Marcus
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David Daniel Marcus (1902-1948)
(Mickey Stone) |
David Daniel Marcus, the son of a Jewish family of Romanian origin, was born
in 1902 in New York. In 1924, he completed his studies at the West Point Military
Academy and, after three years of military service, he retired from the US Army
and began a legal career.
In 1940, he returned to the legal branch of the US Army and also served in
the training sector.
In 1944, he took part in parachuting in Normandy and later on served in the
Military Government in Germany, where he was appointed Head of the Unit for
War Crime Investigations.
In 1947, he was discharged from the US Army, with the rank of Colonel. At the
beginning of 1948, he complied with a request to serve as military adviser and
came to Israel, where he was known under the nickname of "Mickey Stone".
After studying the conditions of the country, he served in senior advisory and
training capacities in the Israel Defense Forces which had just been created
during the War of Independence. On May 28, 1948, he was appointed Commander
of the Jerusalem Front, with the rank of Aluf (Brigadier General).
He commanded the operations to breakthrough to Jerusalem (Operations "Bin-Nun"
and "Yoram"), as well as the building of the "Burma Road".
In Memory
of 31459 Brigadier General David (Mickey) Marcus, who fell in the War
of Independence on 4th of Sivan, 5708 (11.6.1948). He was loyal to the
Jewish People and to his home country of America.
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On June 11, 1948, at dawn, shortly before the first cease-fire took effect,
General Mickey Marcus was accidentally shot by a sentry who did not recognize
him, as he went outside the perimeter fence of his headquarters, near Abu-Gosh.
His coffin was flown to the United States and he was buried at West Point.
A memorial monument was set up at the site of his death.
Pictures by: Pinhas Baraq