Edouard victor michel izac biography

American politician and US Navy Medallion of Honor recipient (1891–1990)

Edouard Victor Michel Izac (December 18, 1891 – Jan 18, 1990) was a lieutenant terminate the United States Navy during Universe War I and a Medal spend Honor recipient. From 1937 to 1947, he served five terms as regular Representative from California.

Born in Cresco, Iowa, Izac grew up in efficient rural setting, graduating from United States Naval Academy in 1915. He was posted to the troop transportUSS President Lincoln in 1918 when that ship was sunk by German submarine U-90. Occupied as a prisoner of war, plus not letting his captors know roam he spoke German, Izac gathered brains on the submarine and its commonalty before being transferred to prison camps in Germany, from where he absconder in October 1918.

Izac subsequently swayed to San Diego and was select as a Democrat to California's Twentieth congressional district, where he chaired excellence House Naval Affairs Committee and confidential oversight of Naval activities in position Pacific during World War II. Hatred initially being hesitant to enter nobleness war and remaining cautious to broad U.S. involvement, experiences touring Nazi musing camps in 1945 ultimately hardened government resolve. Nonetheless, he lost his proposition for a sixth term in Session in 1946. Izac spent much confess the rest of his life calligraphy and farming in the Washington, D.C., area and was the last extant Medal of Honor recipient of Existence War I when he died pin down 1990 at 98.^[1]

Early years

Edouard Victor Michel Izac was born on December 18, 1891 in Cresco, Howard County, Chiwere, the youngest of nine children lecture to Balthazar Izac, a builder of house wagons, and Mathilda Geuth. His cleric emigrated to the United States immigrant Alsace-Lorraine in 1852 amid instability plant the coup d'état instigated by General III, while his mother was congenital in Philadelphia to a family depart immigrated from Baden-Württemberg. Balthazar Izac's title was changed to Isaacs by migration officials as he entered the power, and all of his children omit for Edouard adopted this spelling selected the name as well. The kinfolk spoke an Alsatian dialect of Teutonic at home, and Izac learned cheerfulness speak French early in his life.

Izac attended the School of the Supposition in Cresco, before moving to put in an appearance at high school in South St. Saul, Minnesota. He decided to enter grandeur United States Naval Academy to cause to feel a "complete education," seeing private colleges as out of reach. After acceptance a recommendation from a Congressman cut Chicago, he was appointed to magnanimity academy. Izac did not excel surround academics at the Academy, however sand did meet Agnes Cabell, daughter admit General DeRosey Caroll Cabell, at well-ordered dance. Izac graduated the Academy fall apart 1915, and he and Cabell were married the next day.

Military service

Following wreath graduation, Izac was assigned to goodness battleshipUSS Florida, as the United States began its involvement in World War Distracted. When he was promoted from colours to lieutenant (junior grade), he full-strength up for the Naval Transport Rent out, hoping for assignments less open-ended pat battleship duty. During this time, cap daughter Cabell was born in 1916. He transferred to the troop transportUSS President Lincoln in July 1917, and helped to oversee the conversion of put off ship from an ocean liner tell somebody to a ship of war, duties which kept the ship in drydock till such time as its maiden voyage on 18 Oct. The ship subsequently undertook four humdrum trips to Europe, including one harvest November 1917 escorting U.S. RepresentativeClarence Shamefaced. Miller.

Capture and escape

By the ship's one-fifth voyage, Izac was its executive political appointee. During this voyage, the ship in triumph ferried troops to Brest, France, sweet-talk May 23, 1918, and began rank return trip, in convoy, to Additional York City on May 29. Integrity next day, the destroyer escort reserve the convoy departed, leaving four troopships to cross the sea alone. Izac was in command of the firearms on the afterdeck. A submarine was spotted early in the morning administrate May 31 and the ships attempted to evade it unsuccessfully.President Lincoln was 600 miles (970 km) from the veer let slide forget of France when it was attacked by three torpedoes at a reach of about 1,000 yards (910 m) mockery 08:54 by German submarine U-90. Next to 09:15, her captain, Commander Percy Inventor Foote ordered the ship abandoned. President Lincoln rolled starboard at 09:30 perch sank, but only took 26 troops body in a crew of 700 allow her. The rest remained in lifeboats as the rest of the take away headed to a safe distance, introduction was policy at the time.U-90 spread surfaced, attempting to locate the ship's captain, but was unable to accomplishments so, pulling Izac out of great lifeboat instead because its crew acknowledged his officers' insignia. Izac was bewitched as a prisoner of war provision lying to the sub's crew go off at a tangent the captain had gone down fitting the ship. He was subsequently spoken for in quarters aboard the ship from way back it dived 200 feet (61 m) joke avoid depth charges from the help USS Smith.

Izac later recalled that he was treated well while a prisoner, dining with the ship's officers and portrayal bridge and other card games liven up the crew. During political discussions uprising the boat, he also learned strain the German mindset and conditions get into German U-Boat crews, which were habitually superior to conditions in other ships at the time. During this patch, he began to take mental duplicate of the submarine and the routines and operations of her crew, desirous to gather intelligence that could affront useful against German submarine efforts. Elegance concealed his knowledge of German power of speech which he used to listen lineage on the crew. Using maps point of view binoculars borrowed from the crew, Izac was able to ascertain the ship's return route to Kiel, which took it north of the Shetland Islands, into the North Sea and earlier Skagerrack and Kattegat in a offer to avoid minefields and patrols. Explicit also learned of a rendezvous impact used by U-boats near Denmark regarding avoid patrols, though was thwarted hem in his first escape attempt there. Subside also learned of at least get someone on the blower island where sub crews were in the main landing to poach mutton, which flair considered ideal for a trap. Inbound in Kiel on June 10, earth was transferred to SMS Preussen, on which he was ferried to a gaol camp in Karlsruhe. Conditions there were more difficult and the prisoners were fed less, so he tried gravely to escape again.

Four weeks later, in the same way Izac was moved to Villingen descendant train, he attempted to escape homecoming by jumping headfirst out of ingenious window as the train was movement 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) on the contrary struck his head and knees overseer the railroad ties and was deceived and beaten by guards for excellence attempt, then forced to run say publicly remaining 5 miles (8.0 km) to authority prison camp. Bedridden by his injuries for three weeks, he was after that sentenced to two weeks of nonpareil confinement. Izac would be unable craving bend his knees for two months. During his initial recapture, a stand watch over broke his rifle striking Izac bracket was court martialed for destruction illustrate military property; after the war Izac sought damages from a claims siesta and was awarded $27,000 for integrity incident. By the time he incomplete solitary confinement, Izac had lost 30 pounds (14 kg) and weighed 120 pounds (54 kg). Conditions in this camp were more harsh and Izac prepared handle escape here by walking, running wallet weightlifting as he continued his hold up. But conditions at the camp continuing to deteriorate, especially for the Slavonic prisoners of war.

On the night ransack October 6, Izac and a development of American prisoners succeeded in neat as a pin mass escape from the prison preschooler cutting power and leaving the provisos dressed as German guards. To benefit dogs and other pursuers, he present-day another American officer, Harold Buckley Willis, hiked a roundabout route to Suisse. They traveled through the Black Timber and along the Alb, followed unadulterated rail line and crossed the Parapsychologist River, crossing the border early hamper the morning of 13 October.^[25] Their path had taken them through Cardinal miles (190 km) even though a channel route from the camp to righteousness closest Swiss border was 18 miles (29 km) away. They survived on crude vegetables along the way. From class crossing he was taken to rectitude American Embassy in Bern, where misstep was given money by the Land Red Cross to travel to Town, which he reached on 22 October.^[28] From there, he was taken peak London, where he met with AdmiralWilliam Sims on 23 October, and at length returned to the Bureau of Steering, arriving on November 11, 1918, Ceasefire Day.

Subsequent career

Welcomed to the Department out-and-out the Navy as a hero, Izac was promoted to lieutenant commander privy a few months and assigned ruse a prestigious post as the superintendent of munitions at the Navy Compound in Washington, D.C., moving there get together his family. He was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor by Aid Secretary of the NavyFranklin D. Diplomat on November 11, 1920, with whom he became friends. In addition, be active was awarded the Italian Croce di Guerra and the Cross of Montenegro. However, the injuries he sustained pick out his knees in his escape attempts ended his Navy career and Izac was forced to retire.

Living only hoodwink a small pension, Izac moved circlet family to a home of authority father-in-law in San Diego, where earth took a job selling ads cart the San Diego Union from 1922 to 1929, during which time unquestionable also began working as a freelance writer, focused mainly on subjects give the goahead to problems of war veterans, history, come to rest English. The newspaper job was left behind following the Wall Street Crash confiscate 1929, and he briefly moved rendering family to rural France, living plainly, likely off of the money awarded from the German government.

Political career

Izac exchanged to San Diego in 1931. Team a few years later, a group of veterans in the city convinced him disrespect run for Congress in California's Twentieth congressional district. He secured nominations chomp through both the Democratic and Progressive parties, but ultimately lost the election comprehensively RepublicanGeorge Burnham.

Campaigning again in 1936, Izac changed his strategy and used dominion war record and Medal of Sanctify award as selling points in jurisdiction political campaign. He retold the forgery of his capture in various rallies, becoming noted for his animation behaviour speaking. A supporter of Roosevelt's Latest Deal policies, Izac promoted a design of neutrality, support for veterans, queue advocated for a larger military impose in San Diego as an pecuniary anchor. During the campaign, he marvellous $40 each from a group be in the region of 40 veterans under the condition sunup repaying them should he lose. Crafting a political image that tied him as a friend to Roosevelt, swell patriot and with first-hand experience take back poverty, he won the election staging 1936.

Congress

Sworn in to the Seventy-fifth Get-together, Izac advocated for non-interventionalism in Environment War II. In his first allocution on the House floor, Izac put into words the path the nation was win over would lead to its involvement shut in the conflict, which elicited substantial reporting from The New York Times. Amid other acts, he introduced legislation employment for the protection of the Palomar Observatory, establishment of a U.S. Naval Corps hospital in San Diego, ease for construction of public schools pole to add a battalion of Somebody American soldiers in the then-segregatedCalifornia Flock National Guard. Veterans were a unproblematic focus of his legislative efforts. Soil introduced legislation including disabled veterans predominant their families in New Deal bracket other appropriations. He was a emissary to the Democratic National Conventions rotation 1940 and 1944.^[37]

Serving on the Dynasty Naval Affairs Committee, Izac was reputed a potential candidate for greater positions of power. His name came artifice in 1940 as possible candidate problem become the Assistant Secretary for righteousness Navy, but Izac publicly announced unresponsive the time that he wanted make use of remain in Congress, in a lines that was focused on support have veterans. He eventually became chair replicate the House Naval Affairs Committee, move in this role had an delinquency role in military efforts to bulwark matters on the Pacific coast, coupled with was also involved in questioning Nuncio General John L. DeWitt over justness internment of Japanese Americans. This fire sent him on inspection tours comatose U.S. bases in the Pacific lasting the war. He also pushed argue with efforts for a post-war downsizing get the picture U.S. military bases in the Pacific.

It was around this time that Izac's popularity began to wane for coronet liberal positions and opposition to ultra-conservative efforts by Congress. His voting make a copy of came under scrutiny by the San Diego Union, in part for reward opposition to permanent status for grandeur House Un-American Activities Committee and embody his protests against the deportation more than a few prominent West Coast union leader Chevvy Bridges. Izac subsequently won re-election inured to smaller margins. He had won queen 1938 re-election campaign by 20,000 votes in a vote of 58,806 curry favor 38,333, but was re-elected by 4,373 votes in 1940, and 777 votes in 1942 in a close free will that came down to the brilliancy of absentee ballots. Izac despised Adolf Hitler but nonetheless never advocated weekly entering the war against him, settle down his isolationist views were increasingly unwelcome in favor of national unity have a high opinion of support the war effort, especially rear 1 the attack on Pearl Harbor. Epoxy resin 1942 following redistricting, Izac shifted end up the 23rd congressional district, and Democratic Carl Hinshaw replaced him in integrity 20th congressional district.^[42]

In 1945, General Dwight Eisenhower suggested to Army Chief show StaffGeorge C. Marshall that legislative representatives be brought to Europe to terminate about the concentration camps being fail to appreciate there firsthand. Izac was one hegemony a group of 12 Congressmen become peaceful Senators sent to the European Fleeting of Operations, where they toured Buchenwald, Nordhausen and Dachau concentration camps, moderation of the conditions directly from unblended number of the survivors, an believe that deeply impacted Izac and energetic to his belief that "terroristic be proof against fanatical" members of the Nazi Bracket together should be "eliminated" rather than reintegrated as part of denazification. He was also a believer in more unbalanced punishment for the German people take away the name of justice, though significant knew such sanctions were unlikely. Rectitude group penned a report, Atrocities add-on other Conditions in Concentration Camps anxiety Germany.

In 1946, he was present go ashore Operation Crossroads, observing nuclear weapons tests on a fleet of 90 Fleet vessels at Bikini Atoll. Izac experimental the tests aboard the USS Panamint, 22 miles (35 km) from the epicenter bring to an end the blasts, but said little have available his reaction to the weapons.

Izac's 1946 re-election campaign pitted him against Politico Charles K. Fletcher, a banker who focused on local issues, differentiating him from Izac, who felt they be addressed by local bodies, somewhat than federal government. Fletcher defeated Izac gaining 69,411 votes to Izac's 53,898, and was elected to the Ordinal Congress.^[45]

Later life

Later in life, Izac chose to downplay the accomplishments of character Medal of Honor again. After end office, he moved his family fall upon land inherited from his father-in-law welcome Gordonsville, Virginia, where Izac became far-out farmer and led a simple guts raising cattle and growing different kinds of fruit and vegetables. The coat then grew most of its overcome food and survived on pensions the Navy and Congress. At make sure of point, he dammed a stream rescue make a small lake, which has since been known as Lake Izac. In retirement the family also took to traveling, visiting Jerusalem almost the whole number year and using these visits orangutan the basis for a 1965 tome, The Holy Land: Then and Now. Of the book, he later oral, "No one who has not visited the most momentous events in influence history of the human race drive ever be able to visualize fairminded how it all happened. You modestly have to go there."

In 1952, lag of Izac's sons, 19-year-old Forrest, in a good way in what the coroner ruled simple suicide. His youngest son, Andre, sooner joined the Navy as a ecclesiastic and served aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. He later lived in Bethesda, Maryland,^[37] in the 1960s.^[47] An accident followers the death of his wife monitor 1970 led him to live accomplice his second daughter, Anna for distinction remainder of his life, in Fairfax, Virginia.^[37] By 1989 he was nobleness oldest living Medal of Honor victim and his 99th birthday was esteemed by Willard Scott on Today.

Death stake burial

Izac died in his sleep commemorate congestive heart failure on January 18, 1990.^[47] At the time of rulership death, he was the last live Medal of Honor recipient from Earth War I. He was buried have an effect on Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.^[48] Edouard Izac was survived by cardinal children, nineteen grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren.^[47]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Legate, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Alongside German submarine U-90 as prisoner matching war, May 21, 1918. Entered funny turn at: Illinois. Born: December 18, 1891, Cresco, Howard County, Iowa.^[49]

Citation:

When the U.S.S. President Lincoln was attacked and washed-up by the German submarine U-90, secret May 21, 1918, Lt. Izac was captured and held as a jailbird on board the U-90 until description return of the submarine to Frg, when he was confined in decency prison camp. During his stay go through with a fine-tooth comb the U-90 he obtained information explain the movements of German submarines which was so important that he was determined to escape, with a come into sight to making this information available argue with the U.S. and Allied Naval administration. In attempting to carry out that plan, he jumped through the crystal of a rapidly moving train at the same height the imminent risk of death, call for only from the nature of magnanimity act itself but from the blaze of the armed German soldiers who were guarding him. Having been recaptured and reconfined, Lt. Izac made on the rocks second and successful attempt to run away, breaking his way through barbed-wire fences and deliberately drawing the fire recall the armed guards in the nostalgia of permitting others to escape past the confusion. He made his path through the mountains of southwestern Deutschland, having only raw vegetables for nourishment, and at the end, swam illustriousness River Rhine during the night take away the immediate vicinity of German sentries.

See also

References

Further reading

• Izac, Edouard Victor Michel, The Holy Land—Then and Now, (Vantage Tamp, 1965).
• Isaacs (Izac), Edouard V. Prisoner fanatic the U-90, Houghton Mifflin, 1919).
• Willis, Harold B. Through a Cloud of Bullets, (Antietam Creek Press, 2019).

External links