Jack Le Veen, a World War II veteran, lives in South Slope, Brooklyn. The veteran became well-known when he turned 96, as his neighbors gave him a unique gift for Veterans Day. According to the man of the hour, no one had ever given him a gift like that before. As a result, he’ll never forget that Veterans Day. Read more at brooklyn-yes.com.
Veterans Day
Le Veen is a 96-year-old WWII veteran who has lived on the same block his entire life. His neighbor, Elizabeth Dowling, felt it was unfair that veterans are often forgotten and ignored when they return home, especially so many years after the war ended. So, she wanted to find a way to thank Le Veen, lift his spirits on that day, and show him that people remember and care about the men who saved humanity and the United States from the Nazi scourge.
Elizabeth posted a message about Le Veen on a community bulletin board and asked other residents of the neighborhood, and the borough in general, to leave him a small token of their appreciation. The neighbors responded enthusiastically. People Le Veen had never known, noticed, or met before began bringing him cards, letters, potted flowers, and other gifts.
For example, one envelope was addressed to “Jack the Hero,” and another contained a drawing of a WWII soldier. Jack Le Veen, a retired New York City Fire Department captain, started greeting neighbors as he took out the trash or went out into the yard. He was pleasantly surprised. And the visitors, now his fans, kept coming the next day, too.
The gifts they brought weren’t large or expensive. Some people brought homemade baked goods, others brought cards or flowers. Jack was pleasantly surprised and touched. He said he usually doesn’t do anything special on that day and doesn’t make any plans. The man said it’s unlikely that anyone from his unit is still alive; so much time has passed. But seeing how many people took the time to write a card, buy gifts, and bake for him deeply moved him.
It’s not surprising, as it’s not every day that a victory parade comes to your doorstep. But for the 96-year-old veteran, that’s exactly what happened. It was especially meaningful for the war hero because that year he didn’t attend the big Veterans Day parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan or the small service at the Brooklyn War Memorial.
Jack Le Veen intended to spend the day on the same Brooklyn block where he was born, in a two-story brick house with an American flag on the facade and three photos in the window showing an aircraft carrier, a cargo ship, and a handsome young man in a Navy uniform.
The veteran didn’t expect anything else on this day, much less such an exceptional group of Brooklynites showing him so much respect. That year’s holiday was definitely a surprise. It all started with this message on the local community bulletin board:
“There’s a World War II veteran living on 18th Street. He’s 96, lives alone, and may not see another Veterans Day,” Elizabeth Dowling wrote the day before the holiday, adding, “Please consider leaving a small token of appreciation.”
Honor a Veteran
Today, the heroes of that war, the soldiers and sailors of Mr. Le Veen’s generation who went to war without hesitation, are quickly and quietly fading away. According to the National WWII Museum, nearly 99% of the 16 million Americans who served in the war have passed away. As of 2021, fewer than 5,000 WWII veterans remained in New York City.
That’s why what the residents of South Slope, or those living nearby, did was so meaningful. A man from the block came up to him with his two children and handed Mr. Le Veen a thick stack of cards made by the kids and their classmates. The man’s name was Chris Poloni, and he assured Jack that he would be reading these cards for days.
When Mr. Le Veen looked out his gate the next morning, he saw a potted amaryllis with a card attached, featuring a drawing of a soldier in camouflage. “Thank you for fighting for our country. From Abigail, age 7,” the card read. On the porch by the screen door lay two more letters. Mr. Le Veen, a lean man of 96, bent down, picked them up, read them, and smiled.
Then he noticed movement outside his window and went out. Someone was leaving another card—a woman. Next to the card was a miniature cypress tree. Another card and a string-tied bakery box containing banana bread. Jack guessed it was a neighbor’s doing.
Serving in the Navy
Jack Le Veen, one of seven children, joined the Navy just a few weeks before his 18th birthday. Why the Navy? It was quite simple—his older brother had been drafted into the U.S. Army. When he came home from basic training, he was furious, claiming that in the army, all you do is crawl on your knees in puddles, so he came home covered in mud. Jack decided the Navy would be a cleaner life. He served two years in the Pacific on the USS Lesuth, then became a First Class Machinist’s Mate on the USS Gilbert Islands, an aircraft carrier that launched fighter pilots to attack Japanese positions on Okinawa and the Sakishima Islands. Jack Le Veen worked in the engine room of the massive carrier.
Young Sailor Jack Le Veen served at his battle station, responsible for controlling and maintaining the ship’s speed. After the war, he worked for the New York City Fire Department. A photo on top of the china cabinet in his tidy dining room shows Jack during his 20 years as a fire captain, starting in 1957. Next to it is a photo of a woman with smiling eyes—his wife, Joan. Jack says she died of Alzheimer’s, and he cared for her for six or seven years. A few years ago, local children visited him, and he gave them a WWII history lesson in his living room. The chairs they sat on are still lined up against the wall. A vest with medals, which Jack wore especially for the kids, hangs neatly nearby.
Elizabeth Dowling, who posted the message about the veteran, said that Mr. Le Veen has been her friend since she moved to the block about nine years ago. And on this day, the line of people wishing to thank the veteran didn’t get any shorter.
Without You, There Would Be No Us
There was a rustle again. Mr. Le Veen went to the door and stopped—outside were a mother on roller skates and her 8-year-old twins on scooters. The girl had made a flag from pink, white, and turquoise crepe paper, attached it to a paper towel roll, and hung it on the gatepost. The mother, Ariel Clark, had come to thank the veteran. Ariel said her grandfather was in Auschwitz and her father was born in a displaced persons camp, so she is certain that without heroes like Jack Le Veen, she and her children would not exist. After saying this, Ariel began to cry.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/nyregion/veterans-day-brooklyn-parade.html
https://ccxmedia.org/news/brooklyn-center-wwii-vet-turns-102-years-old-receives-special-honor/