This is my father, Harry David Leviash, first generation born in the USA.
His mother and father immigrated to The US from Odessa,
which is now part of the Ukraine.
He enlisted in 1917 at the age of 19 in the US Navy to fight in WWl.
The picture was taken in 1919 after he had earned his stripes. He was a
Petty Officer First Class Cryptologic Technician.
The fact that this picture still exists in any form is a treasure for me.
The ship he was assigned to, had a very interesting history.
He was assigned to, what was first called, “The Vaterland,” a gigantic cruise ship belonging to a German-American shipping company. It was seized by the US when the war broke out and was re-commissioned as a transport ship to send troops to Europe. It was renamed, “Leviathan” by President Woodrow Wilson,
My father became the right hand man for the Captain, Joseph Wallace Oman, who enjoyed his quick intelligence and work ethic, as well as his sharp sense of humor. He nicknamed him, “Leviash of the Leviathan” and they took thousands of troops to first Liverpool, England and the 2nd voyage to Brest, France.
During the war the ship made ten round trips transporting more than 119,000 troops to Europe. On its last voyage, it brought troops back in 1919.
The Captain asked my father what he wanted to do when he finished his service and my father answered, that he wasn’t really sure. The Captain made him an offer. He said,”When you decide, you let me know.” Two years later my father wrote to him, saying that he wanted to go to Dental School.
The Captain got him a full scholarship at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (He was originally from Chicago)
So I owe that Captain too, because it was years later that he met my mother in Milwaukee…otherwise…who knows if I would even be here:):)
❤️Thank you for your service Daddy.❤️
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story!
Ohh thank you Linda and I would love to talk sometime. Big hugs and thinking of you ❤️🤗
those photos are treasure!❤️🙏🏼 what a sensitive, beautiful telling!!! just so meaningful to me, very touching: thank you for it🌹🌹🌹❤️🙏🏼
Thank you my soulkin. This is a story both my father and mother told me as I was growing up. Our family destiny was at work from the time his parents left Odessa to immigrate to the US and then..what luck he became “Leviash of the Leviathan” Knowing your history , ancient and now, I can see why you would enjoy this. See, I could never tell these stories until I “came out” about being 76. Even so, most of my peer’s fathers fought in WWll but my father was an established dentist of 50 when I was finally born. Thank you so much for enjoying this so deeply. 🤗🌹❤️🎈🌈
i knew so little about your father, it was a delight to see how the magic worked out in his life to bless your multiple life-paths🌈✨❤️
Yes exactly… I love seeing that ancient “ root system “ too. Puts everything in perspective, especially how grateful I feel 🤗
👍🏼🤗❤️🙏🏼
Aww such a lovely story Karima❤️
These photographs are gold.
I have similar ones .
Thank you for sharing xxx
Oh yes, Maggie, photos of this kind, over a 105 years old, are priceless. I’m sure you have inherited many in your family too.. It’s our history. It helps us to see the reality of the stories we have been told. My pleasure and so glad you enjoyed this post.❤️
I do have many Karima.
My father was at sea too
They are irreplacable❤️
I always enjoy your posts😊.
I hope you are well.🙏
Hugs 🥰
Oh you must just treasure them too. Thank you so much for your kind words about my posts..I am well thank you..hope you are too and big Hugs Maggie 🤗
Thank you so much for sharing Karima.
Hugs Gabriela..Now that I have “come out”as my real me, stories like this are more possible..:) I am so happy I could share a bit about my beloved father with you..and you know from my poem, in “Hidden in Childhood” about the trauma in me that surrounded his death when I was just 11. 🤗
I vividly remember that poem. It made a lasting impression on me. I am glad you could share your feeling with people around you. Love you hon. May your evening be magic.
xo
Oh yes, it was the first time I ever wrote that down. Hugs..Thank you for offering a safe space to share with others those lasting traumas and memories of our childhood, Gabriela 🌹
How amazing! Wonderful story, and very precious pictures. WWI, wow. And impressing people deeply clearly runs in your family. 🙂
(I do sometimes wonder how many of our ephemeral digital ones people will still be able to find in a century!)
Thanks Dale and they certainly don’t makes photographs nowadays or 20 years ago that will stand the test of time. The photo of my sailor dad is 105 wow!! He was born in the 19th century Thats real history told from one to another in our family. I just love that continuity and tracing our path of destiny as far back as we can . Thank you for your appreciation
Thank you for this story, Karima. What a generous captain your dad worked under! Indeed, thanks to him for his service.
Thank you Steve for reading my post and leaving this beautiful comment. Yes indeed, my father was so lucky to serve under him.
Your post also makes me think of dear, late dad who served in WWII in the King’s Own Grenadier Guards and, though an enlisted man, became friends with an officer who was badly injured. No doubt the fact that they were the only survivors of a regiment of 600 had something to do with their bond. They remained friends until death. My dad never talked about it. I can’t imagine what our ancestors went through in war… 🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing your own story and yes, lifetime bonds can be born from extreme shared hardships. Your story is a wonderful example of that, Steve.
You’re welcome and thank you, too, Karima. I also really liked the photo. I love those old images and the feelings they evoke.
Thank you for sharing your father’s story Karima…i love stories like this, for this is a manifestation that in a world where men are deemed to be abusive and fathers are manipulative and (abusive too); there are (and were) men who are (were) really good at simply being the “man”….your thoughtful story telling about your dad speaks a lot about him being a good one..
Thank yoi for sharing Karima❤️
Thank you Mich and yes definitely, my dad was one of the good ones. Unfortunately he died when I was only 11, so I didn’t get a long lifetime with him, but still remember many stories we lived together. He was an avid horseback rider, among other things, and taught me to love horses and baseball too:) Thank you for your thoughtful comment, and you are right, many are not as lucky.
What a beautiful share and a treasured memory Karima! The pictures are just amazing. I’m glad you’re hear thanks to your mom and “daddy and his service”. Sending love gratitude to you and to the wonderful father he was to you! ❣️
Aww thank you so much Cindy..I am very proud of him and he survived a bout on board ship in 1918 of the Spanish Flu that sickened over 2000 people and killed 80. Can you imagine?? But here I am..and these are the stories we cherish learning from our family members who have paved the way so we could have life..the mind boggles really:):) Thank you for your blessings. 🙏❤️
You’re so very welcome Karima. As you should be. That is truly history in the making and it was wild how many were killed by that. The “Covid” maybe of his time. No I cannot! It’s truly wonderful you have such heartfelt memories. It does boggle the mind for sure!!!! You’re so very welcome! 💞
Yes The Covid of their time… Thank you again for adding to the discussion.. Big hugs and I appreciate you too 🤗
Una historia que toca las fibras sensibles del corazón. Debes de sentirte orgullosa y afortunada de tener unos padres como los tuyos. Uno vomo emigrante, se identifica rapidamente con tu historia. Un gran abrazo Karima.
Muchas gracias Manuel por tu lindo comentario. Sí es un regalo de sentirnos orgullosos de nuestros padres, Yo soy también immigrante dos veces. Primero a Costa Rica donde estoy desde 1975 pero también de Jordania, donde vivi entre 2000- 2009. Un abrazote para ti también Manuel. Espero que estés en buena salud y ánimos.
De eso se trata: tener buen ánimo para disfrutar de la vida. Un abrazo Karina. Gracias por tu buenos deseos
Siempre mis mejores deseos para tí, Manuel:)
Gracias Karima
What a lovely story for Memorial Day. I often listen to the tape my grandfather made recounting his memories of serving in the Great War.
Thank you so much David and how lucky you are to have these recordings. Only a few pictures are left from my father and some stories he told, but they mean so much to me.
This is such a sweet story! I loved learning about this transport ship and your father’s role on it and how the captain came through on his promise. Lovely! <3
Aww thank you so much Layla..I’m so glad you found his history interesting, way back in the 1900’s, and yes..how wonderful the Captain really meant it when he made the promise
what a delightful tribute to your father!
Mine, my grandfather and 4 uncles served in WWI and WWII … so a family of canon fodder 🙂
Ohhh yes..I think my dad was lucky to be a decoder and telegraph operator in the Navy. That war (like all wars) was brutal. I am not a big fan, but my dad battled with the Spanish flu on board ship, 2000 cases and 80 died going across the Atlantic in 2019. Thank you Kate for reading ad commenting.
glad your Dad got through it all and had you Karima!
What a wonderful story and memories! I treasure old photos like this; they are so rare.
OH I know..they are priceless..Imagine that photo of my sailor father is over 100 years old.!! So glad you enjoyed his story, Dawn.. Thank you for stopping by:)
Nice to see these pictures. They hold so much history and a view into a special time and place. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Ben, they are very precious to me personally and historically they are priceless, They hold moments in time, some over 100 years old. So glad you enjoyed my father’s story:)
Dear Karima, what a unique and beautiful story, and so were the pictures. Your father made quite a lasting image on others. What a blessing he was giving and to have someone keep their word and then follow through sending your father to Dental School. What a blessings and such a truly beautiful story. It is truly hard to imagine so many men who were so brave. Is he holding you here dear Karima? Thank you for sharing such a precious story with us. I love you my friend. Big hugs and lots of love always, Joni
Thank you so much Joni for your tender comment. Yes, it’s amazing that the Captain came through with what he promised. My dad taught me “A promise made is a debt unpaid” I still live today with that reminder. That’s me as a baby with my dad. He was an older dad, was 50 when I was born, and had been an established dentist in Milwaukee for decades, when he met my mom there…Thank you dear one for appreciating his story so much. That means a lot to me. Big hugs Joni and hope you are doing well even in, I know, the stressful times you are going through. Much love and my very best wishes for you, always.
Another very moving post!
Thank you!! My dad had some good luck. He even survived The Spanish flu on one crossing.