Last edit of this site 2022.JAN.28
This information was assembled by Gary Simon in 2020. Initials in brackets [ ] identify sources. These are listed at the bottom of this page.
Alan Levy was the son of Edith and Herman Levy. Alan died in combat in 1944, and he’s been the iconic hero figure in our large family. He was nineteen years old when he was killed in action in Aachen, Germany, and was buried in the American Military Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. [JS]
Alan needs to be more than a marker in a military cemetery. We can now say quite a lot about the person who was Alan. Photographs can advance our understanding.
The Boy Scout photograph has a smiling Alan in the front row, holding a sign. Alan was born in 1925, so he is either twelve or thirteen years old here. Yes, all the names are Jewish, as many scout troops were organized through churches and synagogues. His later obituary noted he was an assistant scout master. [JS]
Alan’s Bar Mitzvah was announced in the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin, 1938.MAY.12.
The Confirmation Class photo is not otherwise identified, but we can presume that it associated with a Binghamton synagogue. Alan is fourth from the left and the tallest. He was a president of the junior congregation of Sons of Israel Congregation, as noted in his obituary. [JS]
The Roddy Serling in the two pictures above is indeed the producer of the famous television series “The Twilight Zone.”
Alan was a collector of famous autographs. [ML] We do not know the fate of those autographs.
He graduated from Binghamton Central High School in 1943. This is his yearbook photograph [JTS].
Dora Simon Ibsen visited the Levy family in April of 1943. In a letter postmarked April 27, 1943, with the Levy return address, she wrote to her brother Nate of a number of things, including this about Alan.
“Alan rec’d your letter & enclosure & rest assured, both made him speechless. I think he wrote you a letter on Sunday – he said he was going to write.
He’s some Alan. He’s all excited about going to Rochester. He wrote to the Rochester Y.M.C.A. for a room & enclosed a stamped envelope for an answer. So they replied that they have a room for him. If he is a member the room is 1.25 if he isn’t the charge is $1.60 ‑‑ & is he a stingy sort of a guy, you should hear him.
He works everyday after school & earns between 8.50 and 9.50 a week. He works by the hr – so you ought to see him figure out his wages – he’s a riot. He doesn’t spend a cent only when necessary & then he carries a record around with him. He buys bonds for his savings.
He got 3 beautiful letters of recommendation to take to Rochester – I mean beautiful. He’ll be a mighty disappointed person if the gov’t gyps him out of medical school.
Now he got notice that when he takes his physical exam at Rochester, he automatically becomes an enlisted man – so I guess it rests with fate for the medical school.”
Soon after graduation, he was required to register for the military draft. [JTS]
Other photos were found in a routine cleanup and reorganization of all the papers in the Simon home after Abe Simon’s death.
This shows the Levy family (Carol, Herman, Edith, Alan) along with toddler Jesse Reisner.
A partial news clip accompanied these photos.
The text noted that Alan had been awarded the Expert Infantryman’s Badge. No doubt the Army meant that award with honorable motives, but it’s hard to interpret that as anything but generic foot solider.
The picture bore the handwritten date October 4, 1944.
Alan died at Aachen exactly three weeks later on October 25, 1944.
Alan’s obituary notice appeared 1944 NOV 17 in the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin. [JTS]
Locals in Belgium have adopted American graves. Belgians do indeed remember the American role in liberating their country.
Some interesting findings:
(1) Alan’s death occurred a few months after D-Day, and the American troops had reached German soil.
(2) His death was due to a shrapnel wound, as noted on the document of 1944 OCT 27.
(3) Alan was buried at Henri-Chapelle, probably in the fury of the war, and then reburied in a dignified section after the war.
(4) Aunt Dora Simon Ibsen’s letter of 1946 JUNE 3 indicated that neighbors were involved in withholding mail from Edith (and probably also from Herman).
(5) There was serious consideration about having Alan reburied in Wilkes-Barre; this is also in Aunt Dora’s letter. We cannot know the discussions that led to final decision to keep Alan in the American cemetery in Belgium.
(6) The military offices had to deal with massive numbers of American deaths and nonetheless were able to respond to the family with great compassion and dignity.
(7) There may have been other letters. It is possible that Uncle Nate Simon had other correspondence.
Sources:
JS is Jesse Schwartzman, Alan’s nephew.
JTS is Judy Simon, Gary’s spouse.
MS is Mark Simon, son of Alan’s cousin Maury Simon.
ML is Michael Landau, (half) brother to Gary Simon, Alan’s cousin.
Many papers passed between the military and Alan’s family regarding his final resting place. Please click here for details.
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