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Specialist Third Class Sidney Levin

A young White man in a U.S. Army uniform.
  • Unit: United States Army Medical Service
  • Date of Birth: November 16, 1932
  • Entered the Military: December 14, 1954
  • Date of Death: May 15, 2023
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Place of Death: Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Award(s): Good Conduct Medal
  • Cemetery: Section 79, Site 1524. National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona
Contributed by Daniel Alvarado, Heri Imani, Kevin Lopez Morales, and Maryam Oudah
Mentored by Mrs. Annie Shanahan
Maryvale High School
2024/2025

Early Life

Sidney Levin’s life was dedicated to service. Born November 16, 1932, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Levin was raised by a hardworking and loving family. His parents, Rubin and Rae Levin, immigrated from Russia and became U.S. citizens. His father owned a Jewish bakery, and his mother was a businesswoman. Sidney had an older brother named LeRoy who shared his pharmacy business. 

Levin attended Central High School, where he graduated as a Barnwell Award Winner, a recognition for high academic achievement. He attended college at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, earning a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy in 1954.

Ruben Levin’s application for naturalization, May 23, 1919. National Archives and Records Administration.
A picture of Central High School in Philadelphia, where Sidney attended. Philadelphia School District.
The Levin family lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1950. National Archives and Records Administration.

Homefront

Philadelphia saw many advancements during the Korean War. The Philadelphia Navy Yard built and maintained many ships for the war. The city also saw an economic boost. The naval industry alone created approximately 3,700 new jobs by the end of 1951, but the war led to approximately 35,000 defense contracts with farmers and private companies. This, in turn, made Philadelphia very appealing.

This bustling time did not come without its downsides. Many men were drafted into the military from the city, leading to large protests. Additionally, there was a housing crisis because many people were moving into the city hoping to find a job, leading to high rent costs and a lack of suitable housing.

Philadelphian men being drafted during the Korean War at Schuylkill Arsenal, 1950. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries.
The first Red Cross shipment of blood to Korea from the Philadelphia International Airport, 1950. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries.
Photograph of a ship being built at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 2024. U.S Naval Institute.

Military Experience

Levin enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 14, 1954, where he was sent to Texas for basic training. He was then assigned to the United States Army Medical Service in Fort Carson, Colorado, where he trained as a pharmacy specialist and spent the rest of his military career. 

During his time there, Levin served as a ski patrol medic, helping injured skiers, and continued his pharmaceutical duties. He dispensed prescription drugs and provided medical support for soldiers.  

Levin earned his specialist third class rank and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal before he was discharged from active military duty on December 13, 1956, where he was released to the U.S. Army Reserve for eight years. He was then honorably discharged on December 14, 1962.

Sidney Levin’s DD-214, detailing his military service. Parts have been redacted for privacy reasons. National Archives and Records Administration.
A picture of Sidney during his time on active duty, and a photo of him being honored as a Veteran. Courtesy of Honey Levin. 

Veteran Experience

After being honorably discharged, Levin moved to Rydal, Pennsylvania, and continued his career in pharmacy. He founded a drug store chain with his brother. The chain grew to 26 stores. Levin eventually sold all but one of the stores in New Jersey. 

During this time, he married his loving wife, Honey, and helped raise his two stepdaughters. Once his daughters graduated from law school, after suffering from a heart attack, Levin moved his family to Scottsdale, Arizona, to enjoy the warm climate and sunny weather. 

Once in Arizona, Sidney became a favorite among the valley community. He was an exceptional advocate for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the AIDS epidemic. He also worked in many medical centers on Arizona’s Native American reservations and ran the pharmacy for Maricopa County.

Sidney Levin and his wife in Venice, Italy. Courtesy of Honey Levin. 
An award recognizing Sidney Levin’s outstanding performance at the Indian Health Service, 2003. Courtesy of Honey Levin
Sidney Levin meeting and celebrating with the tribal leader at Fort McDowell. Courtesy of Honey Levin.

Commemoration

Sidney Levin passed away on May 15, 2023, in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona.

Former President Joseph Biden signed a certificate honoring Levin’s sacrifice and service on May 15, 2023. Courtesy of Honey Levin.
Sidney Levin’s U.S. Army hat and the American flag used by the Honor Guard during his funeral. Courtesy of Honey Levin.
Sidney Levin’s grave at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona, February 25, 2025. Courtesy of Daniel Alvarado.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Central High School. Photograph. 2017. Philadelphia School District. https://www.philasd.org/centralhs/wp-content/uploads/sites/235/2017/05/DSC_0036.jpg.

Drafted men at Schuylkill Arsenal. Photograph. 1950. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/korean-war/. 

Levin Family Papers. Courtesy of Honey Levin.

Pennsylvania. Philadelphia. 1930 U.S. Census. Digital images. https://ancestryclasroom.com.

Pennsylvania. Philadelphia. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. https://ancestryclasroom.com.

[Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard]. Photograph. U.S. Naval Institute. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_2705.jpg.

Rubin Levin. Pennsylvania, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1795-1945. Digital Images. https://ancestryclasroom.com.

Shipping Blood to Korea, Philadelphia International Airport. Photograph. 1950. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/korean-war/. 

Sidney Levin, DD-214, Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Secondary Sources

Brockmeier, Erica. “The World’s First General Purpose Computer Turns 75.” Penn Today, February 11, 2021. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/worlds-first-general-purpose-computer-turns-75. 

Fox, Levi. “Korean War.” Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Updated April 4, 2022. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/korean-war/#external-resources.

“Historic Population in Pennsylvania, 1900-2010.” Penn State Harrisburg. Accessed April 13, 2025. https://pasdc.hbg.psu.edu/data/resources/historic-population-trends-1900-2010. 

“Justine Guichard – ‘A Korean Murder Case at the Intersection of Migration and Crime in Late 1950s Philadelphia.’” James Joo-Jin Kim Center for Korean Studies, University of Pennsylvania. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://korea.sas.upenn.edu/events/justine-guichard-korean-murder-case-intersection-migration-and-crime-late-1950s-philadelphia.

“Korean War.” Wessels Living History Farm. Updated January 21, 2023. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farming-in-the-1950s/farm-life/korean-war/.  

“Philadelphia Police: A History of Brutality.” Philly Power Research. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed December 13, 2024. https://www.phillypowerresearch.org/news/2022/3/23/philadelphia-police-a-history-of-brutality.

“Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.” 2024. Accessed April 13, 2025. https://www.phila.gov/media/20241017110851/PRHP-without-units-10-17-2024.pdf. 

“Sidney Levin.” Find a Grave. Updated May 16, 2023. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/254031365/sidney-levin. 

“Sidney Levin.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed January 22, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/SIDNEYLEVIN/a3905b.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.