John Levitow’s remarkable journey from humble beginnings to extraordinary heights—quite literally—is truly inspiring. By the end of his service in the U.S. Air Force, he had earned the rare distinction of being the lowest-ranking airman ever to receive the Medal of Honor. This article examines his military career and the courageous actions he took in the face of great danger.
John Levitow’s enlistment in the US Air Force
John L. Levitow, hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, enlisted in the US Air Force in June 1966. Initially, he had planned to join the Navy but decided to switch to the Air Force at the last minute.
Upon his entry into the service, Levitow started his career as a civil engineer. At the same time, he trained as a loadmaster, a role that would later become crucial in his Air Force career. Loadmasters are tasked with overseeing the weighing and loading of cargo onto aircraft, managing passenger weight and seating arrangements, and ensuring that the aircraft maintains a safe center of gravity.
Incident in South Vietnam
On February 24, 1969, John Levitow served as loadmaster aboard a Douglas AC-47, call sign “Spooky 71,” which was armed for its mission. This aircraft, part of the 3rd Special Operations Squadron, was tasked with a nighttime operation over South Vietnam. Levitow’s role involved setting the ejection and ignition timer controls on Mark 24 magnesium flares before passing them to the gunner for deployment.
During the mission, the AC-47’s pilot, Maj. Kenneth Carpenter, spotted muzzle flashes near Long Binh Army Base and directed fire at the Viet Cong near Tan Son Nhut Air Base. While Levitow and the gunner were deploying flares from the cargo door, the aircraft was hit by a North Vietnamese mortar shell.
Extreme bravery in the face of mortal danger
The explosion resulted in injuries for everyone onboard. John Levitow suffered a concussion and over 40 shrapnel wounds to his back and legs. The blast also caused a burning flare to be ejected from the gunner’s hands, creating a grave threat to the aircraft. Had the remaining munitions exploded, it would’ve meant certain death for everyone.
Despite intense pain and severe dizziness, Levitow crawled to the flare, shielded it with his body and threw it out of the cargo door, where it ignited shortly afterward. While the AC-47 sustained considerable damage – with more than 3,500 holes in its fuselage and wings – it managed to return safely to base.
Presented with the Medal of Honor for exceptional heroism
John Levitow was awarded the Medal of Honor for exceptional heroism during wartime, making him the lowest-ranking airman to receive the US military’s highest honor. It was presented to him by President Richard Nixon in May 1970.
Among his other decorations were the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters and the National Defense Service Medal.
John Levitow’s legacy
John Levitow died of cancer in November 2000, at the age of 55. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
In his honor, the US Air Force created the John Levitow Award, which is presented to a graduate of the Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education. The winner of the annual award must finish in the top one percent of their class.
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Levitow’s honors didn’t stop there. In 1998, he was inducted into the Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame. A Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, named The Spirit of John L. Levitow, was also delivered to the 437th and 315th Airlift Wings stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. The aircraft was later transferred to the 105th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard.