Albert Bitton joined the Army after graduating from High School with hopes of receiving the training and financial help to someday become a surgeon. "He enlisted for the benefits, to pay for medical school," said his wife Melissa Handleman. But also, in his heart, he wanted to fight for his country." Bitton was killed in Baghdad when the Humvee he was in hit an improvisded explosive devise. Bitton, 20, who grew up in Chicago's West Rogers Park neighborhood, joined the Army in December 2005 and served as a medic in Iraq, where he had been stationed since October. He was scheduled to return home in January 2009, family and friends said. Rabbi Leonard Matanky, dean of Ida Crown, remembered Bitton as an enthusiastic student who quickly caught up to his peers in the school's Jewish studies program, despite having attended public schools until 9th grade. Rabbi Matanky dsaid that Bitton had approaced him for a pair of Tefillin for his Bar Mitzvah. The rabbi gave him a pair with one condition, he must put on his Tifillin each day. Rabbi Matanky said, that in fact, Bitton had kept his promise, and put on his Tefillin each day. Bitton graduated in 2005 from Ida Crown Jewish Academy. "He was a true Baal Chesed," Rabbi Matanky said. "Even from Iraq, he would send emails." Albert Bitton will always be remembered as a true Jewish and American hero.