Hero of the Week 34

Welcome back viewers

This week we will honor a team of heroes

Allow me to introduce...

The International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone!

This was a group of foreign diplomats, businessmen, missionaries, and journalists who were living in the city of Nanking during the 1930s. Nanking was the capital of China at the time. Some were there for economic opportunities. Others were there on diplomatic missions on behalf of their country and some were there on religious missions. By the year 1937, many of them had come to think of Nanking as their home. However, nothing could have prepared them for when the Japanese invaded China. When that happened, many of them were forced to make a choice.

The Second Sino-Japanese War officially began on July 7, 1937. t By November, the Japanese Army had captured the city of Shanghai and began to advance on Nanking. The city soon became a frequent target for bombing raids. Hoping to protect Chinese civilians from the bombs, the Westerners quickly petitioned their governments to create an international zone within Nanking. Instead, many of them received orders to leave Nanking. Most of them obeyed these orders, however a handful chose to stay. On November 22 they, formed the Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone. 

The committee consisted of 7 Americans, 3 Germans, 1 Dane, and 4 Britons. Headed by the German businessman John Rabe (who happened to be a member of the Nazi party), they established a 3.4 mile area that was deemed to be international territory. Once completed, they raised the flags of their countries show that the zone was international property. As they did, the Japanese reached the outskirts of Nanking. Soon, the city was subjected to shelling and bombing on a daily basis which caused thousands of Chinese refugees to flood into the Safety Zone. During one such bombing raid, Rabe used a giant Nazi flag to shelter refugees from a massive bombing raid as he knew the Japanese wouldn't bomb members of the Nazi party for fear of hurting their alliance with Germany. 

On December 13, the Japanese broke through Chinese defenses and entered Nanking. The Chinese army was soundly defeated and scattered throughout the city. Many of them flooded into the safety zone seeking refuge. Soon Nanking was officially captured by the Japanese army. What remained of the Chinese army retreated (thousands of them were left behind within Nanking). It is estimated that as many as 50,000 people were killed in the capture of Nanking. Little did anyone know, that the carnage was only just beginning.

Within hours of capturing the city, the Japanese army immediately began to massacre the population. They started by slaughtering large numbers of Chinese POWs. They then began to round up numerous civilians and murder them in horrible ways. Some of the Japanese even began killing contests where a number of people were lined up and beheaded one by one. The Japanese also committed numerous acts of rape against Chinese women in Nanking. This is known because the foreigners were secretly documenting the massacre and rescued survivors. Rabe himself wrote, "If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it." Over a course of six weeks, it is estimated that a total of 300,000 Chinese people were murdered in Nanking.

The people who were lucky enough to reach the Safety Zone were able to find some protection. As a sign of respect for international law, the commanders of the Japanese Army ordered there soldiers not to enter the zone. Unfortunately this did not stop Japanese soldiers from secretly entering the zone to kill or rape the people inside. Often times, the foreigners in the zone had to personally intervene to stop people from being massacred in the zone itself. The massacre officially ended in January of 1938 when Japanese commanders set up a puppet government within Nanking and took control of their soldiers. After this, many of the refugees left the Safety Zone and returned to their homes. 

After this, the foreigners received orders to return to their respective countries. They are believed to have saved the lives of over 200,000 people who took shelter in the zone. Many of these foreigners (John Rabe included) did lived to receive any recognition for their heroism. However, their documentation of the massacre was later used as evidence in the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal after World War II.

The heroism of those involved in establishing the Nanking Safety Zone is beyond astounding. They witnessed terrible atrocities being committed and chose to do something about. They did their best to save as many people as they could using what little they had. I believe that they are prime examples of the best of humanity and serve to inspire people around the world. 

https://thenankingmassacre.org/2015/07/04/the-safety-zone-and-american-missionaries/

https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/foreigners-establish-safety-zone-and-intervene-save-civilians-during-nanking-massacre-1937-1

https://www.facinghistory.org/nanjing-atrocities/atrocities/rescue-and-resistance-nanjing

Chang, Iris (1997). The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II

Hero of the Week 33

Welcome back viewers

This week's hero is...

John Levitow

John Levitow was born on November 1, 1945 in Hartford, Connecticut. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in June of 1966. He eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant and took a job as a loadmaster for aircraft. His job was to load equipment (ammunition and medical supplies) onto transport aircraft. However, his job could never have prepared him for what happened on February 24, 1969.

That day, Sergeant Levitow was assigned to be the loadmaster on an AC-47 "Spooky" gunship. The Spooky's purpose was to provide close air support for soldiers on the ground and to locate enemy positions. It was armed with numerous machine guns and magnesium flares. Sgt. Levitow's job was to remove the flares (which were stored in canisters weighing 27 pounds) from the rack and set their controls. He would then pass the flares to a gunner who would then pull the pins before throwing them out the cargo door. The flares would then ignite in midair around 20 seconds later. 

Levitow was assigned to Spooky 71. Late at night the crew of Spooky 71 received word that an American army base at Long Binh had come under attack by the Viet Cong and was calling for support. Spooky 71 and a number of other gunships immediately took off and headed for the base. About an hour later they arrived on the scene and began their attack runs. For the next few hours they  dropped flares to illuminate enemy positions before strafing them with their guns. 

Nearly five hours into their mission, disaster struck. An enemy mortar struck Spooky 71's right wing. The explosion from the round tore a three foot hole in the wing and sprayed the hull of the aircraft with shrapnel (mechanics would later count more than 3,500 holes in the aircraft). Levitow and the rest of the crew were setting up a flare to be dropped when the mortar hit. The blast from the mortar sprayed the whole crew with shrapnel from head to foot (Levitow had sustained more than 40 shrapnel wounds). 

When Levitow came to, he began smell smoke. He then noticed (to his horror) that one of the crew had accidentally pulled the pin on the flare when the mortar hit. Now the smoking canister was rolling around in the aircraft among thousands of rounds of ammunition. If the flare ignited it would detonate the ammunition and destroy Spooky 71. As if that wasn't enough, the smoke from the flare was filling the whole aircraft, blinding the pilots, and causing it to plummet from the sky.

Nearly blinded by the smoke and losing blood at a very fast rate, Levitow knew he had to act quickly. He felt his way through the smoke and reached for the burning flare. He found it and quickly threw himself onto it. He then hugged it to his body and stumbled toward the open cargo door at the rear of Spooky 71 (leaving a long blood trail in the process). He then heaved the flare out the door where it ignited just 2 seconds later completely clear of the plane. Levitow then passed out from blood loss (he lost feeling in his limbs as a result).

Thanks to Sgt. Levitow's actions, the whole crew of Spooky 71 was saved. The pilots were able to regain control of the aircraft and successfully returned to base. Despite his severe wounds, John Levitow survived. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor on May 14, 1970. He was the lowest ranking and only enlisted man in the Air Force to ever receive the honor. He also received the Purple Heart Medal. He received an honorable discharge and returned to Connecticut where he worked with fellow veterans. He died of cancer on November 8, 2000 at the age of 55.

The heroism of John Levitow was truly amazing. Despite being severely wounded to the point where he nearly lost his life he put the lives of his comrades before his own. He found the strength to save his crew and aircraft from being killed while suffering from terrible wounds. He is definitely someone who should be held in high regard.

http://www.afhistoryandmuseums.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/720006/a1c-john-l-levitow/

https://amcmuseum.org/history/airman-first-class-john-l-levitow/

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/24/nyregion/john-levitow-55-airman-honored-for-bravery-dies.html

Hero of the Week 32

Welcome back Viewers!

This week's hero is...

Cathay Williams

Cathay Williams was born in September of 1842 (some sources say 1844) in Independence, Missouri. She grew up as a slave on a plantation just outside of Jefferson City. However, everything changed for her when the Civil War began. In 1861, Jefferson City was occupied by the Union Army. When this happened all slaves within the city given the opportunity to work for the army as paid laborers (either that or be pressed into service). Williams and many others reluctantly did so.

From 1861 to 1865, Cathay Williams worked as a washerwoman and a cook for the Union Army.  Although she did not find the work to be enjoyable, Cathay was able to learn much about military life and became fascinated by it. Her work also allowed her to witness a number of battles including the battle of Pea Ridge, the Red River Campaign, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign (where she briefly worked for General Philip Sheridan). She continued work for the army until the War ended in 1865. After that she was released from her service.

Unfortunately, although slavery had been abolished by now, there were not many opportunities for freed African-Americans in the United States (especially not in the former slave states). Like so many former slaves, Williams found herself unemployed without any job offers. She then decided to enlist in the American Army under the guise of a man named, "William Cathay". On November 15, 1866, Williams successfully enlisted in the 38th Infantry Regiment (a segregated unit). This made her the first African-American woman to have ever served in the American military. For the next two years, she served at military posts in the Western United States (it is unknown if she ever saw combat). However, in July of 1868, Williams got sick and had to report to the field hospital. It was then that her true gender was revealed. As a result, she received an honorable discharge from the army and worked as cook for military until the year 1870.

After her military service ended, Cathay's health began to decline. She later applied for a military pension for her service (sadly, it was never approved). Much of what happened in her later life is not known. She is presumed to have lived her remaining years in Trinidad, Colorado before dying of natural causes sometime in the 1890s.

Cathay Williams was a remarkable individual. She was born into slavery, grew up in a very difficult period, and tried to make the most her life. One of those ways was to serve her country even though she faced terrible discrimination. Cathay Williams is one of the most unsung yet inspirational figures in history. She is definitely someone to be held in high regard.

https://www.nps.gov/people/cwilliams.htm

http://www.amazingwomeninhistory.com/cathay-williams/

http://blackartblog.blackartdepot.com/african-american-history/buffalo-soldiers/8-facts-cathay-williams-female-buffalo-soldier.html

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/cathay-williams/