OZ

About the Book

"There are probably thousands of books written by Jews and about Jews.  Jewish novelists and historians are overrepresented in the world of literature.  They have written on virtually every subject in the itinerary of the knowledge of Man:  even in the field of the military.

But literature of Jews in the military are in woefully short supply.  The Holocaust is well documented.  There are dozens of books and documentaries on this subject.

But other than Holocaust literature, Jews in the armed forces of our country (and those of others) are rarely described.  One would think that professional writers, historians, or researchers might have filled this gap.  But only a few have taken on this most important task.  Jewish-Americans have defended our country since the inception of the Republic, fighting, in some cases, in respectable numbers, in all of our conflicts.  Not a few individuals have emerged as true heroes of the nation.

OZ - Chronicles of Courage (as well as my other three books) attempts to correct this slight to our recognition and represents a frail effort to set the record straight  In the book, untold stories of bravery and sacrifice are related of heroes of various conflicts, highlighting some that have been awarded our country''s decorations for heroism beyond that expected of all our fighting personnel.  They deserve recognition.  In OZ - Chronicles of Courage, I try to explain why.

The last section is devoted to our personnel now fighting (or have retirned) in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Conventional wisdom seems to convey the impression that Jews are not at all involved.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Although numbers are impossible to ascertain, it is clear that Jewish-Americans have fought - and died - in the conflict, and not a few have emerged with honor and recognition.

About the Author

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.

The author has also had the privilege of competing in the Golden Age Veteran’s Games in Oklahoma City, OK in May 2005, where he won a silver medal in Ping-Pong and a gold medal in swimming. On September 23, 2005 he was a guest at the award ceremony at the White House when President Bush presented the Medal of Honor to Tibor Rubin.