Joseph Levinson

Joe Levinson joined the Navy in March 1942 and served with the Patrol Wings Atlantic Fleet in WWII. He flew in many different Navy flying boats in Patrol Squadrons VP204, 215 and Utility Squadron VJ4 towing targets for naval gunfire training, serving as radioman, radar operator, gunner, and navigator. Primary missions were anti-sub patrol; the most notable mission was participation in the capture of a German submarine in 1943. Several aircraft were hit by German fire and two men were lost, but the submarine was taken intact and towed to port.

He was recalled to active duty January 1950 (Korean conflict) during which he served as a Liaison and Scout Pilot for the 189th Field Artillery Battalion and 45th Infantry Division. Joe was operations officer for the 16th Sky Cavalry, later Deputy CS 2nd USA Missile Command, and Commanding Officer of the 121st Combat Aviation Company. During his tenure these were the first and third units ever to receive the Army Aviation Unit of the Year Award. He flew naval gunfire adjusting missions off the west coast, and scouting missions well into North Korean territory, once chasing a stolen L-19 almost thirty miles deep before Corps turned him around. He was famous for scrounging materials to build "Joe's Folly", the only three-story glassed-in heated combat control tower at A-30 near the DMZ. He ended his tour as KMAG Aviation School Instructor Advisor and was awarded the Korean Pilot's Wing Number 18.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, as Deputy CS G-3 USAAVNC, he wrote and participated in the activation of the "Basic Plan" for use of aviation assets for the USAAVN School/Center, the Infantry Center, and both Civilian and Reserve assets in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Russia and Cuba backed down. At Fort Bragg, on temporary duty, he contributed armed helicopter requirements for the Aviation Section of the Special Warfare (Counter Insurgency) Low Intensity War Fighting Manual.

Joe served in Vietnam as commander of the 121st Combat Aviation Company known as the "Soc Trang Tigers" where, along with Major Pat Delavan (commander of the UTT) and Col Jim Kiersy (21st ARVN Infantry Division Senior Advisor), he organized the Eagle Search and Destroy operations in the Mekong Delta during 1963 and 1964. Major Levinson and his unit received some notoriety when their exploits became legendary due to numerous reports in the national press written by prominent war correspondents and Pulitzer Prize Winner Jim Lucas, who continued the unit's story in his book, Dateline: Vietnam. Joe and the 121st also appeared in Glenn Infield's book, Dirty Little Wars, as well as being featured in "Vietnam; It's a Mad War", a nationally released film.

While leading night combat sorties to protect Soc Trang, sometimes using his own aircraft as "bait', he developed aerial tactics that became the standard for combat helicopter operations in Vietnam.

His regular enemy encounters produced frequent questions as to "who shot first." These earned him the dubious distinction of being relieved of his command on 5 different occasions until he could be vindicated by the bullet holes in his aircraft. On the fifth incident, he flew to battalion headquarters with his resignation in hand. The CO, Ace Phillips, tore it up and told him to get back to get his ***** back to work.

In Vietnam, he held an aviation combat command longer than any other officer serving from the outset through 1964 and was one of only 8 Americans to receive Vietnam's highest decoration, the Medal of Valor with Gold Palm, in 1964.

After Vietnam he was assigned to Army Aviation Combat Development Command where he was Chief, Long Range Branch, Studies and Special Projects Division. His projects included ARCOS (Aviation Structure of the Army 75), AAFSS (Advanced Aerial Fire Support System "Apache"), and UTTAS (Utility Tactical Transport Aerial Support System "Blackhawk"). After three anxious years on those and other projects, he was gratified to watch the aircraft blossom as outstanding combat systems.

He has remained active in military veteran associations, and makes himself available to advocate for combat disabled veterans whenever called upon.

Qualifications: He is qualified in more than 25 Army, Air Force, and commercial rotary/fixed wing aircraft. Graduated from numerous military and civilian courses; the most prominent were the Command and General Staff College, Senior Officer Nuclear Weapons Course, Air University Graduate School at Ohio State University, located at Wright Patterson AFB.

Awards and Decorations: LM ,PH, BS, AM, with numeral 13 and V device, AF Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with olc. Senior and Master Army Aviator Badges, Vietnam's Highest Decoration to date in 1964: Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with gold palm, Unit Cross of Gallantry with palm. Republic of Korea Army Aviator Badge Nr.18, numerous WWII, Korean, American, and Vietnam theater and campaign decorations.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 2620 South Congress Avenue.

Graveside Service will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.