R 212006Z APR 20
MARDMIN 253/20
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/2020 NATIONAL JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH//
REF/A/SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 73/16DEC05/AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY MONTH//
REF/B/HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 315/14FEB06/AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY MONTH//
REF/C/JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH/JEWISHHERITAGEMONTH.GOV//
REF/D/JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH/JAHM.US//
REF/E/NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH MILITARY HISTORY/NMAJMH.ORG//
REF/F/MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY/HISTORY DIVISION/GENERAL ROBERT MAGNUS/USMCU.EDU//
REF/G/HILLEL INTERNATIONAL/BLOG/21FEB2007/SEMPER CHAI: GENERAL ROBERT MAGNUS/WWW.HILLEL.ORG//
REF/H/ALMAR 005/19//
POC/T. M. VELAZQUEZ/CIV/MRA (MPE)/TEL: COM 703-784-9371/TEL: DSN 278/EMAIL: THERESA.VELAZQUEZ@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Each May during Jewish American Heritage Month, our Nation takes the opportunity to reflect upon the past and ongoing contributions Jewish Americans bring to the success and growth of our Nation.  The 2019 observance theme for the Marine Corps is: “Liberty, Honor, and Fidelity.”
2.  During World War II, over 500,000 Jewish Americans served in the Armed Forces in all ranks and grades.  Numerous veteran soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines of Jewish heritage returned home to the United States and became evermore involved in shaping the vibrant character of our Nation.  Marine and welterweight champion boxer Barney David Ross (1909-1967) was already well known by sports-minded Americans before his military service.  Born Dov-Ber (Beryl) Rasofsky, Barney Ross grew up the third son of a Russian orthodox family in the Maxwell Street ghetto of Chicago, Illinois where his parents ran a small grocery.  In December 1923, Itchik Rasofsky, Ross’ father, was murdered in a store robbery leaving the Rasofsky family changed forever.  Ross’ already fragile mother became severely ill, and his three younger siblings were sent to a Jewish orphanage.  Although Ross was a bright boy, he quickly became an unruly dropout, who increasingly fought against neighborhood street toughs.  Ross became determined to retrieve his siblings from the orphanage, and prize fighting became his method to achieve it.  He was chronically undernourished and weighed only 118 pounds, but Ross found his way into the local fight clubs and learned to box.  Years later, Ross reflected that the dark memory of his father’s violent and suffering death fueled his early boxing performance.  Ross focused on both his physical and mental stamina later writing, “The greatest offensive weapon is a keen mind, the ability to take command of the battle… Only a small part of a champion’s greatness lies in his ability.  Far more important is his eagerness to learn…”  Steadily moving up the ranks, Barney Ross became the first Golden Glove boxer to win a professional championship.  Ross fought professionally from 1929 to 1938 reigning as World Lightweight Champion, World Junior Welterweight Champion, and World Welterweight Champion.  In his retirement, he commented, “I became a pro for the same reason I became an amateur… my object was simply to keep going until I could put away enough money to bring the kids out of the orphanage and support them till they were old enough to support themselves.”
3.  In 1942, thirty-three-year-old Ross enlisted in the Marine Corps, attended recruit training, and deployed with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division to Guadalcanal.  Two weeks later, his patrol was attacked by the enemy.  Throughout a punishing night in November 1942, Private Ross – feverish with malaria – fought off the attackers and defended his injured fellow Marines.  Ross sustained severe injuries from this action and was later awarded the Silver Star.  Unfortunately, medical treatment for the malaria led to Ross obtaining a morphine addiction.  Honorably discharged from the Marine Corps with medical disability in 1944, Ross found himself still addicted to morphine.  So, in 1946, he submitted himself into hospital for the treatment of his addiction where he stayed for several months.  In his late forties, Ross crossed the United States leveraging his celebrity to educate the public about the realities of drug addiction and personally assisting troubled young people, military veterans, and boxers.  In 1955, Ross testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Narcotics and Addiction, and in 1957, he released his autobiography, “No Man Stands Alone,” which detailed his early life, boxing career, and addiction struggle.  His story was swiftly made into the film entitled, “Monkey on My Back,” starring Cameron Mitchell.  In mid-January 1967, Barney Ross, “The Pride of the Ghetto,” lost his fight against oral cancer and died in his home city of Chicago.
4.  General Robert Magnus (b. 1947) served thirty-nine years in the Marine Corps and was the 30th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (ACMC) from 2005 to 2008.  Born into a working class family where his mother was a seamstress and his father was a bookkeeper, Magnus grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City and later Levittown, Long Island.  He studied European and Russian history and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia in 1969.  That same year, he was commissioned a second lieutenant from ROTC and married his high school girlfriend, Rose.  Although he wanted to be an infantry officer, Magnus became a CH-46 Sea Knight transport helicopter pilot.  As a young officer, Magnus had two unforgettable experiences in 1973; he rescued a Laotian pilot from a plane crash in Thailand, and he attended a Passover service hosted by the Israeli ambassador to China.  In 1974, he separated from the Marine Corps to pursue a civilian career on Wall Street, but he soon returned to the Corps desiring to lead Marines once again.  Before becoming the ACMC, General Magnus served in a variety of operational and administrative billets to include:  Deputy Commander, Marine Forces Pacific (1999 – July 2000); Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations (July 2000 – August 2001); and Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources (August 2001 – September 2005).  Upon the date of his retirement in 2008, General Magnus was the last Marine Corps active duty officer who had served in the Vietnam War.  He continues to serve Marines and their families through organizations such as Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, and Mission Critical Veteran Relief Fund.
5.  To learn more about the Marine Corps’ Jewish American heritage, Medal of Honor recipients, and U.S. military history, visit the Library of the Marine Corps (grc-usmcu.libguides.com/library-of-the-marine-corps) or select a book from the Commandant’s Professional Reading list (grc-usmcu.libguides.com/usmc-reading-list).  To learn more about Barney Ross, read, “Barney Ross: The Life of a Jewish Fighter,” (2006) by Douglas Century.
6.  During this observance month, commanders are encouraged to recognize and celebrate the invaluable service and selfless contributions Jewish Americans - military, veteran, and civilian - give to our country and Corps.  Commanders are further encouraged to conduct online programs and to promote remote participation in observance events within their commands and across their local communities.
7.  Release authorized by BGen D. L. Shipley, Division Director, Manpower Plans and Policy.//