Adel Amin Hafez
Encyclopedia
Adel Amin Hafez was Chief of Staff
of the Egyptian Air Force
from 1964 to 1966. In September 1949 he became the first Egyptian aviator to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an Egyptian aircraft. In October of the same year, he was granted the Golden Medal of Merit by King Farouk I of Egypt for the accomplishment.
during World War II
, in 1945 and 1946. He volunteered to participate in the 1948 Palestine war
as part of the Royal squadron, to undertake night raids and to transport troops.
After the Egyptian revolution of 1952, he was appointed commander of the transport fleet at Almaza Airport, and in 1953 he was appointed commander of the Heliopolis Air Force Base. In 1954, he was appointed commander of Almaza Air Force Base. During the 1956 Suez crisis
, Adel Hafez and some of the officers and servicemen of Almaza Air Force Base refused orders to vacate the base which was being subjected to fierce raids. They continued fighting in spite of the orders. He earned the Combined Advanced Studies Degree from the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow
in 1957, and graduated from the Higher War College at Nasser Academy while continuing serving his duties.
Adel Hafez was appointed Head of Air Force Operations from 1958 to 1962, Commander of the Air Force East Region from 1962 to 1964, and finally Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Air Force and Air Defence from 1964 to 1966. He received the First Class Distinguished Service Medal when he retired in 1966. In 1967, he volunteered during the Six-Day War
as an ordinary serviceman, assisting in removing bombs from the runways, which allowed some air force fighters to engage with Israeli jets.
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
of the Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
from 1964 to 1966. In September 1949 he became the first Egyptian aviator to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an Egyptian aircraft. In October of the same year, he was granted the Golden Medal of Merit by King Farouk I of Egypt for the accomplishment.
Early life and family
Adel Hafez was born in Cairo on March 1, 1919, to parents Amin (a police officer) and Shafiqa. He had seven brothers and two sisters, all currently deceased: Mohamed, an engineer; El-Sayed, a police Major-General; Ibrahim, a medical doctor who was the Deputy Director of the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority, Ministry of Justice; Mahmoud, a police Major-General; and Saad, an accountant, in addition to Salah, Hassan and Hussein who died in their youth. The sisters were Amina and Fatma. He married the late Enaya Aly Moussa in 1946 and had a son, Mohamed, and a daughter, Hala. Besides his son and daughter, he is also survived by his grandchildren Hisham Besheer, Karim Hafez, Mostafa Beshir and Khaled Hafez, and his great grandchildren Layla Beshir, Yaseen Beshir and Malek Hafez.Education and military career
Adel Hafez joined the Egyptian Military Academy in 1937 and graduated in 1939 with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Science. He earned a training certificate on fighter planes while serving in the British Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1945 and 1946. He volunteered to participate in the 1948 Palestine war
1948 Palestine war
The 1948 Palestine war refers to the events in the British Mandate of Palestine between the United Nations vote on the partition plan on November 30, 1947, to the end of the first Arab-Israeli war on July 20, 1949.The war is divided into two phases:...
as part of the Royal squadron, to undertake night raids and to transport troops.
After the Egyptian revolution of 1952, he was appointed commander of the transport fleet at Almaza Airport, and in 1953 he was appointed commander of the Heliopolis Air Force Base. In 1954, he was appointed commander of Almaza Air Force Base. During the 1956 Suez crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Adel Hafez and some of the officers and servicemen of Almaza Air Force Base refused orders to vacate the base which was being subjected to fierce raids. They continued fighting in spite of the orders. He earned the Combined Advanced Studies Degree from the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1957, and graduated from the Higher War College at Nasser Academy while continuing serving his duties.
Adel Hafez was appointed Head of Air Force Operations from 1958 to 1962, Commander of the Air Force East Region from 1962 to 1964, and finally Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Air Force and Air Defence from 1964 to 1966. He received the First Class Distinguished Service Medal when he retired in 1966. In 1967, he volunteered during the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
as an ordinary serviceman, assisting in removing bombs from the runways, which allowed some air force fighters to engage with Israeli jets.
External links
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