Gittleson (b. 1932) was born in Brooklyn, New York but moved to Chicago at the age of eighteen. In 1952, he was drafted into the Army despite attempts to be recognized as a conscientious objector. Gittleson served in the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon as a dog handler and veterinary technician. Twenty-five years after the war, he reenlisted in the Illinois National Guard as a sergeant. He briefly attended the University of Illinois on the GI Bill and trained as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), working at Cook County General Hospital (Illinois), all while raising two children as a widower. Gittleson retired to Cambridge (Wisconsin) and has participated in numerous veterans groups including: the Jewish War Veterans, the Disabled American Veterans, the Military Canine Association, and the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association.
From the description of Oral history interview with Larry Gittleson, [sound recording], 1996. (Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center). WorldCat record id: 320897662
