John L. Levitow (1945 - 2000)

Born 1 Nov 1945 in Hartford, Connecticut

Husband of Rebecca (Corbeil) Levitow — married about 1969 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Died 8 Nov 2000 at age 55 in Hartford, Connecticut

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A1C John Levitow was Wounded in Action during Vietnam War.

John Levitow was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Biography

John Levitow Awarded Medal of Honor

A1C JOHN L. LEVITOW

John L. Levitow

On Feb. 24. 1969, Airman Levitow flew on a combat air patrol over South Vietnam as the loadmaster of an AC-47 Dragon Ship. The gunship was patrolling in the vicinity of Tan Son Nhut, when the Army Post at nearby Long Sinh came under mortar attack. The aircraft was diverted to aid in the defense of the post.

Firing its miniguns at the enemy, the gunship knocked out two mortar positions, but further firings were observed a few kilometers away. As the AC-47 flew in that direction, a mortar shell fell on the top of its right wing. A brilliant explosion shook the aircraft violently and the fuselage was riddled by thousands of shell fragments.

Airman Levitow and another crew member were standing near the open cargo door at that moment, dropping parachute illumination flares. The explosion knocked both of them to the floor, and a flare that they were handling was tossed inside the cargo compartment. Spewing toxic smoke, the activated magnesium flare was due to separate explosively from its canister and ignite within seconds.

Although stunned and wounded by shrapnel, Airman Levitow moved foward in the compartment and flung himself on the flare to keep it from rolling. He then dragged himself and the flare back toward the cargo door and tossed it out. The flare ignited just as it cleared the aircraft.

"After being treated for his injuries, Airman Levitow flew an additional 20 combat missions. He was discharged from the Air Force in August 1969 as a sergeant and received the Medal of Honor from President Richard M. Nixon at the White House on May 14, 1970. The citation stated that he saved the aircraft and its entire crew from certain death and destruction.

John Lee Levitow, a native of Hartford, worked for federal and state veterans' agencies for more than two decades after leaving the Air Force. He was the legislative liaison and director of planning for the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs at the time of his death.

He is survived by a son, John Jr., of Charlotte, N.C.; a daughter, Corrie Wilson, of Cromwell, Conn.; his mother, Marion Levitow, of South Windsor, Conn.; a sister, Mary-Lee Constatino, of East Hartford, Conn., and a grandson." ^[1]

John L Levitow ^[2]

United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 Deceased Name: John L Levitow Event Type: Obituary Event Date: 30 Nov 2000 Event Place: Florida, United States Gender: Male Age: 55 Birth Year (Estimated): 1945 Death Date: 08 Nov 2000 Death Place: Rocky Hill, Connecticut Newspaper: St. Petersburg Times

Airman Levitow was awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless heroism that saved his fellow crew members and the gunship. The presentation was made by President Richard M. Nixon at the White House May 14, 1970. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

Sources

1. ↑ John Lee Levitow
2. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index."
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Levitow
4. ↑ http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jllevitow.htm
5. ↑ http://www.courant.com/courant-250/moments-in-history/hc-250-john-levitow-glastonbury-20140430-story.html
6. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKTW-R8PV
7. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19246
8. ↑ http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jllevitow.htm
9. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/24/nyregion/john-levitow-55-airman-honored-for-bravery-dies.html

• John Levitow.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [1]

• John Levitow's Legacy Will Live Forever

By Senior Airman Oshawn Jefferson, USAF Air Force Print News. [2]

• John Lee Levitow: Awarded Medal Of Honor For Heroism During Vietnam War.

PETER MARTEKA The Hartford Courant. [3]

• "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014." Database with images. FamilySearch.

(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK22-SZN5) : 30 May 2020. From "Recent Newspaper Obituaries (1977 - 2014)." Images and database. GenealogyBank.com. http://www.genealogybank.com : 2017. Citing various newspapers. Born-digital text.

• John L. Levitow.

BIRTH 1 Nov 1945 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA DEATH 8 Nov 2000 (aged 55) Rocky Hill, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA. [4]

• LEVITOW, John Lee

ROCKY HILL AND SOUTH GLASTONBURY John Lee Levitow, 55, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, formerly of South Glastonbury, of West St., Rocky Hill, died at his home, Wednesday, (November 8, 2000) after a battle with cancer. Born in Hartford, son of Marion and the late Lee Levitow, he lived in the area all of his life. He was a U.S. Air Force Veteran and received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery, presented by President Richard Nixon. [5]

• The New York Times.

John Levitow, 55, Airman Honored for Bravery, Dies By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN, NOV. 24, 2000 John L. Levitow, the only Air Force enlisted man to be awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War, died Nov. 8 at his home in Rocky Hill, Conn. He was 55. [6]

• "United States Social Security Death Index." Database. FamilySearch. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JBL8-9M3) : 14 May 2020. Citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• John Lee Levitow

• Collier, Peter and Nick Del Calzo. ”Saving Spooky 71.” Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty. Artisan: New York. 2003, 2006. P156-157.