A HISTORIC CEREMONY HONORING 99 YEAR OLD WORLD WAR II VETERAN AND HERO OSCEOLA “OZZIE” FLETCHER, HOSTED BY CONGRESSWOMAN YVETTE CLARKE, WAS RECENTLY HELD AT THE JEWISH CHILDREN’S MUSEUM.
Mr. Fletcher, a longtime resident of Crown Heights, finally received his long-deserved Purple Heart this past June in Washington, DC, after his heroic service went unrecognized for eight decades.
After being injured in an explosion, Fletcher was not awarded the Purple Heart, “due to the US Army’s policy against Black soldiers,” Congresswoman Clarke related in her remarks. “During that time they were often overlooked and deliberately denied the Purple Heart.”
After the war, Fletcher returned to New York and made Crown Heights his home. He has been married for 72 years and has 5 children, 7 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. He served in the NYPD for 26 years, was a teacher for 14 years, and worked as a community relations specialist in the District Attorney’s Office for 24 years.
“Ozzie, you are indeed an inspiration to us all,” Congresswoman Clarke said as she presented a proclamation to him, “in recognition of your service to our country, fighting to uphold human rights and aiding in the efforts to save Holocaust survivors.”
Distinguished attendees included Israeli Deputy Consul General Israel Nitzan, JCM Founder Devorah Halberstam, 71st Precinct Commanding Officer Inspector Joseph Hayward, Community Affairs Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Richie Taylor, NYPD Clergy Liaison and Flatbush COJO Board Member David Heskiel, Jewish Liaison to Congresswoman Clarke, Eli Slavin, 71st Precinct Community Affairs Detective Mike Baratta, Marine Park JCC President Shea Rubenstein, Crown Heights JCC Executive Director Rabbi Eli Cohen, and Flatbush COJO CEO Louis Welz.
Congresswoman Clarke invited numerous Holocaust survivors to attend the event. They all expressed Hakaras Hatov (appreciation) to Private First Class Fletcher.
