Employees aboard Naval Support Activity (NSA) Philadelphia commemorated the atrocities of the Holocaust and the resilience of persecuted individuals at the annual Holocaust: Days of Remembrance special emphasis program on April 22.

The program, organized jointly by DLA Troop Support and the NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, featured a presentation by Holocaust survivor Fred Behrend.

"This year's theme, 'Learning from the Holocaust: Choosing to Act,' reminds us of the impact of one choice on another person's life," said Capt. Jim Johnson, director of International Programs at NAVSUP WSS, in his opening remarks.

Johnson went on to tell of his time at Yad Vashem, the World Center for Holocaust Research, Education, and Commemoration in Israel. There, he heard the story of a young German soldier who, despite hearing and seeing Nazi propaganda over much of his lifetime, made the choice to attempt rescue of Jewish prisoners from the concentration camp where he was stationed.

"The German soldier only saved three [lives before he was killed], and yet his story lives on, a stark reminder of the simple power of choice and what happens when we choose to act," Johnson said.

Then, Behrend took the stage to tell stories of his own.

"The Holocaust as I remember it started on November 9, 1938," Behrend began. "It was a day that I certainly won't forget."

Behrend recounted his trip to school that day, when he saw synagogues burning as firefighters watched and when he saw his own school burn just because it was run by Jewish teachers.

But instead of continuing to tell stories about the horrors of the Holocaust, Behrend focused on the positive work of people who supported the survivors.

He talked of organizations that placed war-orphaned children into homes across Europe and across the world; he wove a tale about an Allied Forces commanding officer who ordered a member of his squadron to bring blankets, clothes, and food to a concentration camp in support of a search for the squadron member's mother.

Behrend also placed emphasis on the people who survived and made meaningful, lasting contributions to society and our nation.

"Those of us who were saved and came [here] are very grateful to [the United States] for having accepted us, [and] this country, I've always felt, [also] owes a lot of thanks to those that chose to come here to make it what it is today," Behrend said. "We all are immigrants, and we all contribute our part to make this country great."

The Holocaust survivor received a standing ovation.

Other highlights of the event included a Commander's Coin presentation from Johnson on behalf of NAVSUP WSS Commander Rear Adm. Paul J. Verrastro and two musical selections sung by a chorus group consisting of federal employees.

A field activity of the Naval Supply Systems Command, NAVSUP WSS is the U.S. Navy's supply chain manager providing worldwide support to the aviation, surface ship, and submarine communities. NAVSUP WSS provides Navy, Marine Corps, joint and allied forces with products and services that deliver combat capability through logistics. There are more than 2,000 civilian and military personnel employed at its two Pennsylvania sites. The NAVSUP WSS Philadelphia site supports aircraft, while its Mechanicsburg site supports ships and submarines.

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