Local veterans distinguished themselves in service
ALISA SLOAN
Special Sections Editor
Despite encountering what he calls "open" anti-Semitism, Justin Friedman, Commander of the Copper State Post of Jewish War Veterans, had a successful career in the U.S. Army.
"I believe every Jew ran across anti-Jewishness to one degree or another," he insists. "It was de rigeur and very socially acceptable."
In spite of that, he says, he enlisted as a buck private in the Army during World War II and was eventually sent to Officer Candidate School and commissioned as an officer.
"This gave me more clout," Friedman recalls, "but did not stop the haters from hating, nor those telling actions that let you know just where those people stood."
Friedman served in the European Theater of Operations, specifically France and Germany, and received combat decorations for his efforts.
S. Louis Kelter, Commander of the Jewish War Veterans Department AZ/NV, also acknowledges there was obvious anti-Semitism in the military when he served. He believes that many Jewish veterans have been denied honors because of their religion.
Kelter has been working to enter fellow veteran Martin Fleischer into the Congressional Hall of Fame. Kelter's efforts are in conjunction with a neighbor of Fleischer's who learned of his heroic deeds and Fleischer's wife, Ruth.
"We want to get this pushed through (John) McCain's office," says Kelter of their efforts to pursue a Congressional Medal of Honor for Fleischer.
Kelter says he believes Fleischer was denied the medal because he is Jewish. "No ifs, ands or buts about it," he remarks. "Absolutely."
According to Fleischer's wife, Ruth, Martin Fleischer began his volunteer efforts early in life. He earned his Junior First Aid card with the American Red Cross while in high school in Brooklyn, N.Y., moved on to become a first aid instructor, and eventually became president of the instructor's association in New York.
He also found time to volunteer with other organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, who recognized Fleischer for 40 years of participation. Also, the American Red Cross recognized him for his efforts with its Military Affairs Radio Station (MARS), which connected enlisted men in the Korean War and Vietnam conflict with their loved ones in the United States via HAM radio.
Fleischer's high scores on military entrance exams put him in line for either Officer's Training School or command of a hangar, says Ruth Fleischer. Due to necessity, he received the hangar assignment.
He was stationed at Gunter Field in Alabama, a flight training school for American, British, Canadian and French pilots. There was a great deal of complicated maintenance which included reassembling planes on a semi-regular basis, explains Ruth Fleischer, and every so often a plane would crash and servicemen would be killed.
Fleischer created a solution to the problem, she says, which saved hundreds of lives in advance. Though his invention was classified, the French and British governments recently recognized him for his efforts.
Fleischer was discharged in 1944 after a violent explosion in one of the hangars. In the melee he managed to save the lives of eight black servicemen, yet Fleischer was severely burned and, ultimately, disabled by the accident.
He was given 100-percent disability, and has since been honored with the Air Force Commendation for Bravery and recognized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
However, Kelter and Ruth Fleischer feel that despite those commendations, Martin Fleischer is still owed a Medal of Honor by the U.S. military. They are hoping their detailed paperwork and Sen. McCain will help the decoration find its way to Fleischer, who is now 82 years old.
Fleischer's wife hopes he will be officially recognized sometime in June.
Veteran Philip Tener, who moved to the Valley five years ago from Cleveland, says he went into the service before the war for the pilot training program.
"My original intention was to become an airline pilot and the training allowed you to do that," he says. "That was in 1940, and I graduated from flying school in 1941."
He then did some test flying and trained other pilots before ending up in Europe flying B-26s. One of his missions was the D-Day invasion.
He says his Judaism served him well during the war.
"I have a very strong belief in God," he explains. "I still love putting on tefillin every morning and I was never afraid."
He says his encounters with anti-Semitism were few and harmless.
"I was an officer who was in charge and I used to hear it from some of the guys from Texas who said Jews aren't combat crews - they work in the clerk's office," he recalls.
Tener quickly provided a roster and showed them that 25 percent of the crews were Jewish - and not a single Jew was in the orderly room or supply.
Tener received a Distinguished Line Cross while stationed just outside of Paris in Reims, France. It was the middle of winter, he recalls, and he drove through snow in an open jeep just to shake hands with a General named Brereton and receive the medal.
These days, Tener actively volunteers in the Valley. He and his wife are ushers at the Phoenix Symphony and he teaches children to read at Frye Elementary School in Chandler. He also works with Justice Johnson of the Chandler Municipal Court, mentoring people who are on probation and helping them find ways around their difficulties.
Tener, who will be 83 on May 26, also plays tennis four times a week.
"There's plenty to do," he says. "It's hard just to sit around. When you come from a place like Cleveland, that's what you do - you help the community."
Department AZ/NV of Jewish War Veterans will hold its department convention Sunday, June 9, and Monday, June 10, at the Red Roof Inn, 502 W. Camelback Road in Phoenix. Jewish War Veterans departments from New Mexico and California will also be in attendance. Guest speakers will keynote the event, which includes swearing in of officers, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, June 9, at Beef Eaters restaurant, 300 W. Camelback Road.
Contact the writer at alisa_ sloan@jewishaz.com.
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