No Trophy No Sword: An American Volunteer in the Israeli Air Force During the 1948 War of Independence [Hardcover]

Harold Livingston (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

They called themselves the Bagel Lancers, a handful of American Jews who volunteered to fly military supplies through the British blockade to Palestine. The Air Transport Command, as they were officially designated, hauled machine guns and disassembled fighter planes to the people who would soon be defending themselves against five Arab armies. An Army Air Corps veteran of WW II, Livingston ( Star Trek: The Movie ) here presents a lively but helter-skelter account of his experiences as one of the 1948 volunteers. He recalls the tense flights in overloaded planes, the attempt of an Egyptian agent to recruit him for the Arab side and the squabbling between the Irgun and Haganah ("It was so typical: show me two Jews and I'll show you five political parties"). The final section of this lighthearted memoir is the most focused. Livingston relates that the Israeli Army required the American volunteers to renounce their U.S. citizenship. Objecting vociferously at being presented with such a dilemma, the author decided to remain an American. Photos.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Livingston (To Die in Babylon, LJ 10/15/93) here recounts the greatest adventure he would ever know: he shares the true story of how a ragtag fleet of predominantly American Jewish volunteers were assembled to form what would eventually become the revered and indomitable Israeli Air Force. Just prior to the 1948 war for independence, a group of American and foreign Air Force veterans banded together in an effort to help the Israelis attain their goal of becoming a nation. Livingston masterfully delineates the austere realities that he and his compatriots endured and describes dozens of diminutive victories, secured not by acts of military genius but by jury-rigging, bribery, courage, and luck. The result is an astonishing and deftly told account of the role Livingston played in the historic battle to preserve a people and give birth to the state of Israel. Highly recommended for public libraries.
Charles A. Weiss, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 8 pages
• Publisher: Edition Q (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883695031
• ISBN-13: 978-1883695033
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,061,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dedication and bravery at its best, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: No Trophy No Sword: An American Volunteer in the Israeli Air Force During the 1948 War of Independence (Hardcover)

Mr. Livingston does a superb job of describing the dedication and bravery of these Americans who sacrificed their careers, families and most of all their lives in the quest for Israel's freedom. The majority of these volunteers had already served in the U.S. Armed Forces in defeating the Nazi, but the former didn't adapt the "let someone else fight this war" attitude, instead, they stepped up when called upon.

The author keeps the readers interest in tact with very accurate details of events, individuals and the different government sources involved (with the later often to the detriment of the mission.) The author adds the reality of differing philosophies when it came time to place Israel's future in front of individual contributions. Especially interesting was learning how these volunteers undertook missions that offered little or no safety precautions for them in case of an air crash, or what to expect from foreign, and sometimes their own governments during these operations.

There is much to learn from this book, mostly new information, and some already known, such as the Truman Administration being intimidated and manipulated by the Soviet Union in the former Palestine as it was throughout Eastern Europe during this era.

When the reader finishes this book they will be amazed by how much was accomplished by these individuals and the Israeli forces in such a short period of time.

Anyone interested in history and human sacrifice will benefit from Mr. Livingston's story.