[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 46 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING PRIVATE FIRST CLASS LEONARD KRAVITZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. THEODORE E. DEUTCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 24, 2014

  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Private First Class 
Leonard Kravitz, who gave his life during the Korean War in an 
extraordinary act of heroism and posthumously received the Medal of 
Honor on March 18, 2014. PFC Leonard Kravitz fought valiantly to 
protect our country and rightfully deserves our recognition and 
admiration.
  I am proud to represent a district that is home to such a large 
number of veterans, and I feel tremendous gratitude to the heroes of 
World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and to the new generation of veterans 
from the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. My father, Bernard Deutch, 
volunteered to fight in World War II as a teenager where he earned a 
Purple Heart at the Battle of the Bulge. It was his example of service 
to our nation that motivated me to serve in Congress.
  PFC Leonard Kravitz sacrificed himself for his platoon when he took 
over a machine gun, fired into an ambush of Communist forces, and 
stayed behind so that his fellow soldiers could withdraw safely. He 
received the Distinguished Service Cross for his sacrifice. PFC Leonard 
Kravitz was also recommended for the Medal of Honor, but he never 
received it due to widespread prejudice in the military against Jewish 
and other minority servicemembers. His childhood friend, Mitch Libman, 
a resident of South Florida, worked tirelessly for decades to ensure 
that the courageous sacrifice of his dear friend would not go 
unnoticed. This heartfelt act of advocacy led to the National Defense 
Authorization Act of 2002 and H.R. 3304, a bill that I introduced, 
which ensures the recognition of all soldiers who never received the 
Medals of Honor they deserved.
  In this era of partisan vitriol and gridlock in Washington, our 
leaders can always look to veterans as an example of how individuals 
from all walks of life can put their differences aside in order to 
accomplish great things. PFC Leonard Kravitz has finally been 
recognized as the hero he is, and his friend Mitch Libman reminds us of 
the duty we all have to ensure that no soldier becomes a forgotten 
hero. I urge every citizen of this great country to live by their 
examples.

                          ____________________