Page Six

THE JEWISH NEWS

Truman's Citation Hails
Detroit Jewish War Hero

Harry H. Meisner Released
To Inactive Duty as Lt. (S. G.)
Lt. Harry H. Meisner, Detroit
attorney, former professor of
corporation finance and taxation
at the University of Detroit, has
been released to inactive duty
with the permanent rank of Sen-
ior Grade Lieutenant. He, was
in active duty for three years
with the District Staff Headquar-
ters, 12th Naval District, San
Francisco.

.

father of Lt. Zussman Receives Congressional Medal of

Honor Awarded Posthumously to Son Who Led Tank
Assault on Foot to Take French Town

(By Jewish News Staff Correspondent)

FORT KNOX, Ky.—At graduation exercises of the Ar-
mored Officers: Candidate School here last Saturday morn-
ing, the nation's highest tribute was paid to one of the great part in the invasion of Southern
heroes of the war.
France in August, 1944. He was
Receiving the posthumous award of the Congressional killed Sept. 21, 1944.
Attends Presentation
Medal of Honor, given to his son, Second Lt. Raymond Zuss-

.

man, Nathan Zussman, 7.6, of •
2918 Sturtevant Ave., Detroit, started toward town, with our
again heard the story of the hero- tank following. After moving a
ism of his boy—the tank platoon few yards we were fired on by
commander who led a lightning an enemy machine gun, and small
thrust which resulted in the cap- arms fire from a position about
ture of a French town, the death 75 yards to our right front.
of 18 German soldiers and the
Stands Fully Exposed
taking of 92 prisoners—all within
"The fire he had to run through
an hour.
to get back to the tank was in-
One of the men who served un- tense and bullets were kicking
der Lt. Zussman described the up dirt all around him. How-
Jewish hero's exploits as being ever, he made it and standing
"comparable to any Wild West fully exposed again directed our
movie thriller" as he told how fire. In a minute or two they
Lt. Zussman enabled an inf an- had had enough and 20 prisoners
try battalion to complete the cap- surrendered. He had the Infan-
ture of Noroy le Bourg, France, trymen collect these prisoners
with a minimum of losses, on and then went ahead alone to
Sept. 12, 1944. The hero was investigate some houses about
killed nine days after that great 50 yards in front of us.
fight which brought him the na-
"Lt. Zussman ran toward the
tion's highest award.
houses, spraying tommygun lead
President's Citation
in all directions as he ran, and
Maj. Gen. Charles L. Scott, being answered by a variety of
commanding general of the Ar- small arms fire. He reached the
mored Center at Fort Knox, pre- first house and was rounding the
sented the Medal of Honor to Mr. far corner of it when several
Zussman, together with the fol- hand grenades were thrown in
lowing citation from President his direction, and he ran back and
Truman:
signalled us forward. When we
"The President of the United reached the house, Lt. Zussman
States takes pride in awarding directed our fire through a back
the Medal of Honor posthumous- door and also had us give a small
ly to Second Lieutenant Ray- shed a going over, with the re-
mond Zussman, Cavalry, U. S. sult that we had 11 more pris-
Army, for service as 'set forth in oners."
the. following Citation:"
Captures 15 More
"On 12 Sept. 1944, Lt. ZuSs- Proceeding again in advance of
man was in command of two his men, Lt. Zussman captured
tanks operating with an infantry 15 more Germans in a nearby
company in the attack on enemy house. Twenty more of the en-
forces occupying the town of emy were running toward the
Noroy le .Bourg, France. At 1900 side door of a house across the
hours his command tank bogged street and fire from the tank
down. Throughout the ensuing killed three and wounded sever-
action, armed only with a car- al.
Reaching the center of Noroy
bine, he reconnoitered alone on
foot far in advance of, his re- le Bourg, Lt. Zussman and his
maining tank and the infantry, men noticed an innocent-looking
returning only from time to time horse and wagon start across an
to designate targets, direct the intersection. They all fired on
action of the tank and turn over the wagon, and ten more enemy
to the infantry the numerous dead were accounted for. Pri-
German soldiers he caused to vate Calvin E. Eaton of Ames-
surrender.
bury, Massachusetts, a member
"He located a road block and of the group, stated that the
directed his tank to destroy it. lieutenant used up 600 rounds of
Fully. exposed to fire from an tommygun ammunition during
enemy position only 50 yards dis- his recurring encounters.
tant he stood by his tank direct-
Investigates Alone
ing its fire. Three Germans
"Lt. Zussman felt the enemy
were killed -and eight surrender- might have this intersection
ed.
zeroed in for antitank fire," Cpl.
Defies Enemy Fire
Coller relates," so he had us
"Again he walked before his stop a few yards from it while
tank leading it against an enemy he went on alone to investigate.
held group of houses, machine He was out of sight around the
. gun and small arms fire kick- corner, but we heard him shoot-
ing up the dust at his feet. The ing his tommygun and yelling,
tank fire broke the resistance and "Hande hoch!", and in about 10
20 enemy soldiers surrendered. minutes he stepped back where
"Going forward again alone he we could see him, while prison-
rushed an enemy occupied house ers started filing around the cor-
from which the Germans fired ner. He went on farther and
on him and threw grenades in spotted a truck parked in an
his path. After a brief fire fight open lot to our left. It was rath-
he signaled his tank to come up er dark and in a few seconds Lt.
and fire on the house. Eleveh Zussman returned with one more
German soldiers were killed and prisoner. He said the prisoner
15 surrendered.
had thrown a hand grenade at
"Going on alone he disappear- him.
ed around a street corner, the fire
"Throughout this entire action
of his carbine could be heard Lieutenant Zussman displayed,
and in a few minutes he reap- daring courage and spirit com-
peared driving thirty prisoners parable to any Wild West movie
before him. Under Lieutenant thriller. He was always out in
Zussman's heroic r and inspiring one thrilling encounter after an-
leadership eighteen enemy sol- other—regardless of enemy fire
diers were killed and ninety two —as he made his way on lead-
captured."
ing us to and through the town."
(Sizzled)
Born in Hamtramck
HARRY S. TRUMAN
Lt. Zussman was born in Ham-
Cpl. Theodore Coller of RFD 1, tramck on July 23, 1917. He was
Glenwood Springs, Colo., one of graduated from Central High
the men with Lt. Zussman, des- School in Detroit, and attended
cribes the fighting as follows:
Wayne University and the De-
"The lieutenant then pointed troit Institute of Technology.
but a German jeep sitting at the
He entered the Army on Sep-
intersection from which we were tember 24, 1941, and received his
receiving small arms fire, and di- basic training at Fort Sill, Okla.
rected our fire on it. Results He was given additional training
were good again, three more be- at Camp Bowie, Texas, and then
ing killed and seven or eight entered the Armored Officer
enemy in and about the jeep Candidate School at Fort Knox,
surrendered.
where he received his commis-
"Being out of carbine ammun- sion as a second lieutenant.
ition, Lt. Zussman obtained a
In June, 1943, Lt. Zussman left
tommygun and a supply of am- this country for overseas service.
munition from our tank. He He saw action in Italy and took

Attending the presentation of
the Medal , of Honor ceremony at
Fort Knox was Louisville Post
No. 179, Jewish War Veterans,
Louis Brownstein, commander of
the Louisville post, was seated
on the stage during the cere-
mony with high ranking military
officers.
Four sisters and two brothers—
Mrs. Albert Luby, Miss Betty
Zussman, Mrs. J. N. Wolsson,
Miss Bernice Zussman, David
Zussman and Henry Zussman-
and two cousins—Lt. Robert
Luby, Sedalia Army Air Base,
Warrensburg, Mo., and Miss Viv-
ian Tragor of Detroit, fiancee of
Lt. Zussman—attended the pre-
sentation ceremony on Saturday
morning as well as the banquet
that was arranged in their honor
by the Louisville Post of Jewish
War Veterans, on Sunday, at the
Kentucky Hotel, in Louisville.
Maj. Gen. Scott was one of the
speakers.
The Zussman family and the
visiting guests were also honored
at a Jewish Welfare Board break-
fast in Louisville on Sunday
morning.
Samuel Kurzon, director of the
Jewish Welfare Board in Detroit,
accompanied the family to Fort
Knox and attended the medal
presentation ceremonies, which
were broadcast over the Ken-
tucky radio stations.
A brother of Lt. Zussman, Abe
Zussman, a veteran of the last
war, who died a few weeks ago,
was a former president of Rosen-
wald. Post of the American Le-
gion and was active in the Jew-
ish War Veterans.

The Zussman family will be
feted on Sunday, on the oc-
casion of the annual conven-
tion of the Michigan State En-
campment of the Jewish War
Veterans, at JWV headquar-
ters, 8212 Twelfth St. Brunch
will be served at 1 p. m. and
dinner at 6:30. Harry Schaef-
fer, state commander, will be
host to the Zussman family,
and announcement will be
made regarding the formation
of the Zussman Post JWV in
tribute to the late Lt. Zuss-
man.

Friday, June 15, 1945

Zussman's Father Reveals Pride
Before New Class of Officers

The response of Nathan Zussman, father of the late Lt.
Raymond Zussman to the posthumous presentation of the Con-
gressional Medal of Honor in tribute to his son, was read to
the assembly at Fort Knox on Saturday morning by Lt. M. H.
Manchester, public relations director. The text of the father's
response follows:
"GENERAL SCOTT, GENERAL ROBINETT and Graduates
of class 75.
"It is indeed with great pride that I appear before this grad-
uating class, for several years ago I, too, had a son who was
commissioned in this same training center and I looked to him
with great pride just as your parents are looking to you for
your accomplishment. A pride to think that you have a son duly
qualiifed to take hiss just place with our armed forces for a
country which they are so devoted to for the protection of the
rights which our people stand for.
`While I have come here wtih.great pride I still come with
a heavy heart, having given a son for the freedom which I
sought, years ago having left a country where the people were
oppressed by the yokes of oppression and prejudice and sought
freedom and liberty which I have enjoyed in this country for
the past 45 years.
During the 45 years that I have enjoyed the freedom and
liberty of this country it has made me indeed happy, grateful
and proud to think that I have been able to give a son to this
great cause and that he, my son, with his indomitable courage
and with the thought ever in his mind of my leaving a country
of oppression to seek the freedom of this country, fought to pre-
serve them and was awarded the highest honors that could be
bestowed by this, OUR COUNTRY, for his bravery in action.
My son, Ray, died just as he has always lived, fighting for
what he felt was right and just."

Cpl. Gersten Given
An AMG Assignment

Maj. Plitt Wanted
To Capture Hitler

Cpl. Charles A. (Chuck) Gers-
ten advises his parents, Mr. and
Maj. . Henry Plitt of 4 7 6 1
Mrs. Leon A. Gersten of 6465 Broadway, New York City, want-
Trumbull, that he has been as- ed to capture - Hitler but had to
:: signed to duty be satisfied with the next best
with the U. S.
A r my Military
.:Government and
is now stationed
in Beckum, Ger-
many. Cpl. Ger-
sten is a former
AZA - member, a
graduate of
............. High, and
Cpl. Gersten t h e University
of South Dakota at Brookings,
where he was trained for . the
Army Administration in 1943.
He has seen service with the
U. .S. 8th Air Corps Intelligen'te
Division in England, France, Bel-
gium and Holland since 1944 and
subsequently trained for combat
duty with the U. S. 9th Army:

Lt. L. Paul Promoted
To First Lieutenant

Lt. Larry Paul, a fighter pilot
who has completed 67 missions
over Germany and who now is
station in that country, has re-
cently been promoted to the rank
of first lieutenant. He wears the
Air Medal and the five Oak Leaf
Clusters.
Lt. Paul received his wings in.
March, 1944, and has been over-
seas since December.
His wife, the former Phyllis

MAJ. HENRY PLITT

thing when he caught Julius
Streicher, notorious anti-Semite.
In addition to this feat, Major
Plitt's deeds have been recog-
nized by eight awards, the Sil-
ver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster,
two Presidential Citations and
the Purple with three Oak Leaf
Clusters.

Rosenberg, and his infant son,
Michael David, reside at 18911
Northlawn Ave.

AN EXPOSE

of Nazism at Home and Abroad

The Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit

Invites You to Her a Significant Address by

Malcolm W. Bingay

Editorial Director, The Detroit Free Press

Monday , June

Ballroom

of

18 at 8 P.M.

Hotel Statler

on the subject

)1

hat I Saw in Germany"

at the Report tvieeting of The Civic - Protective Campaign

Admission Free—All Are Invited