rest of his soldiers to run away. Lavine fired back at the attackers, which al- lowed a dozen American soldiers to re- treat to safety. Not long after the Japanese bombed
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941 — also Lavine’s 29th birthday — he quit his job selling clothing to department stores to join the Army. Lavine enlisted at Fort McPherson in 1942. According to Lavine, he had no choice but to fight.
PHOTO: PAUL D. PRINCE/U.S. ARMY “I knew what was happening in Eu-
rope,” Lavine said, referring to the Holo- caust. “And I was Jewish.”
V
Veteran Screaming Eagles Help Injured Warriors eterans of the 101st Airborne Division are supporting today’s
Screaming Eagles. The 101st Airborne Division Association has formed teams to visit divi- sion soldiers being treated at major military hospitals. “Saying thank you isn’t
enough,” says retired Army Col. Bob Seitz, who served with the 506th Infantry Regiment in Vietnam. “We let these young soldiers and their families know ... we genuinely care about their recovery.” Visitation team members
visit wounded warriors in the hospital as soon as possible and deliver bags full of unit memorabilia and incidentals to make hospital stays more comfortable. They stop in regularly to check on the soldiers’ progress. They also offer financial assistance, including buying plane tickets for family members who want to visit wounded soldiers. The recuperating soldiers get to hear the
stories of former 101st soldiers, learn about the division’s legacy, and are reminded the division takes care of its own.
MO MARCH 2011 MILITARY OFFICER 97
For his actions in World War II, Seymour Lavine, right, finally re- ceives a Bronze Star in 2010 from Army Gen. James D. Thurman.
History Lesson On March 14, 1947, Phil- ippine military and naval bases were leased to the U.S. for 99 years. In 1991, the U.S. evacuated its bases, saying a U.S. pres- ence no longer was needed.
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