Henry Litvin

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Bio

Henry Litvin was born on March 20, 1923, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed high school and college there and earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Always a city boy, Henry had never gone farther from home than Florida before suddenly finding himself in the midst of war.

Before the Korean War began, Henry was recruited to enlist for two years of Naval service in exchange for four years of salary, which would help him through his unpaid medical internship at Philadelphia General Hospital. With World War II having recently ended, Henry never expected to end up in a far-off foreign war fighting with the Marine Corps. Nevertheless, after completing his internship, he was immediately deployed to Korea in September 1950, participating in both the Battle of Incheon and the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.
Henry served as a Navy Doctor with the United States 2nd Infantry Battalion, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division. On September 15, 1950, he was transferred to Incheon and took part in the surprise amphibious assault. Handed a rifle on an assault vehicle, Henry, never having attended basic training, swapped it for a sidearm. He soon found himself on the front lines, without sterile materials, food, water, or warmth—challenges that made treating patients in combat especially difficult. As a doctor, he had to accept that he could not save everyone, particularly during the brutal winter at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, when his fingers went numb.

After his intense service, Henry was honorably discharged from the Marines on March 1, 1951, having saved many lives. The impact of his time in the Marines has stayed with him throughout the years. Even today, Henry remembers in startling detail how a dog’s barking saved him and others from an explosion caused by an oil leak. He also vividly recalls seeing Ewha Womens University, which is still standing today, and crossing the Han River to retake Seoul from Chinese troops.

As a physician, Henry dedicated himself to providing the best medical care to every service member he treated. His memories of Korea and those he saved or lost remain powerful. During his retirement, he became a proud grandfather. Even after decades had passed, he still recalls his time in Korea with deep emotion and detail.