Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק was a wooden vessel.
Registered name: San Michele
Built: 1947
Engine: diesel engine, manufactured in Germany
Capacity: 650 tons
Crew: Italian crew including captain, a boatswain and two sailors and a mechanic, mechanic’s helper and a cook.

Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק made short runs to North Africa carrying agricultural produce, prior to being acquired by Mossad leAliyah Bet.

David Aisen cites: On April 10, 1948, San Michele sailed from Napoli.
She met a small boat at sea, that brought a group of 23 young people from Tripoli, to help with the Maapilim, and a supply of food and fruit.

David Aisen cites: On April 12, 1948, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele was off the coast of Formia, where a fishing boat brought boatloads of 100 Maapilim from shore each time, until they had loaded 700 passengers.
Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele was ordered away from shore, to return the next morning.
She came back later to pick up another 70 passengers, and a revolver with 7 rounds of ammunition and 20£ for use in an emergency.

On April 14, 1948, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele sailed from La Ciotat, carrying 782 passengers.
Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele was prepared for her voyage in Napoli.
Paul H. Silverstone's Aliyah Bet Project cites: Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele sailed from Formia, carrying 782 passengers: 379 men, 315 women, 99 children.
David Eisen served as Palyam Commander aboard Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele.
Teddy Vardi served as Palyam escort aboard Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele.
'Beni' Berkovitz served as Gidoni גדעוני, Wireless Radio Operator, aboard Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele.
The Palmach Information Center, in the biography of Benjamin 'Beni' Berkovitz Barkan, cites: On April 14, 1948, the Haapalah ship, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק, sailed from the port of Gaeta.

Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele sailed through the Stretto di Messina.
Her decks were kept clear of passengers so that they would not be recognized as an immigrant ship.
After leaving the Stretto di Messina, she entered stormy waters and was carried in a northeastern direction.
With no navigational instruments and blown off course, away from land, she took two days to make it below Greece, at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea.
The storm strained the engine, and she was limited to 3-4 knots.
She sailed south of Crete, taking three days to sail past the island.
Two days later, she was asked to help Nachshon HaKastel, which had sailed from France, and had run out of water.
Nachshon HaKastel was to transfer the 550 passengers to Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele, 120 miles off shore.

Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele was sighted by a a British reconnaisance plane which did not leave her.

On April 24, 1948, as she sailed towards Haifa, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele, was captured by HMS Chevron.
Paul H. Silverstone's Aliyah Bet Project cites: Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele was "Captured by the destroyer Chevron off Haifa."
The crew cut Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele's engines, and she was towed into Haifa.
Ninian Stewart cites: "HMS Chevron returned on 22 April in time to see boats streaming up the coast filled with escaping Arabs. Two days later she arrested the San Michele, a modern Italian motor ship, at the three-mile limit and towed her to Cyprus."
David Eisen cites three British destroyers escorted Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele to Haifa, where passengers and crew were transferred to shore and sprayed with DDT and then sent on HMT Empire Rival to Cyprus.

In June, 1948, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק sailed back to Italy.
Yuval Zisling cites: "We went to sea with an all Jewish crew but none of us, except the officers, had had any experience...As soon as we hit the open sea we began to feel terrible, vomited all over, but continued to do our job."
Yuval Zisling cites: Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele went to sea with an all Jewish crew but none, except the officers, had had any experience.

In September, 1948, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele sailed from Italy to La Ciotat, carrying Mustang aircrafts from Cyprus to Israel, and weapons and ammunition from various ports of the Mediterranean to Israel.