On May 29, 1948, Israel had dispatched four Avia S-199 aircraft, flown by Lou Lenart, Ezer Weizman, Modi Alon and Eddie Cohen, to attack the Egyptians between the Arab village of Isdud and the bridge over the Lachish River.
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Cohen, a Machal pilot from South Africa, was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, becoming the first casualty of the fledgling IAF.
This gave Israeli forces time to prepare for the Egyptians' northward advance, and they succeeded in halting the Egyptian advance at Ad Halom less than a week later.
Ad Halom |