On Sunday, April 17, at 10 a.m., the American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation (AVILC), in conjunction with the Israeli Consulate in New York, will commemorate one of the most remarkable events of the 20th Century at the Jewish Chapel of the United States Military Academy at West Point. In the presence of senior military and diplomatic officials, and veterans of Israel’s War of Independence, representatives of the Czech Republic and Slovakia will be formally honored for the vital assistance rendered by their predecessor state, Czechoslovakia, during Israel’s 1948 War of Independence.
Czechoslovakia was the sole country to ignore the UN embargo on sale of arms to Israel. Between May and December, 1948, Czechoslovakia sold Israel 25 modified Messerschmitt Bf 109 and 27 British Spitfire fighter planes, 35,000 rifles, 6,000 machine guns and over 50 million rounds of ammunition. That help allowed Israel to gain decisive air superiority and mount the offensive on the ground that ended the war on a victorious note. This crucial support was in line with a remarkable tradition of Czechoslovak friendship towards the Zionist movement, including the historic visit of Czechoslovak President Tomas Masaryk to Jewish communities in the pre-state Israel in 1923. Later, his son Jan Masaryk, as Foreign Minister, signed the first arms sales contract in early 1948.
This 50th Annual Mickey Marcus Memorial Service will pay formal respects to Col. David “Mickey” Marcus (USMA ’24), among the 41 American and Canadian volunteers who gave their lives during Israel’s War of Independence, and honor the Czech Republic and Slovakia for their significant contribution. The program takes place at the USMA Jewish Chapel, officiated by the Chaplains, with choir participation, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Col. Marcus’s grave site and concluding with the honor guard rendering a firing salute and the bugler sounding taps.
American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation is the successor organization of the American Veterans of Israel (AVI), whose members were the American and Canadian volunteers that served in MACHAL (Hebrew acronym for “Volunteers from Abroad”) during Israel’s War of Independence (1947–1949).
The community is invited to attend. West Point Security requires a government-issued photo ID.
For further details please contact Donna Parker, Rafi Marom or Si Spiegelman at [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected].
