Abraham Krotoshinsky

Abraham Krotoshinsky (December 28, 1892 – November 24, 1953) was a United States Army soldier who received the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of his actions as part of The Lost Battalion during the final weeks of World War I.

Early life A son of Wolf Krotoshinsky, he was born in Plotsk, Poland, then part of the Russian Empire, and came to New York City in 1912 in order to escape service in the Russian Army. He initially worked as a barber "I ran away from Russia and came to America to escape military service. I hated Russia, its people, its government, in particular its cruel and inhuman treatment of Jews. Such a Government I refused to serve. "

Military service Krotoshinsky undertook initial training at Camp Upton, where he enjoyed his time in the Army. Shortly after his arrival in France, the 77th Division was sent to relieve the 42nd Division in the Lorraine, where the German Army sent up a welcome balloon which said "Goodbye, Forty-Second! Hello, Seventy-Seventh!.

After the war

Krotoshinsky portrayed himself in the 1919 film, The Lost Battalion (1919).

Krotoshinsky, with the help of Nathan Strauss, emigrated to Palestine, but found that he did not have the capital to farm successfully. He described himself as a Zionist. After his return to the United States in 1927, was given a job by executive order from President Calvin Coolidge with the United States Postal Service. where he served at the 221 East Thirty-Fourth Street Post-office until his death on 4 November 1953, at the age of 60. He was survived by three daughters, Mrs. Abigail Krotoshinsky (née Arkin) - a foster daughter, a brother Joseph, and, currently, has many descendants.

Popular culture He was portrayed by Arthur Kremer in the 2001 production of The Lost Battalion.