Long Overdue Honor Given to Black Soldier of World War II

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Chaim Tuito/COLlive

A historic ceremony honoring 99-year-old World War II veteran and local hero Osceola “Ozzie” Fletcher hosted by Congresswoman Yvette Clarke was held at the Jewish Children’s Museum on Thursday, October 14, 2021.

Mr. Fletcher, a longtime resident of Crown Heights, finally received his long-deserved Purple Heart last June 18 in Washington, DC, after his heroic service went unrecognized for 8 decades.

A Bronx native, Fletcher was drafted to the US Army in 1942 and served in the 254th Battalion. He boarded a segregated ship from Portsmouth, Virginia to Europe, and he took part in D-Day, the defining battle of WWII.

After being injured in an explosion, Fletcher was still not awarded the Purple Heart, “due to the US Army’s policy against Black soldiers,” Congresswoman Clarke related in her remarks. “During that time… they were often overlooked and deliberately denied the Purple Heart,” the US military award from the government to soldiers wounded or killed while serving.

Fletcher returned to New York in 1946 and made Crown Heights his home. He has been married for 72 years and has 5 children, 7 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. He served in the NYPD for 26 years, was a teacher for 14 years at Boys and Girls High School, and worked as a community relations specialist in the District Attorney’s Office for 24 years.

“Ozzie, you are indeed an inspiration to us all, and in many ways, you have paved the way for so many in service to others,” Congresswoman Clarke said.

Clarke presented him a proclamation “in recognition of your service to our country, fighting to uphold human rights and aiding in the efforts to save Holocaust survivors.”

In attendance were local survivors of the war Mrs. Miriam Slavin, Mrs. Hadassah Carlebach, Mrs. Matty Katzman, Mrs. Sorah Andrusier, Mrs. Judith Mindel, Mrs. Marion Freilich and Rabbi Hershel Shifrin.

They expressed their ‘Hakaras Hatov’ appreciation to Private First-Class Fletcher and acknowledged the incredible gift of life and freedom in America with their beautiful families.

Devorah Halberstam, the co-founder of the Jewish Children’s Museum, greeted attendees, and noted that the event was being held in “just the right place, because this museum was built to teach about tolerance and understanding about the Jewish community, and our history and culture.”

Also addressing participants was Mrs. Miriam Slavin, a Holocaust survivor from Crown Heights and matriarch of a proud Chabad family. Mrs. Slavin related the horrors of losing her father and brothers to the Nazis in Poland, and told of her mother’s bravery in raising 7 little girls alone. She thanked Mr. Fletcher for sacrificing himself to save others. “Your giving proves that light is greater than dark, and good is greater than evil,” she said. “The world at large and the Jewish people are forever indebted to you,” she said.

Honoring him on behalf of law enforcement were 71 Precinct Commanding Officer Inspector Joeseph Hayward, Community Affairs Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Richie Taylor, NYPD Clergy Liaison David Heskiel, 71 Precinct Community Affairs Detective Mike Baratta, Ret. Colonel Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein and Colonel Paul Salas, Commanding Officer of Joint Task Force Empire Shield.

Public officials there were Israeli Deputy Consul General Israel Nitzan, Director of Government Affairs Israel Consul Jacob Roth, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke’s District Director Anita Taylor and Community Liaison Eli Slavin, Director of Special Projects and Policy Mr. Gabriel Torres and Constituent Services Mr. Salim Cadet.

Senior Associate Coordinator office of the District Attorney Karen Crawford, Assemblywoman Diana Richardson‘s Community Liaison Jerrott Khalid, Community Board 09 District Chair Fred Baptiste and District Manager Dante Arnwine.

Community activists in attendance: Crown Heights Youth Collective Richard Green, Crown Heights JCC Executive Director Rabbi Eli Cohen, Director CHJCC Eli Wiesel Holocaust Survivors Initiative Ruth Seliger, President and CEO Black Veterans for Social Justice Wendy McClinton, Marine Park JCC President Shea Rubenstein, Flatbush COJO CEO Louis Welz, District Leader 48th District Rabbi David Schwartz, Kellen Khelefu of Neighbors in Action, Rachel Figurasmith of Repair the World, Mark Appel of The Bridge.