Return to Pointer View home page May 20,  2005

West Point holds annual Mickey Marcus ceremony

Story and photos by Eric S. Bartel
Senior Staff Writer  

Nearly two hundred people attended a memorial service Sunday at the Jewish Chapel and a graveside ceremony at the West Point cemetery to pay homage to Col. David “Mickey” Marcus, American Veterans of Israel who passed away in the last year and other Jewish-Americans who fought bravely for freedom.

The 39th annual service dedicated to Marcus, USMA Class of 1924, gives tribute to the Brooklyn, N.Y., native’s virtue of courage that helped provide Israel with its independence in 1948.

West Point graduates have marked the history of the United States with their roles in wars, politics and the business world, but Marcus had as much significance internationally.

Marcus served during World War II and parachuted into Normandy on D-Day as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He was eventually responsible for clearing out the Nazi death camps.

Marcus would then use his experience as a federal attorney in the 1930’s to plan the legal and security procedures for the Nuremberg trials.

Once he returned to civilian life for the second time, he was called by David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, to serve as a military adviser. He then commanded the Israeli armed forces -- the Machal or overseas volunteers -- against Arab fighters along the Jewish Front. He also ordered the construction of a road between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to bring more men and equipment to break the Arab siege, a road that still exists today.

Called “A Soldier for All Humanity,” his bravery and willingness to return to duty after leaving the military on two separate occasions is not lost on today’s cadets.

“He represents a visible example that anybody, regardless if they’re Jewish or not, can follow,” said Cadet 1st Class Matthew Moosey, member of the West Point Hillel, a 60-member Jewish cadet organization. “The Army values are universal to all Soldiers of any race and religion, and Col. Marcus embodied and reflected those in his life and that’s why he’s important for any cadet to recognize.”

Moosey has been to Israel twice and has taken the 40-minute drive between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on the road that Marcus helped build.

“It’s nothing short of miraculous of some of the things he did,” Moosey describes of Marcus, who became the first general of the Jewish Army in nearly two thousand years in 1948. “The road that he built largely with refugees and Holocaust survivors with their bare hands is impressive.”

Cadet 1st Class Ramona Fastow was excited to be a part of the wreath laying ceremony and placed a stone on Marcus’ headstone.

“It was an honor (to help with placing the wreath), but more so it was a great learning experience because I’m Jewish and I’ve been to Israel twice,” Fastow said. “But I’m slowly learning about the connections the Israeli military have with the American military -- it’s cool to know I’m a part of it.”

Although Marcus never reaped the benefits of his work because of his death six hours after the called cease-fire, the ancient Jewish custom of placing a rock on the headstone is a reminder and a symbol of the great work he did.

“It’s a way to tactfully and physically connect with the deceased by placing something more permanent than something temporary like flowers,” Moosey said. “His headstone is absolutely covered with rocks, I think more so than any other headstone at the cemetery.”

Statues adorn the likeness of Eisenhower, MacArthur and Thayer around West Point; however, Moosey is intrigued by Marcus’ likeness at a place he visits regularly.

“In the firstie club, there’s a picture of (Marcus) boxing and there are several small things like that,” Moosey said. “There are pictures of him in a prison commissioner uniform; there are pictures of him on a tank, mundane things that have gone largely unnoticed.”

Serving the country of his ancient birthright was not a mundane task for a man born in the United States, but his Jewish heritage was sown deep enough that he was compelled to do his part as much so as he did with the 101st on D-Day which is part inspiration for Chaplain (Maj.) Carlos Huerta.

“Col. Marcus was a Soldier, I served with the 101st in Operation Iraqi Freedom and he jumped with the 101st during D-Day, so there’s that connection from Soldier to Soldier,” Huerta said. “We have hundreds and hundreds of graduates who did great things and Marcus is one that people may not know as much about, but he’s a hero, not only an American hero but an international hero.”

After 9-11, Moosey’s convictions about Israel were deepened of their history of terrorism that has plagued the Jewish state since its independence and sees the correlation between the two countries.

“Now it’s important to everybody (to be aware of terrorism), so we can all share in those concerns that strengthen us as nations,” Moosey said. “(Israel) is a democracy, it’s united in the war on terror and I think our destinies as nations are intertwined.”