169. Mala — Calanit
type: str
Departed Southern France Jul 1948, arrived 11 Jul 1948
ex-USS Mayflower, built 1896, 1780 gross tons, ex-yacht
1200 passengers
Former US presidential yacht Mayflower. Passengers included some from Exodus. Manned by American volunteers.
Note: Mala is recognized as an Aliyah Bet ship although it arrived after Israeli independence.
168. Altalena — Altalena
type: LST
Departed Port de Bouc, France 13 Jun 1948, arrived 22 Jun 1948
ex-LST-138, built 1944, 1820 gross tons, former landing ship
930 passengers
Irgun ship with 930 passengers & arms, beached at Tel Aviv during truce. Ship was attacked by Israeli Army over confusion as to disposition of armaments aboard. Ship was abandoned on fire. Menachem Begin boarded the ship when it arrived.
Name: Altalena was the pen name used by Jabotinsky in his youth.
Note: Altalena is not an Aliyah Bet ship but listed for information purposes.
167. Krav Emek Ayalon — Fabio
Departed Bandol, France 20 May 1948, arrived 29 May 1948
706 passengers
Arrived after independence, escorted by the first Israeli warship, the Eilat, formerly the Northland (No. 147). Passengers landed at Caesarea.
Name : Battle of the Ayalon Valley.
Photograph source: 75 Years of Hebrew Shipping
166. Medinat Yisrael — Orchidea
Departed Brindisi, Italy 8 May 1948, arrived 17 May 1948
built (unk), 240 tons
243 passengers. Included in list because it sailed before Independence.
Name: State of Israel.
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
165. Lanitzachon — Tuglia Cristina
Departed Brindisi, Italy 8 May 1948, arrived 17 May 1948
built (unk), about 220 tons
189 passengers
Captured by HMS Pelican. Included in list because it sailed before Independence.
Name means “To Victory.”
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
164. Nakhshon — Tadorne
type: trwlr
Departed Formia, Italy 14 Apr 1948, arrived 26 Apr 1948
ex-Tadorne, ex-La Savoie, built 1906, 402 gross tons, trawler
553 passengers
Engine trouble on first departure and immigrants transferred to Yehiam (No. 161). Picked up new passengers after repairs. 331 men, 177 women, 45 children. Severe resistance to British, many injured. Captured by the sloop Pelican off Haifa.
Name: a kibbutz in northern Israel.
Photograph source: Jack Lennard USHMM
163. Mishmar HaEmek — San Michele
type: m/v
Departed Formia, Italy 14 Apr 1948, arrived 24 Apr 1948
ex-San Michele, built 1947, 401 gross tons
782 passengers
379 men, 315 women, 99 children. Captured by the destroyer Chevron off Haifa.
Name: a kibbutz in northern Israel, scene of an operation designed to break the siege of Jerusalem. +
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
162. Tirat Zvi — Vivare
type: schr
Departed Gaeta, Italy 3 Apr 1948, arrived 12 Apr 1948 check
ex-Vivare, built 1943, 446 gross tons, 1 mast coastal vessel
817 passengers
Captured by destroyer Virago. 467 men, 274 women, 70 children.
Name: Tirat Zvi Kibbutz which repelled an Arab attack with great loss on 20 Feb 1948; it was seen as a great victory.
161. Yehiam — Esmeralda
type: schr
Departed Gaeta, Italy 10 Mar 1948, arrived 29 Mar 1948
ex-Esmeralda, built 1944, 343 gross tons
771 passengers
Departed with only 238 passengers, took on 550 from Nakhshon (No. 164) when that ship’s engines broke down. Ship captured with no resistance by the destroyer Verulam. Immigrants taken to Cyprus on the Empire Rival.
Name: A kibbutz in Galilee taken by the Haganah, after a convoy sent to reinforce the kibbutz was ambushed and 47 soldiers were killed.
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
160. Bonim v’Lochamim — Rondine
type: schr
Departed Bakar, Yugoslavia 18 Feb 1948, arrived 28 Feb 1948
ex-Rondine, built 1945, 410 gross tons (see No. 109)
982 passengers
This was Rondine’s third trip. Carried 511 men, 286 women, 172 children. Intercepted off Cape Carmel by the destroyer Venus. Refugees sent to Cyprus on the Empire Rival.
Name means “Builders and Fighters.”
Photograph source: http://palyam.org