New York
Captain Jerome E. Levy | Prof. Howard L. Adelson
Captain Jerome E. Levy, USNR (Ret.), was born in Denver, Colorado on April 15, 1915. He was the son of Anna Sobol Levy, who was a member of one of the pioneer families of Colorado, and of Albert Levy of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Levy family was originally from Alsace.
Capt. Levy graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and he received a graduate degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Business. He was a member of the Director's Club of the University of Colorado.
Capt. Levy enlisted in the Navy shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He joined the V-7 officer candidate class and was sent to Notre Dame University for a month of physical conditioning. He then joined the midshipmen's school for three months at Abbott Hall of Northwestern University in Chicago. Upon receiving his commission, he was assigned to a destroyer USS Duncan, but that ship was sunk in the South Pacific before he could report aboard. He was then reassigned to another destroyer, the USS King (DD242), and he saw service in the campaigns in the Aleutians in the far north. While aboard the USS King, he participated in the battles for the recapture of Attu and Kiska islands. His ship was awarded a battle star for its role in those battles. The USS King was decommissioned in 1945 at the end of World War II, and Capt. Levy was reassigned to COM 3 as the liaison officer to the Chilean Navy. The Chilean Navy at that time had a number of ships in U.S. ports, and Capt. Levy was responsible for the contacts between the Chilean naval officers and the U.S. Navy. For his work with the Chilean Navy, Capt. Levy was awarded the medal Al Merito en Grade Caballero (medal of merit with the rank of knight or chevalier). The Chilean officers personally chose to give him a more potent reward for his services: some bottles of excellent brandy.
Capt. Levy was discharged from active duty with the Navy in 1946. He joined the firm of Pattison & Bowns in New York City. In 1951, he was recalled to active duty for the Korean War to serve as the Operations Officer aboard the destroyer USS Smalley (DD565). By 1952, Capt. Levy attained the rank of Lt. Commander and received a posting as the Executive Officer aboard the destroyer USS Van Valkenburgh (DD656). The USS Van Valkenburgh was assigned with the rest of its destroyer division to combat duty in Korean waters. However, when the ship arrived at Pearl Harbor on the way to its assignment, the ship's commanding officer became ill. Despite the fact that then Lt. Commander Levy was quite junior in rank and relatively inexperienced, the Division Commander recommended that he be appointed to command the ship for the voyage to Midway. At Midway, instead of being replaced, Capt. Levy received orders to assume command for the voyage to Sasebo Naval Base in Japan. From there he continued in command of the USS Van Valkenburgh through its combat assignments in the blockade of Wonsan in North Korea and in the calls for fire missions in the hostile harbor of Wonsan. For his gallantry in action, he was recommended for the Bronze Star and received the Commendation Medal with Combat V (denoting valor). As a reward for gallantry in action, the entire destroyer division, including the USS Van Valkenburgh, was ordered to sail on a world-circling voyage to show the flag.
After completing his service in the Korean War in 1953, Capt. Levy left active duty to serve in the Naval Reserve. As a reserve officer, he became the Commanding Officer of a division and the Commanding Officer of a naval battalion.
In 1963, Capt. Levy left New York and moved to Chicago where he became the President and CEO of the Culver Chemical Company. The Culver Chemical Company was a subsidiary of Alberto Culver Company. When Masury Young Company became a part of Alberto Culver, Capt. Levy became the President and CEO of Masury Young as well. However, in 1967, the illness of his mother prompted Capt. Levy to resign from his positions in Chicago, so that he might be with her until her death.
Capt. Levy viewed himself as a Navy man and as a Jew. Through his naval service, he felt that he was continuing a long tradition of Jewish contribution to the U.S. Navy. In that spirit, Capt. Levy actively sought to highlight Jewish contributions to the Navy and to the country.
Capt. Levy was active in calling attention to the contributions of Commodore Uriah Philips Levy (no relation to Capt. Levy), who was the highest-ranking officer of the U. S. Navy at the outbreak of the Civil War. Commodore Levy was responsible for outlawing flogging in the U.S. Navy. Under the most adverse circumstances, he maintained the honor and dignity of the United States. Commodore Levy was the individual who purchased Monticello, the historic home of Thomas Jefferson, and donated it to the United States. At Capt. Levy's urging, the plaque commemorating that donation was moved to a prominent location from an obscure one. Today, many visitors to Monticello learn that Commodore Uriah Philips Levy, an American Jew, donated the building to the government.
Capt. Levy was an active supporter of the Naval War College (NWC). He attended several of the Annual Naval Strategy meetings there. He endowed the first civilian professorial chair at the NWC: the Capt. Jerome E. Levy Chair of Economic Geography and National Defense. His contributions also helped establish the Jerome E. Levy Collection at the NWC library. Capt. Levy's involvement with the NWC is further enduring reminder of Jewish contributions to the U.S. Navy.
Capt. Levy established the Anna Sobol Levy Foundation in the 1986. He envisioned that the ASL Fellowships could enhance and strengthen the unique relationship between the United States and Israel by establishing genuine understanding and communication between future leaders of the two countries.
From the Foundation's inception, Capt. Levy served as chairman and treasurer until his death on April 5, 2002. Capt. Levy's longtime friend, Prof. Howard L. Adelson, worked with him managing the Foundation. After Capt. Levy's death, Prof. Adelson succeeded him as chairman and treasurer of the Foundation.
Capt. Levy never married or had children. When he died, he left most of his estate to the Foundation so that it can continue to pursue his vision.
Captain Jerome E. Levy, USNR (Ret.), was born in Denver, Colorado on April 15, 1915. He was the son of Anna Sobol Levy, who was a member of one of the pioneer families of Colorado, and of Albert Levy of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Levy family was originally from Alsace.Capt. Levy graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and he received a graduate degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Business. He was a member of the Director's Club of the University of Colorado.
Capt. Levy enlisted in the Navy shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He joined the V-7 officer candidate class and was sent to Notre Dame University for a month of physical conditioning. He then joined the midshipmen's school for three months at Abbott Hall of Northwestern University in Chicago. Upon receiving his commission, he was assigned to a destroyer USS Duncan, but that ship was sunk in the South Pacific before he could report aboard. He was then reassigned to another destroyer, the USS King (DD242), and he saw service in the campaigns in the Aleutians in the far north. While aboard the USS King, he participated in the battles for the recapture of Attu and Kiska islands. His ship was awarded a battle star for its role in those battles. The USS King was decommissioned in 1945 at the end of World War II, and Capt. Levy was reassigned to COM 3 as the liaison officer to the Chilean Navy. The Chilean Navy at that time had a number of ships in U.S. ports, and Capt. Levy was responsible for the contacts between the Chilean naval officers and the U.S. Navy. For his work with the Chilean Navy, Capt. Levy was awarded the medal Al Merito en Grade Caballero (medal of merit with the rank of knight or chevalier). The Chilean officers personally chose to give him a more potent reward for his services: some bottles of excellent brandy.
Capt. Levy was discharged from active duty with the Navy in 1946. He joined the firm of Pattison & Bowns in New York City. In 1951, he was recalled to active duty for the Korean War to serve as the Operations Officer aboard the destroyer USS Smalley (DD565). By 1952, Capt. Levy attained the rank of Lt. Commander and received a posting as the Executive Officer aboard the destroyer USS Van Valkenburgh (DD656). The USS Van Valkenburgh was assigned with the rest of its destroyer division to combat duty in Korean waters. However, when the ship arrived at Pearl Harbor on the way to its assignment, the ship's commanding officer became ill. Despite the fact that then Lt. Commander Levy was quite junior in rank and relatively inexperienced, the Division Commander recommended that he be appointed to command the ship for the voyage to Midway. At Midway, instead of being replaced, Capt. Levy received orders to assume command for the voyage to Sasebo Naval Base in Japan. From there he continued in command of the USS Van Valkenburgh through its combat assignments in the blockade of Wonsan in North Korea and in the calls for fire missions in the hostile harbor of Wonsan. For his gallantry in action, he was recommended for the Bronze Star and received the Commendation Medal with Combat V (denoting valor). As a reward for gallantry in action, the entire destroyer division, including the USS Van Valkenburgh, was ordered to sail on a world-circling voyage to show the flag.
After completing his service in the Korean War in 1953, Capt. Levy left active duty to serve in the Naval Reserve. As a reserve officer, he became the Commanding Officer of a division and the Commanding Officer of a naval battalion.
In 1963, Capt. Levy left New York and moved to Chicago where he became the President and CEO of the Culver Chemical Company. The Culver Chemical Company was a subsidiary of Alberto Culver Company. When Masury Young Company became a part of Alberto Culver, Capt. Levy became the President and CEO of Masury Young as well. However, in 1967, the illness of his mother prompted Capt. Levy to resign from his positions in Chicago, so that he might be with her until her death.
Capt. Levy viewed himself as a Navy man and as a Jew. Through his naval service, he felt that he was continuing a long tradition of Jewish contribution to the U.S. Navy. In that spirit, Capt. Levy actively sought to highlight Jewish contributions to the Navy and to the country.
Capt. Levy was active in calling attention to the contributions of Commodore Uriah Philips Levy (no relation to Capt. Levy), who was the highest-ranking officer of the U. S. Navy at the outbreak of the Civil War. Commodore Levy was responsible for outlawing flogging in the U.S. Navy. Under the most adverse circumstances, he maintained the honor and dignity of the United States. Commodore Levy was the individual who purchased Monticello, the historic home of Thomas Jefferson, and donated it to the United States. At Capt. Levy's urging, the plaque commemorating that donation was moved to a prominent location from an obscure one. Today, many visitors to Monticello learn that Commodore Uriah Philips Levy, an American Jew, donated the building to the government.
Capt. Levy was an active supporter of the Naval War College (NWC). He attended several of the Annual Naval Strategy meetings there. He endowed the first civilian professorial chair at the NWC: the Capt. Jerome E. Levy Chair of Economic Geography and National Defense. His contributions also helped establish the Jerome E. Levy Collection at the NWC library. Capt. Levy's involvement with the NWC is further enduring reminder of Jewish contributions to the U.S. Navy.
Capt. Levy established the Anna Sobol Levy Foundation in the 1986. He envisioned that the ASL Fellowships could enhance and strengthen the unique relationship between the United States and Israel by establishing genuine understanding and communication between future leaders of the two countries.
From the Foundation's inception, Capt. Levy served as chairman and treasurer until his death on April 5, 2002. Capt. Levy's longtime friend, Prof. Howard L. Adelson, worked with him managing the Foundation. After Capt. Levy's death, Prof. Adelson succeeded him as chairman and treasurer of the Foundation.
Capt. Levy never married or had children. When he died, he left most of his estate to the Foundation so that it can continue to pursue his vision.