5
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Fr iday , September 15, 1944
"I FIGHT BECAUSE IT'S MY FIGHT" .
By RUTH KARPF
"I fight because it is an obligation, because free people must
fight to remain free, because when the freedom of one nation or
person is taken away the rights of all nations and all people are
threatened. Because—through our elected representatives—I have
the choice; to fight or not to fight . . .
"I fight because it's my fight."
—Cpl. Jack J. Zurofsky.
Corporal Zurofsky was speak-
seven million young
ing for
Americans when he wrote that.
But more specifically he was
speaking for the 400,000 Jewish
men who are fighting because this
is their fight. They fight for a
double reason: Because they are
Americans and because, while in
Europe three million Jews died
under the hangman's hands with-
out a gun,—they have guns.
In military terms 400,000 men
amount to 25 dions. The Jew-
ish boys who add up to these
25 divisions fight in the Army
and in the Navy, in the Marines,
in the Rangers, in the Para-
troopers and in the Air Corps.
They were among those who went
under at Pearl Harbor, among
those who reconquered Guam,
among those who landed in North
Africa, in Sicily and in Italy.
They were among those who
fought at Anzio, died at Cisterna
and captured Rome. They were
among those who jumped into
France on D-Day.
From the records of the Amer-
ican Armed Forces which know
of no distinction on the basis of
race or creed it is difficult to tell
the story of the Jewish men in
this war. They are an integral
part of an all American fighting
force.
Thus no over-all statistics can
be cited at this time. But there
are certain indicative figures
which, while they do not tell a
complete story, are enough to
give an idea of what the com-
plete story will be like once it
can be told.
The figures were compiled by
the National Jewish Welfare
Board's Bureau of War Records.
A Happy New Year and Best Wishes
to Detroit Jewry and to those in Service.
To Hasten
Victory
No American wants this war
to go one minute beyond the
time we can bring it to a vic-
torious end. To hasten that
victory—to save possibly the
lives of millions of our boys
on our far flung fronts—it is
imperative that every Ameri-
trying to wipe out a German
They are based on scientific sur- award for heroism.
But the real story lies not in machine gun nest with a rifle.
veys conducted by the Bureau
. . . Of Corporal Harold Mon-
in cities and sections of America figures. The real story is that:
. . . Of Paratrooper Edward ash, who was a First Scout in
that were picked at random.
Trenton, N. J., was one of Frindel, who jumped into Nor- the Rangers. The Rangers who
them. It was found that in Tren- mandy on D-Day, fought his way were in Dieppe, who knockers
ton, 22.7 per cent of the Jew- through enemy lines for seven
ish men between the ages of 20 days, became a prisoner of war, out enemy coastal installations at
Oran before the infantry came
and 45 are in service, as corn-
pared with a percentage of 20.4 was liberated at Cherbourg, in, who were first to land at
per cent for non-Jews in the fought again after that although
See FIGHT—Page 12
community. Comparing percen- wounded until he was finally shot
tages showed also that although
the Jews constitute only 6.1 per
cent of the total population of
Trenton, 8.4 per cent of Tren-
ton's men in the services are
Jewish.
In Portland, Me., where the
Jews form 3.5 per cent of the
population, the percentage of
men in the armed service is 4.8.
In Lynn, Mass., it's 7.8 with a
population percentage of 7.1.
Another interesting figure is
the one which reveals that about
25 per cent of the inductees from
a typical city, Pittsburgh, Pa.,
are serving in what is commonly
regarded as one of the most dan-
gerous branches of the service—
the Army Air Force. In the same
city only 0.7 were in such non-
combattant services as Army Ad-
ministration.
To you, friends and neighbors, whom
One figure that was determin-
able with greater ease was the
percentage of the Jewish male
we have been privileged to serve
refugee population in the U.S.
bearing arms for their adopted
country. Thirty-four is that per-
over the many years, we extend
centage.
There are also those extra fig-
ures, the above and beyond the
call of duty" figures, which are
our greetings and best wishes for
the highlights of an up-to-the
mark record.
The figure e. g. which shows
the New Year
that 37 Jewish men have re-
ceived 10 or more awards of
valor and among them hold an
aggregate of 403 such awards.
The figure which shows that
512 Jewish families in America
have given a total of 1,791 sons
to the armed forces, and that 15
of these families have 98 sons
in the service.
And the figure shows that 29
Jewish men received the Distin-
guished Service Cross, as of June,
1944, the second highest Army
New Year
reetings
•
can do his part. There is an
investment to fit every purse.
The most you can do is little
DOW
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CO.
Best Wishes
To Our Friends
enough compared with the sac-
rifice offered by our boys in
•
service. They give their lives—
you lend your money.
TAJ
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GREETINGS
DETROIT
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•
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We take pleasure in extending to our many
Jewish Friends and Patrons
Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu — A Happy New Year
BEN SMITH
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3959 McKinley
DETROIT BREWING CO.
CAdillac 1600
2536 ORLEANS ST.
GREETINGS!
IRVING ADLER
•
Adler's Cocktail Bar
& Sandwich Shop
-
Best Wishes For A Happy and Prosperous New Year!
411111•M
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WE GREET AND WISH
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BUY WAR BONDS
Hearty Greetings
15359 LIVERNOIS
ALL JEWS EVERYWHERE
A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR
•
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