In 2001, Todd S. Berkoff, 1995 graduate of Fairlawn High School, made it his personal mission to fill a haunting gap in his family's past. Todd's great-uncle, 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Berkoff, had been killed in action during World War II and his family knew little about the circumstances surrounding his death.

Todd Berkoff is a passionate historian. He majored in history at Boston University, then moved to Washington, D.C. to work as a legislative aide. He is currently earning his masters degree in foreign affairs from George Washington University. For years he has participated in Civil War reenactments, both in his native New Jersey and now in the Capitol area. He also conducts tours of Civil War battlefields for the National Park Service.

In December 2001, Todd began his research into his own family history. He sat down with his grandfather, Seymour Berkoff, and asked him, "What happened to your brother, Larry?" Seymour was hardly able to give Todd any information. In early 1943, at the age of 18, Larry had enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps and chosen for pilot training. Once trained, he was sent to Europe with his B-24 Liberator (a bomber plane) and a crew of seven. In September 1944, the Berkoff family received a heartbreaking, but standard, letter from the government that twenty-year-old 2nd Lt. Lawrence Berkoff had been killed in action. Todd's grandfather remembered that Larry's crew had written a kind letter to his family in 1946, but the letter had been lost. Larry's letters back home had disappeared, too, over the years.

The information available for Todd to begin his search was frustratingly sketchy. Todd pressed his grandfather to try to recall the name of just one member of Larry's crew. Seymour finally came up with a name: Al Rinz from Minnesota.

Todd located an Alphonse Rinz in Minnesota through phone records. When Al's wife answered the phone and learned who Todd was, she exclaimed, "My husband was always grateful for what he [Larry] did for the men!"

What had 2nd Lt. Berkoff, 856th Bomb Squad, 492nd Bomb Group, U.S. 8th Air Force, done? Todd did not know.

Al's wife explained: On a flight out of Harrington Airfield in England, Larry's plane began to experience mechanical failure. He ordered his crew to parachute out, and six men jumped to safety. Sergeant Al Rinz stayed in the plane with Larry until it careened along only 600 feet above the ground, then he too, managed to scramble out safely. Larry remained at the plane's controls until it crashed into a small field near the town of Lambourn, England and exploded into flames. Larry died upon impact.

Eventually Todd found three members of Larry's crew still alive and talked with the families of the other four. They gave him their support, approval and photos that helped him pursue his quest. Todd learned that Larry and his crew flew secret missions to drop supplies to the French resistance. These Americans were affectionately called "Carpetbaggers", and Todd discovered that there is a ‘Carpetbaggers' Aviation Museum in Harrington, England devoted to their contribution to victory in WWII.

When Todd contacted the museum, he found Roger Day, a local historian who had scanned the "Berkoff crash site" in Lambourn with his metal detector. Day told Todd, "Your great-uncle is mentioned in two books. His bravery is well-documented." Day led Todd to a remarkable connection: a 68-year-old man named Ron Gunner who had been seven years old in 1944. Ron Gunner and his mother had been staying in Lambourn at the time of the crash. They had been evacuated from London to escape the German bombings.

When Todd reached Gunner by phone, Gunner cried out, "For the past couple of years, I've been trying to find you [the Berkoff family]! Your great-uncle saved my life and the lives of dozens of civilians!"

Gunner had just been put to bed on September 8, 1944 when he spotted a plane on fire go past the window. He called out to his mother, and they watched the plane veer to avoid the town of Lambourn and crash into the top of a nearby hill. Gunner expressed disbelief that Larry had not been given a medal at the time of his death for saving the townspeople of Lambourn.

Todd determined to pursue a medal for his great-uncle. In September 2002, Todd sent the documentation he had assembled to the Secretary of the Air Force.

In January 2003, as a result of Todd's work, 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Berkoff was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "his outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty". Todd Berkoff and his family are overjoyed that Larry's bravery has at last been recognized.

Todd feels that his search to uncover a lost piece of his family's history allowed justice to be served after 60 years. As an historian, he hopes that the saga and success of his search will inspire others to pursue their own family history.

Reflecting, Todd sees a connection between his great-uncle's heroism in WWII and the accidental loss of life our troops have suffered in Iraq. "Soldiers have always been killed in wars in accidents. We have to appreciate the service and sacrifice of all our troops, even those not killed in combat."