Portfolio

Loading

We have served in every war

– Revolutionary War
– Civil War
– WWI,  WWII,  Korea,  Vietnam
– Beirut Lebanon
– Operation Desert Storm/Shield 1991
– Operations in Kosovo
– Operation Enduring Freedom
– Operation Iraqi Freedom
– The Global War on Terrorism – GWOT

You talk about courage … How about America’s and the world’s first jet ace? He was the Korean War hero, U.S. Air Force Col. James Jabara. In World War II, Army officers like Maj. Gen. Fred Safay fought alongside Gen. Patton, and Brig. Gen. Elias Stevens served on Gen. Eisenhower’s staff.

And in 1944, one of our Navy’s ships, the destroyer escort USS Naifeh, was named in honor of an Arab American hero, Navy Lt. Alfred Naifeh of Oklahoma. Retired Brigadier General James J. David served as Company Commander of the famous 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. More recently, West Point graduate and retiredfour-star Gen. George Joulwan was the NATO Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, where he commanded both European and U.S. troops. Brig. Gen. William J. Jabour is the Director of the Air Force Program Executive Office for Fighter and Bomber programs in charge of the F-22 System Program Office (SPO). General John Abizaid is the former head of U.S. Central Command in Iraq. (From the Arab American Institute)

# # #

Vietnam veteran Kayed “Edward” Hassan, 69, said he enlisted during the height of the Vietnam War in 1967. “I didn’t feel any discrimination at all during my service, even after the Arab-Israeli wars and the politics of it all,” Hassan told Al Jazeera.

“And with a name like Hassan, it’s not like you can hide from it. I didn’t. I was proud to be Arab and also proud to be American.”

“The other soldiers always respected me as an Arab and as a Muslim,” Hassan said. “I was too busy being an American and an Arab to allow anyone to attack me.”

# # #

World War II Veteran George Hanania and his brother Mousa (Moses) Hanania arrived in America in the 1920s and worked hard to become citizens. Immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, “the day of infamy,” George and Moses enlisted in military service.

Both brothers wanted to serve together. George was assigned to the U.S. 5th Army Office of Strategic Services. The recruiter enlisted Moses in the U.S. Navy, where he served on a battleship in the North Atlantic, because he said he believed Moses would “a part the seas” for the American victory.

Christian Arabs who immigrated from Jerusalem, Palestine, George and Moses were proud of their service, proud of their new homeland, and proud of their heritage and country of origin, Palestine!

Sgt. George Hanania taking a moment to relax while in Europe VE Day May 8, 1945 ... Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Sgt. George Hanania taking a moment to relax while in Europe VE Day May 8, 1945 … Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania