Galilee Squadron
Encyclopedia
The Galilee Squadron was an aerial unit established by the Yeshuv (Jewish residents of Palestine) during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
to assist the Jewish war effort in northern Palestine
. Initially a part of the Sherut Avir
, the aerial arm of the Haganah
, it was absorbed into the fledgling Israeli Air Force
(IAF) upon the latter's formation on 28 May 1948. The unit served throughout the war, following which it was amalgamated with several other units to form the IAF's 100 Squadron
.
, the SA flew supply, communications, observation and medical evacuation flights, and occasionally even participated in combat.
As fighting intensified throughout the region in early 1948, however, the SA's sole squadron in Tel Aviv could not meet all operational needs. Soon new detachments were deployed to the Negev
and the Galilee
, where several aircraft begun operating from the former RAF
landing ground at Mahanayim in support of the newly formed Golani Brigade
. When the brigade moved its headquarters to Yavne'el
, three SA aircraft deployed to an airstrip constructed there. On 4 April 1948, two Auster Autocrat
s, three pilots and two mechanics, were formed into the SA's Galilee section, headed by Pesach Tolchinky. On 25 April, the unit was officially designated the SA's 3rd Squadron and given the callsign "Lavi" (Lion).
Early 1948 had seen the Yeshuv on the defensive, with Arab forces dominating the roads and attacking Jewish transportation. The squadron went into action on the very day of its formation. On 4 April, with Mishmar HaEmek
under assault from Fawzi al-Qawuqji
's Arab Liberation Army
(ALA), the squadron flew its first sorties, with Golani observers on board. Three days later it dropped ammunition to the beleaguered kibbutz
, and 9 April saw its first combat mission, dropping hand-held bombs on al-Qawuqji's Syrian artillery. In all, about a dozen sorties were flown during the Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
. The battle, in which the ALA was repulsed and neighbouring Palestinian villages taken, signaled a change of policy for Jewish forces in the north, and these now went on the offensive.
On 27 April, an Auster Autocrat assisted a Haganah force take control of the evacuated British Tegart fort
at Samakh
. Fighting intensified as the end of the British Mandate for Palestine drew near. During the first half of May, the squadron flew 180 sorties, an average of four sorties per pilot per day and as many as nine. These were predominantly reconnaissance, medical evacuation and supply flights, but also included combat missions. On 1 May, the settlement (moshav
) of Ramot Naftali
came under attack from ALA forces which far outnumbered and outgunned its 45 Jewish defenders. With Operation Yiftah and the battles for Safed
underway, there were no ground forces available. The Galilee Squadron came to its aid, making nine bombing and strafing sorties against the attacking forces; it suffered extensive damage from ground fire, but forced an Arab withdrawal and saved the moshav.
On 14 May, the squadron participated in the battle between the Lebanese Army and the Palmach
for Al-Malkiyya, which fell to the Lebanese. On the following night, the squadron went into action against Iraqi forces operating in the Jordan valley. Navigating by the fires caused by the Syrian bombardment of Masada
and Sha'ar HaGolan, an Autocrat attempted to bomb a bridge across the Jordan river, but instead hit fuel tanks of the Iraqi Petroleum Company, almost causing the aircraft to crash in the resulting explosion. May 16 witnessed the squadron assisting the Palmach to take the fort at Nabi Yusha
, which had already repulsed two assaults in April. The squadron's Autocrats and Fairchild Argus dropped incendiary bombs on the fort, but inflicted little damage. Its Lebanese defenders nevertheless abandoned it by morning to reinforce Al-Malkiyya.
The Arab invasion also introduced the prospect of encounters with the Syrian Air Force
(SAF). Although not particularly powerful, the SAF fielded the North American Harvard and Avro Anson
aircraft in the attack and bombing roles. Both were superior to what the squadron had available. Syrian Harvards twice, on May 17 and 19, attempted to shoot down the Galilee's light aircraft. Following the latter incident, the squadron was forced to relocate to Mahanayim after an SAF Harvard had followed its quarry to discover the airfield at Yavne'el. Soon, however, Mahanayim came under attack from both Syrian Harvards and artillery as well. On 9 June, the squadron moved to Ramat David
. Operations nevertheless continued apace, with no let-up in the fighting on several fronts.
The squadron returned to Al-Malkiyya on 29 May for the second battle at the village. Although the assault was successful, the village fell to Lebanese forces again on 5 June. It would change hands several more times until finally taken by Israeli forces. Late May and early June also witnessed the squadron support Israeli forces operating in the vicinity of Jenin
. Bombing missions were flown against the local police station, though Israeli forces were ultimately forced to withdraw. Shortly before the first truce of the war went into effect on 11 June, the squadron helped repulse an ALA assault on the town of Sejera and bombed the nearby village of Lubya
.
When fighting resumed on 9 July, Israel's primary objectives were the expulsion of the Arab Liberation Army and Syrian forces from the Galilee. Two Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) operations were therefore put into motion, Dekel
(Palm Tree) in the eastern Galilee and Brosh (Cypress) in the west, with the squadron supporting both. In the 10 days of fighting that raged until a second truce went into effect on July 18, the Galilee Squadron carried out 91 bombing sorties and dropped six tons of bombs.
The second truce of the war lasted until October 1948. The squadron spent this time stepping up training and reconnaissance flights. The airfield at Yavne'el, still threatened by the Syrian Air Force, was also upgraded with the installation of its first anti-aircraft cannons and decoy aircraft. Fighting in the Galilee resumed on 22 October with an attack by the ALA on Menara and the mountains overlooking the Galilee Panhandle. Israeli forces, supported by the Galilee Squadron, failed to dislodge the ALA from the territory it had captured. On 29 October, however, the IDF launched Operation Hiram
, which pushed the ALA back into Lebanon and effectively marked its demise. Hiram began with IAF air attacks against key village and ALA positions in the upper Galilee, though these were carried out by the IAF's heavier assets, such as 69 Squadron's B-17s and 103 Squadron's
C-47s
. The Galilee Squadron flew eight bombing sorties during the two-day operation, as well as reconnaissance and leaflet dropping missions.
In late November 1948, the coming of winter and the poor state of the airfield at Yavne'el once again prompted the squadron to relocate to Ramat David. A month later, the IAF decided to disband both the Galilee and Negev Squadrons, their role having been taken over by squadrons flying more capable aircraft. The two moved to Tel Nof
where they were amalgamated with the Tel Aviv Squadron to form the IAF's 100 "Flying Camel" Squadron. The Galilee Squadron was officially disbanded on 28 January 1949.
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
to assist the Jewish war effort in northern Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Initially a part of the Sherut Avir
Sherut Avir
The Sherut Avir was the air force of the Haganah and the forerunner of the Israeli Air Force.-Founding:The Sherut Avir was founded in November 1947, just two weeks prior to the passing of the 1947 UN Partition Plan which proposed the division of Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state.It was at...
, the aerial arm of the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, it was absorbed into the fledgling Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
(IAF) upon the latter's formation on 28 May 1948. The unit served throughout the war, following which it was amalgamated with several other units to form the IAF's 100 Squadron
100 Squadron (Israel)
The 100 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Flying Camel Squadron, is a Beech 200 squadron based at Sde Dov Airport.-References:...
.
Formation and initial operations
On 10 November 1947, with the impending decision on the partition of Palestine and the increasing likelihood of violent confrontations with their Arab neighbours, the leadership of the Yeshuv announced the establishment of the Sherut Avir (SA, Air Service). Operating a collection of light aircraft from Sde Dov outside Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, the SA flew supply, communications, observation and medical evacuation flights, and occasionally even participated in combat.
As fighting intensified throughout the region in early 1948, however, the SA's sole squadron in Tel Aviv could not meet all operational needs. Soon new detachments were deployed to the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
and the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, where several aircraft begun operating from the former RAF
Royal 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...
landing ground at Mahanayim in support of the newly formed Golani Brigade
Golani Brigade
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
. When the brigade moved its headquarters to Yavne'el
Yavne'el
Yavne'el is a moshava and a local council in the North District of Israel. It is named after a village in the tribe Naphtali , which was probably located on the tel north of the moshava. Located south-west of Tiberias, it was declared a local council in 1951...
, three SA aircraft deployed to an airstrip constructed there. On 4 April 1948, two Auster Autocrat
Auster Autocrat
-External links:*...
s, three pilots and two mechanics, were formed into the SA's Galilee section, headed by Pesach Tolchinky. On 25 April, the unit was officially designated the SA's 3rd Squadron and given the callsign "Lavi" (Lion).
Early 1948 had seen the Yeshuv on the defensive, with Arab forces dominating the roads and attacking Jewish transportation. The squadron went into action on the very day of its formation. On 4 April, with Mishmar HaEmek
Mishmar HaEmek
Mishmar HaEmek is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the western Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 964....
under assault from Fawzi al-Qawuqji
Fawzi Al-Qawuqji
Fawzi al-Qawuqji was the field commander of the Arab Liberation Army during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War in Palestine, and a rival of the principal Palestinian Arab leader, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini.-Biography:...
's Arab Liberation Army
Arab Liberation Army
The Arab Liberation Army , also translated as Arab Salvation Army, was an army of volunteers from Arab countries led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji...
(ALA), the squadron flew its first sorties, with Golani observers on board. Three days later it dropped ammunition to the beleaguered kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
, and 9 April saw its first combat mission, dropping hand-held bombs on al-Qawuqji's Syrian artillery. In all, about a dozen sorties were flown during the Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
Battle of Mishmar HaEmek
The Battle of Mishmar HaEmek was a ten-day battle fought from 4 to 15 April 1948 between the Arab Liberation Army commanded by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and the Haganah commanded by Yitzhak Sadeh...
. The battle, in which the ALA was repulsed and neighbouring Palestinian villages taken, signaled a change of policy for Jewish forces in the north, and these now went on the offensive.
On 27 April, an Auster Autocrat assisted a Haganah force take control of the evacuated British Tegart fort
Tegart fort
A Tegart fort is a style of militarized police "fortress" constructed throughout Palestine during the British Mandatory period.The forts are named after British police officer and engineer Sir Charles Tegart, who designed them in 1938 based on his experiences in the Indian insurgency.Tens of the...
at Samakh
Samakh, Tiberias
Samakh was a Palestinian Arab village located at the southern end of the Lake Tiberias in Palestine . It had a population of 3,320 Arab Muslims and Arab Christians in 1945...
. Fighting intensified as the end of the British Mandate for Palestine drew near. During the first half of May, the squadron flew 180 sorties, an average of four sorties per pilot per day and as many as nine. These were predominantly reconnaissance, medical evacuation and supply flights, but also included combat missions. On 1 May, the settlement (moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
) of Ramot Naftali
Ramot Naftali
Ramot Naftali is a moshav in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel, near Israel's border with Lebanon. It belongs to Mevo'ot HaHermon Regional Council....
came under attack from ALA forces which far outnumbered and outgunned its 45 Jewish defenders. With Operation Yiftah and the battles for Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
underway, there were no ground forces available. The Galilee Squadron came to its aid, making nine bombing and strafing sorties against the attacking forces; it suffered extensive damage from ground fire, but forced an Arab withdrawal and saved the moshav.
Israeli independence and Arab invasion
Following Israel's declaration of independence on 14 May 1948, the territory of the former Mandate of Palestine was invaded by several Arab armies. While the Galilee Squadron had hitherto faced the Arab Liberation Army and Palestinian irregulars, it was now forced to contend with the Lebanese, Iraqi and Syrian armies as well.On 14 May, the squadron participated in the battle between the Lebanese Army and the Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
for Al-Malkiyya, which fell to the Lebanese. On the following night, the squadron went into action against Iraqi forces operating in the Jordan valley. Navigating by the fires caused by the Syrian bombardment of Masada
Masada, Emek HaYarden
Masada is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the northern Jordan Valley near the Sea of Galilee, it falls under the jurisdiction of Emek HaYarden Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 296.-History:...
and Sha'ar HaGolan, an Autocrat attempted to bomb a bridge across the Jordan river, but instead hit fuel tanks of the Iraqi Petroleum Company, almost causing the aircraft to crash in the resulting explosion. May 16 witnessed the squadron assisting the Palmach to take the fort at Nabi Yusha
Metzudat Koach
The Metzudat Koach Memorial commemorates 28 soldiers who died during the 1948 conquest of a strategically important fort. The fort and observation point is located in the Upper Galilee, close to the tomb of Nabi Yusha...
, which had already repulsed two assaults in April. The squadron's Autocrats and Fairchild Argus dropped incendiary bombs on the fort, but inflicted little damage. Its Lebanese defenders nevertheless abandoned it by morning to reinforce Al-Malkiyya.
The Arab invasion also introduced the prospect of encounters with the Syrian Air Force
Syrian Air Force
The Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948.-History:The end of World War II led to a withdrawal of the United Kingdom and France from the Middle East, and this included a withdrawal from Syria...
(SAF). Although not particularly powerful, the SAF fielded the North American Harvard and Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
aircraft in the attack and bombing roles. Both were superior to what the squadron had available. Syrian Harvards twice, on May 17 and 19, attempted to shoot down the Galilee's light aircraft. Following the latter incident, the squadron was forced to relocate to Mahanayim after an SAF Harvard had followed its quarry to discover the airfield at Yavne'el. Soon, however, Mahanayim came under attack from both Syrian Harvards and artillery as well. On 9 June, the squadron moved to Ramat David
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Israeli Air Force Base is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force, located southeast of Haifa, close to kibbutz Ramat David and Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley...
. Operations nevertheless continued apace, with no let-up in the fighting on several fronts.
The squadron returned to Al-Malkiyya on 29 May for the second battle at the village. Although the assault was successful, the village fell to Lebanese forces again on 5 June. It would change hands several more times until finally taken by Israeli forces. Late May and early June also witnessed the squadron support Israeli forces operating in the vicinity of Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. Bombing missions were flown against the local police station, though Israeli forces were ultimately forced to withdraw. Shortly before the first truce of the war went into effect on 11 June, the squadron helped repulse an ALA assault on the town of Sejera and bombed the nearby village of Lubya
Lubya
Lubya was a Palestinian Arab town located ten kilometers west of Tiberias that was captured and destroyed by Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
.
Later activities
The first truce allowed both sides to regroup and recuperate. On the Israeli side, the pre-state institutions were transformed into the agencies of a state. The truce witnessed the transformation of the Israeli Air Force, formally established on May 28, into a comprehensive fighting force. The Sherut Avir was absorbed into this new organization, and it was reorganized, fighter aircraft were acquired and personnel recruited. The Galilee Squadron received new equipment and personnel as well, and exploited the lull in the fighting to conduct reconnaissance all over the north. On 19 June, it returned to Yavne'el.When fighting resumed on 9 July, Israel's primary objectives were the expulsion of the Arab Liberation Army and Syrian forces from the Galilee. Two Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) operations were therefore put into motion, Dekel
Operation Dekel
Operation Dekel , was the largest offensive in the north of Israel after the first truce of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was carried out by the 7th Armoured Brigade, a battalion from the Carmeli Brigade along with some elements from the Golani Brigade between 8–18 July. Its objective was to...
(Palm Tree) in the eastern Galilee and Brosh (Cypress) in the west, with the squadron supporting both. In the 10 days of fighting that raged until a second truce went into effect on July 18, the Galilee Squadron carried out 91 bombing sorties and dropped six tons of bombs.
The second truce of the war lasted until October 1948. The squadron spent this time stepping up training and reconnaissance flights. The airfield at Yavne'el, still threatened by the Syrian Air Force, was also upgraded with the installation of its first anti-aircraft cannons and decoy aircraft. Fighting in the Galilee resumed on 22 October with an attack by the ALA on Menara and the mountains overlooking the Galilee Panhandle. Israeli forces, supported by the Galilee Squadron, failed to dislodge the ALA from the territory it had captured. On 29 October, however, the IDF launched Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram
Operation Hiram was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It was led by General Moshe Carmel, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian battalion...
, which pushed the ALA back into Lebanon and effectively marked its demise. Hiram began with IAF air attacks against key village and ALA positions in the upper Galilee, though these were carried out by the IAF's heavier assets, such as 69 Squadron's B-17s and 103 Squadron's
103 Squadron (Israel)
The 103 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Elephants Squadron, is a C-130E and KC-130H squadron based at Nevatim Airbase.-References:...
C-47s
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
. The Galilee Squadron flew eight bombing sorties during the two-day operation, as well as reconnaissance and leaflet dropping missions.
In late November 1948, the coming of winter and the poor state of the airfield at Yavne'el once again prompted the squadron to relocate to Ramat David. A month later, the IAF decided to disband both the Galilee and Negev Squadrons, their role having been taken over by squadrons flying more capable aircraft. The two moved to Tel Nof
Tel Nof Airbase
Tel Nof Israeli Air Force , also known as Air Force Base 8, is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force. Tel Nof is located near Rehovot, Israel.-History:...
where they were amalgamated with the Tel Aviv Squadron to form the IAF's 100 "Flying Camel" Squadron. The Galilee Squadron was officially disbanded on 28 January 1949.
Commanders
- Pesach Tolchinky (6–21 April 1948)
- Daniel Bookstein (21 April – 10 May 1948)
- Moshe Feldman (10 May – 6 August 1948)
- Nahum Rapoport (6 August – 17 November 1948)
- Haim Goldman (17–30 November 1948)
- Yosef Steinman (30 November 1948 – 17 January 1949)
- Aharon Biran (17–30 January 1949)
Aircraft flown
- Taylorcraft BL
- Auster AOP5Taylorcraft AusterThe Taylorcraft Auster was a British military liaison and observation aircraft produced by the Taylorcraft Aeroplanes Limited company during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
- Auster J1 AutocratAuster Autocrat-External links:*...
- Fairchild F24R Argus
- Piper PA11-90 Super Cub