American Jewish Heroes Decorated for Bravery in North Africa

The Army and Navy Committee of the Jewish Welfare Board today made public the names of two Jewish flyers who have been awarded decorations for bravery on the North African front. One of the heroes is Lieut. Morris Berenson, a graduate of Paterson State Teachers College, a navigator of a Flying Fortress, who is now the holder of three decorations, one Air Medal and two Oak Leaf Clusters.

Lieut, Berenson is at present on the North African front and has seen considerable action over occupied Europe. He has taken part in a score of raids on enemy-held territory and has been instrumental in the severe drubbing American forces have handed Tunis and Tripoli. While on European operations, Lieut. Berenson participated in the epic assaults on Rotterdam and Lille.

Staff Sergeant Bernard Karasin, of New York, is another recipient of an Air Medal, at the hands of Major Gen. James H. Doolittle, commanding U. S. Air Forces in North Africa, for his part in five sorties against the foe. Sgt. Karasin’s father reports that he is now missing in action. A radio technician in civilian life, Sgt. Karasin had been serving as turret gunner on a B-25, a medium bomber, on the African front.

Aviation Cadet Alvin A. Sobel, of Paterson, New Jersey, has been decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroic action in combat against the Japanese in the Coral Sea and Midway engagements. Sobel received his award from Admiral Halsey, senior bask force commander of the Pacific Fleet. The citation accompanying the decoration lauded Sobel for his accurate strafing and bombing of fleeing enemy forces as the gunner of a scouting plane “that obtained a bomb hit on a Japanese ship in the battle of Midway.”