1944: Finally Gay Navy Vet Gets Justice

                                                      Written by Jeff Katz 

Need more signs that the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is near? The Navy has made a major adjustment to one man’s record—70 years later! Get the story, after the jump.

The Associated Press broke the exclusive story of WWII vet Melvin Dwork, who was kicked out of the Navy in 1944 for being gay. At the time, Melvin was marked as having an “undesirable” discharge on his military record, but now it seems the Navy has changed that to an “honorable” discharge.

"I resented that word 'undesirable,'" Dwork told the AP. "That word really stuck in my craw. To me it was a terrible insult. It had to be righted. It's really worse than 'dishonorable.' I think it was the worst word they could have used."

They could have let you stay and serve your country in the first place, but I digress…

But now nearly 70 years later, the Navy contacted Dwork and told him that his record has been changed—marking what is believed to be the first time the Pentagon has taken such a step on behalf of a WW II vet since the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Because he is now classified as an “honorable” discharge, Dwork is also now eligible for military benefits, including health care and military burial.

There’s more to this compelling story—including how Dwork recently found out he was outed to the military in the first place—over at the AP’s story, here.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)  instinct magazine

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