John Levitow Was the Airman With The Lowest Rank To Achieve The Highest Honor

John Levitow rose from humble beginnings to achieve something extraordinary. By the conclusion of his service in the US Air Force, he earned the unique honor of being the lowest-ranked airman ever awarded the Medal of Honor. This article delves into his military career and the courageous actions he took in the face of extreme danger.

John Levitow's enlistment in the US Air Force

John L. Levitow, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, enlisted in the US Air Force in June 1966 after initially intending to join the Navy, but he changed his mind at the last moment.

Upon entering the service, Levitow began his career as a civil engineer. Concurrently, he underwent training as a loadmaster, a skill that proved invaluable during his later service in the Air Force. Loadmasters are responsible for managing the weighing and loading of cargo onto aircraft, as well as determining the weight and seating arrangements of passengers, all while ensuring the aircraft maintains a permissible center of gravity.

Incident in South Vietnam

On February 24, 1969, John Levitow was called upon to serve as loadmaster on an armed Douglas AC-47 , call sign "Spooky 71." This aircraft, part of the 3rd Special Operations Squadron, was assigned a nighttime mission over South Vietnam. Levitow's duty was to set the ejection and ignition timer controls on Mark 24 magnesium flares before handing them over to the gunner for deployment.

During the operation, the pilot of the AC-47, Maj. Kenneth Carpenter, observed muzzle flashes near Long Binh Army Base and engaged the Viet Cong near Tan Son Nhut Air Base. As Levitow and the gunner were deploying flares from the cargo door, the aircraft was struck by a North Vietnamese mortar shell.

Extreme bravery in the face of mortal danger

The blast left everyone injured. John Levitow sustained a concussion and over 40 shrapnel wounds to his back and legs. The explosion also caused a burning flare to be ejected from the gunner's hands, endangering the aircraft. If the remaining munitions had ignited, it would have been fatal for all aboard.

Despite intense pain and dizziness, Levitow crawled to the flare and covered it with his body before hurling it out of the cargo door. It ignited moments later. Although the AC-47 suffered extensive damage—with more than 3,500 holes in the fuselage and wings—it was able to return safely to base.

Presented with the Medal of Honor for exceptional heroism

John Levitow was awarded the Medal of Honor for exceptional heroism during wartime, making him the lowest-ranking airman to receive the US military's highest honor. It was presented to him by President Richard Nixon in May 1970.

Among his other decorations were the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters and the National Defense Service Medal.

John Levitow's legacy

John Levitow died of cancer in November 2000, at the age of 55. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

In his honor, the US Air Force created the John Levitow Award, which is presented to a graduate of the Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education. The winner of the annual award must finish in the top one percent of their class.

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Levitow's honors didn't stop there. In 1998, he was inducted into the Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame. A Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, named The Spirit of John L. Levitow , was also delivered to the 437th and 315th Airlift Wings stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. The aircraft was later transferred to the 105th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard.