On June 6 (D-Day), I read the sad New York Teacher article “Looking at losing our heartbeat” by Suzanne Popadin. It told the story of the danger Meyer Levin IS 285’s wonderful arts program faced due to a misguided desire of the powers that be to make the building a charter co-location.

The piece brought memories back to me due to an error. I was in the first full JHS 285 graduating class in 1958. The school was brand spanking new when I arrived there three years earlier. Contrary to the article, the school was not named for “writer, journalist and filmmaker Meyer Levin.” As a student I attended the dedication ceremony for Meyer Levin JHS. It was very touching as Leah Levin, the mother of the man for whom the school was named, spoke and then presented her personal memorabilia to our principal.

Sgt. Meyer Levin was a Jewish boy from Brooklyn who first broke into the headlines as bombardier on the plane piloted by Capt. Colin Kelley which sank the Japanese battleship Haruna. Later, Levin volunteered to be the spotter and bombardier for a combat mission near New Guinea. During its return, the B-17 made a forced landing into stormy seas. Levin remained in the plane and released the life raft which saved the lives of the three other crew members. He was injured while performing this selfless act and lost his life when the plane sank. Sgt. Levin is remembered as one of the first American heroes of World War II for sacrificing his own life to save members of his crew. Levin held three decorations for gallantry: the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and the Oak Leaf Cluster. He had enlisted in the Army Air Corps in June 1939.

Bernard A. Bilawsky, retired