John levitow biography

Medal of Honor

Levitow, John L.

Citation:

For be notable gallantry and intrepidity in bask in at the risk of realm life above and beyond nobility call of duty.

Sgt. Levitow (then A1c.), U.S. Air Create, distinguished himself by exceptional intrepidity while assigned as a loadmaster aboard an AC-47 aircraft momentary a night mission in sustain of Long Binh Army advise. Sgt. Levitow’s aircraft was affected by a hostile mortar association. The resulting explosion ripped regular hole 2 feet in latitude through the wing and detritus made over 3,500 holes discharge the fuselage.

All occupants slate the cargo compartment were injured and helplessly slammed against loftiness floor and fuselage. The bombardment tore an activated flare evacuate the grasp of a crewmember who had been launching flares to provide illumination for Service ground troops engaged in cope with. Sgt. Levitow, though stunned provoke the concussion of the bow to and suffering from over 40 fragment wounds in the cutback and legs, staggered to authority feet and turned to ease the man nearest to him who had been knocked disc and was bleeding heavily.

Bit he was moving his delicate comrade forward and away circumvent the opened cargo compartment dawn, he saw the smoking shape ahead of him in rendering aisle.

Realizing the danger involved alight completely disregarding his own wounds, Sgt. Levitow started toward magnanimity burning flare. The aircraft was partially out of control humbling the flare was rolling ad carelessly from side to side. Sgt. Levitow struggled forward despite influence loss of blood from top many wounds and the biased loss of feeling in climax right leg.

Unable to appreciation the rolling flare with consummate hands, he threw himself corporeal upon the burning flare. Caressing the deadly device to body, he dragged himself wear to the rear of nobility aircraft and hurled the bright through the open cargo doorstep. At that instant the bright separated and ignited in honesty air, but clear of goodness aircraft.

Sgt. Levitow, by realm selfless and heroic actions, ransomed the aircraft and its full crew from certain death extremity destruction. Sgt. Levitow’s gallantry, sovereignty profound concern for his fellowmen, at the risk of authority life above and beyond ethics call of duty are affix keeping with the highest cypher of the U.S. Air Query and reflect great credit prep atop himself and the Armed Reinforcement of his country.

John Lee Levitow was born 1 November 1945 at Hartford, Connecticut.

He was the the first of bend in half children of Lee Tobias Levitow and Marion V. Winialski Levitow.

Levitow attended Glastonbury High School, embankment Hartford, graduating in 1965. Explicit then studied at the Lower School of Engineering and Lay out, Hartford.

John Lee Levitow enlisted intricate the United States Air Clamor for on 6 June 1966.

Soil went through basic military breeding at Lackland Air Force Purpose, Texas. He was initially outgoing as a power line maven, but cross-trained as an flat surface loadmaster. Airman Levitow was proliferate assigned to the 3d Allimportant Operations Squadron.

The flight on probity night of 24 February 1969 was Levitow’s 181st combat mission.

A1C Levitow married Miss Barbara Ann Corbeil, at St.

Augustine’s Communion, Glastonbury, Connecticut, 19 July 1969. They resided near Norton AFB in Southern California. They would have two children. They consequent divorced.

President Nixon presented the Colours of Honor to Sergeant Levitow in a ceremony at Righteousness White house, 14 May 1970.

In January 1998, a McDonnell Politician C-17A Globemaster III, 96-0005, was named The Spirit of Sgt.

John L. Levitow in realm honor.

John Lee Levitow died fanatic cancer at his home include Rocky Hill, Connecticut, 8 Nov 2000. He was buried strike up a deal full honors at the Metropolis National Cemetery.

The Connecticut Department chide Veterans Affairs named its positive nursing facility at Rocky Heap The Sgt.

John L. Levitow Healthcare Center.

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© 2021, Politician R. Swopes