Mordechai Hod, Air Force commander during Six Day War, dies

Jerusalem Post ^ | Jun. 29, 2003 | THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNET STAFF

[yonif]

Codenamed Moked, the plan called for hitting 11 Egyptian airfields in the first wave. The planes were to take off at 7am on a carefully staggered schedule that would bring them simultaneously over airfields deep in Egypt, 45 minutes' flying time, and in nearby Sinai, 20 minutes' flying time. Total radio silence was to be maintained, even if a plane crashed en route. Only 12 planes were to be left behind to provide air defense for Israel. Within three hours, the first-wave planes were to rearm and strike again. These two blows would hopefully eliminate the Egyptian air force.

"Everything depended on our fooling the Egyptians for the 45 minutes until our first planes reached their targets," Mordechai Hod, who died at Tel Hashomer Hospital Saturday aged 76, told The Jerusalem Post in a 1997 interview. "These were the longest 45 minutes of my life."

On the night before the Six Day War, when unspoken fears of another Holocaust haunted the minds of many, if not most Israelis, no one slept as soundly as the general who was to strike the decisive first blow in the morning. His assurances of success were not fully believed even by his fellow generals, but his confidence did not waver.

Hod was the first cadet to graduate from the Air Force Flight School and was Chairman of the Board at Israel Aircraft Industries.

[yonif]

"Everything depended on our fooling the Egyptians for the 45 minutes until our first planes reached their targets," Mordechai Hod, who died at Tel Hashomer Hospital Saturday aged 76, told The Jerusalem Post in a 1997 interview. "These were the longest 45 minutes of my life."

[MEG33]

May the mourning be comforted.A real hero.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

I really enjoy the stories of past Israeli operations. They were usually bold and brilliant. Unfortunately it seems to require the death of one the participants to bring these stories to light.

[gaspar]

I was in Cairo on that day, and the air raid sirens went off at 9:15 in the morning. By then the military airports at Cairo and Helwan were burning, and, in reality, the war was over. The bombing was so precise that planes that struck an airport outside Alexandria didn't bother with the dummy targets placed around the field. With the Egyptian air force gone the Israeli victory was assured in the Sinai. Tragically, it was also the end of "Cosmopolitain" Egypt. Nasser made it a point to destroy the Mediterranean community in Alexandria, and Cairo was never the same thereafter.

[klpt]

[klpt]

[July 4th]

I really enjoy the stories of past Israeli operations. They were usually bold and brilliant.

I totally agree. Israel has survived because she always had the brains and balls to pull off plans like this. (Osirak, etc.)

[VOA]

an amateur plane-spotter asks the local experts:

1. What is the plane in the top series of photos? A Mig?

2. What are the planes in the lower photo? Marting/Canberra bombers?

Even if my amateur guesses deliver laughs, I am interested...

[I got the rope]

I always enjoy your posts. Please feel free to ping me anytime, and God bless Israel.

BTTT.

[Snickersnee]

My surmise on those planes in the pictures -- top one looks to be a Sukhoi 17 fighter-bomber; the bottom two look like squashed Antonov 26 tactical transports.

[Snickersnee]

Did I say An-26? I meant An-24. And I can't blame FFS (fat finger syndrome) either!

[yonif]

[yonif]

What kind of plane do you think is post #14 that shows the IAF commander?

[Snickersnee]

Mirage IIIC -- (it says so!)