Jewish War Veterans May and June Meetings

Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., Major General Maurice Rose Post 51, will meet on Sunday, May 21, 9:30 a.m., in New London. All veterans, whether they served in war or peace time, are invited. The location is Ahavath Cheseb Synagogue, 560 Montague Avenue. 

After a 9:00 a.m. Minyan Service, we will have at 9:30 a.m. a Kosher brunch – whitefish salad, bagels and cream cheese, and coffee. Following the brunch, the members will plan upcoming programs, including the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War in Israel in June 1967.

The next meeting will be on Sunday, June 11, 10:00 a.m., at the 83rd Annual Convention of JWV Department of Connecticut. It will be held at the home of Past Commander Norman Hanenbaum, 71 Little Meadow Road, in Haddam. The cost is $20.00 per person. RSVP by May 31 to Joanne and Jerry Blum, (860) 869-2981. For directions, call Norman at (860) 740-4991.

Jewish War Veterans (JWV) is the voice of the Jewish serviceperson. Formed in New York in 1896 after the Civil War, the group was known as the Hebrew Union Veterans Association. The union fought anti-Semitism in the Armed Forces and the general public. Seeking to prove that Jews do proudly serve and fight in the U.S. Armed Forces, the union evolved with each war, eventually taking the name JWV. With over 120 years of service, JWV is the oldest, continuously operating Veterans Service Organization in the country.

JWV Post 51 is named after Major General Maurice Rose, Commander of the 3rd Armored Division in World War II.  A native of Middletown, he was the highest-ranking Jew to serve in the U.S. military. He was shot by a German tank gunner five weeks before the end of the war, becoming the highest-ranking American killed by enemy fire in the European Theater of Operations. He was buried beside the men he commanded. 

Rose was the son of a rabbi who had immigrated to the America in 1893. His military career began when he enlisted in the Army in 1917, and fought in France, where he received the Purple Heart. Afterward, he continued in the Army, gaining experience in armored warfare. 

During World War II, Rose was with the 1st Armored Division and later Chief of Staff of the 2nd Armored Division. In August 1944, he was assigned command of the 3rd Armored Division and promoted to Major General. Under his command, the “Spearhead Division” drove over 100 miles in a single day, a record march for modern warfare, and played a key role in several campaigns. He was a much-decorated hero, eventually receiving the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military decoration for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. In 2002, Middletown erected a plaque at his birthplace. Two years later, Post 51 was formed and named in his honor. 

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