Jerry Hecht’s service journey began shortly after graduating from the University of Cincinnati Pharmacy College in 1952. Eager to contribute to the defense of our great nation, he enlisted in the United States Navy. His dedication and commitment quickly propelled him through the ranks, and he completed Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, followed by Main Propulsion School in Long Beach, California.
Hecht’s pivotal assignment came aboard the USS Duncan (DDR874) in San Diego. He assumed the destroyer’s Engineering Officer role from 1953 to 1956. His service was marked by three deployments to the western Pacific, where he faced the harrowing reality of operating off the coast of the Korean Peninsula during the height of the Korean War. On one unforgettable occasion, his ship came under fire from Communist forces in North Korea, a testament to his bravery.
Hecht received numerous accolades for his exemplary service, including the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with one star, and the China Service Medal. But Hecht says the honors also belong with his fellow servicemen – those who came home and those who didn’t.
“It is my privilege to call remembrance to their virtuous devotion to God and country and, in many cases, the ultimate sacrifice,” Hecht said. “May the memories of those so young, bright, and loved not become a relic of the past and the last vestige of a dying democracy. Some historians call the Korean Conflict “the forgotten war,” but it is nothing to mock for those who served and the 36,000 who died. The patriots, Americans who responded to the bugle’s call, are the envy and luxury that few nations possess.”
Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, Hecht returned to his beloved hometown of Cincinnati, where he spent the next five decades as a dedicated pharmacist, serving his community with the same selflessness he displayed in uniform.
Hecht’s journey is not only defined by his service but also by his enduring love and commitment to his family. He and his wife Beverly have shared 70 years of marriage, and together, they have raised eight children. Notably, two of their children, LTC Robert Hecht, United States Air Force (Retired), and CAPT Richard Hecht, United States Navy, have followed in their father’s footsteps, serving in the U.S. military.