Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון , which means Battle for Emek Ayalon was a wooden ship.
Registered name: Fabio
Nickname: המורד The Mutineer
Registry Number: L.R. No.: 5111529
Built: 1945, by Cantieri Navali Giuliano, Trieste
Length: 37.35 meters
Beam: 8.53 meters
Draft: 3.81 meters
Engine.: 4 Strokes, compound expansion eng. single action, 6 cylinders, built by Societe Anon. Ansaldo, Genova
Speed: 8 knots

Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון was acquired by Mossad leAliyah Bet, and sailed under Italian flag and with n Italian crew.

On May 20, 1948, Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון, the last (on the Haapalah list) "illegal" immigrant ship, sailed from Bandol, carrying 706 passengers, and an Italian crew.
David Stern served as commander aboard Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון.
Willie Rostoker served as second in command aboard Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון.
Ruth Chaikin served as Gidonit, wireless radio operator, aboard Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון.
Giladah Levi served as nurse aboard Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון.
Palyam.org cites: "She left the Bay of Bandol, France, carrying 705 Ma’apilim."
Ruth Cheikin cites: "The voyage was uneventful for the first ten days, and then we saw British planes overhead. The Olim were sent below and the deck was covered with a large tarpaulin. When we were only a day’s sailing from Haifa we saw a British
warship heading in our direction. The Palyam men on the ship brought up a
machine gun that we had brought with us, and pointed it toward the warship. I
received a helio message from the ship saying: “This is the Israeli warship,
“Eilat”. Ruthie, go to your station and receive orders for bringing the Olim into
Haifa. The sender, Shoshana.”"

On May 28-29, 1948, Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון arrived off Tel Aviv, which was being bombed by the Egyptians, accompanied by the first Israeli warship, INS Eilat (formerly Northland (#136)) to Caesarea קיסריה, where the 706 passengers were brought ashore safely.
Palyam.org cites: "On May 29th 1948, the Ma’apilim were debarked on the shore of Caesarea, with the aid of the Palyam boats. The vessel then headed for Haifa, whose port was still in British hands, but the Palyamnikim had left the vessel in a small launch, when it was still in the bay and made for the Kishon river area, east of the port, which was under the control of the Jewish forces."
Ruth Cheikin cites: "There were still British in the port of Haifa so we took the Olim to Caesarea and transferred them to shore in small boats. We, who had accompanied the Olim, and the Italian crew, continued to Haifa with the intention of docking as an ordinary merchant vessel. Matters, however, are never simple and we were held up at the entrance to the port and the Israelis were told to hide. We remained hidden for several hours. A small launch then approached the vessel, removed us, and took us ashore opposite the Kishon section of the harbor. We managed to get ashore before a British patrol boat reached our launch."
Unlike other Haapalah vessels, this voyage was completely legal, since Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון left Italy after the establishment of Israel.

Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון made two additional voyages with immigrants and volunteers for the War of Independence, and later served as a ship carrying arms for the Haganah.
In early September, 1948, Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון sailed from Gaeta, near Napoli to Haifa, carrying Maapilim and 31 South Africans coming to join Machal.
On September 17, 1948, Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון arrived.
At the end of 1948, she was sent back to Italy, and put up for sale.

In 1951, Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון was fitted for a test run through the Suez Canal, similar to Bat Galim in 1954, but the sailing was never carried out.

In 1954, Krav Emek Ayalon קרב עמק איילון was sold to Italy, and renamed Fabiola, and sailed under this name, under Italian flag.
Iin March, 1972, she was scrapped.