Modi Alon

Modi Alon was born in 1921 in Safed

Mordechai Alon was born in Safed in 1921 to Yaacov and Naomi Kalibansky, pioneers of the Second Aliyah. The family moved several times and settled in Tel Aviv, where he studied at the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium and joined the Haganah. After school he trained at Degania Alef, and in 1938 he was among the founders of Hanita.

In 1940 he joined the Royal Air Force and was trained in Egypt as a wireless operator. He later trained as a pilot in Rhodesia and served as a fighter pilot in Italy. He left the British service, returned home in 1946 and studied architecture at the Technion.

In 1947 he subdued a British soldier during the arrest of immigrants from the ship Haim Arlosoroff at Bat Galim. He was charged with assaulting the soldier and was acquitted.

He joined the Sherut Avir and in 1948 trained on the Avia S-199 in Czechoslovakia. On 29 May 1948 he was given command of 101 Squadron and flew in its first attack, near Isdud. On 3 June he shot down 2 Egyptian bombers over Tel Aviv.

On 16 October 1948 his plane crashed while returning to Herzliya from a mission, and he was killed. His wife Mina was pregnant, and his daughter Michal was born after his death. An air force base and Herzliya Airport were named after him.