Al Schwimmer - 1917-2011

Al (Adolph) Schwimmer, one of the founders of the Israel Air Force and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and an Israel Prize laureate, died, Friday. He was 94.

Schwimmer, an American citizen, was born in New York in 1917. An aeronautics graduate and a licensed pilot, he served in the US Air Force during WWII, and was awarded a medal of valor.

In 1947 he volunteered to help the Haganah paramilitary group to acquire aircraft. Schwimmer formed an aviation company, purchased war surpluses and smuggled them to Israel via then-Czechoslovakia.

In 1950, however, he was convicted by US authorities of violating the UN imposed embargo for smuggling the planes. He was stripped of his rights, but not imprisoned. In 2001 he was pardoned by then President Bill Clinton.

"Ordered" by Israeli PM, David Ben-Gurion to leave the USA and start an aircraft overhauling facility in Israel, Schwimmer came to Israel and founded 'Bedek National Aviation Institute' - later to become the IAI.

He served as the technological advisor to the prime minister in two different governments in the 1970s, and founded the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Israel Institute of Technology.

In 2006 he was awarded the Israel Prize for his contributions to Israeli society.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• history
• weapons
• military
• Israel Aerospace Industry
• Al Schwimmer

[SchwimmerAJS]

Al Schwimmer, the pinnacle of success, honesty, and hope. May his soul rest in peace.

[kermsroomy]

@suzieq0452 You sound like such a lovely person. Too bad we don't live closer to each other.

[suzieq0452]

He's now helping jerry Falwell Stoke the Fires in the HOBS of HELL. BURN you FILTHY ZIONIST SPAWN of SATAN. Hope MORE Join you SOON as the ZIONIST 'christians" are hoping for the Rapture hope that comes soon also Takes ALL you FILTHY SCUM to the FIRES of HELL.