Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים Jewish State was a cruising class of gunboat especially designed for Arctic operations; a Coast Guard icebreaker
Registered name: USCGC Northland (WPG-49)
Built: 1927
Launched: February 5, 1927, by Newport News Shipbuilding Company, at Newport News
Commissioned: May 7, 1927
Length: 216.6 feet (66.0 meters)
Gross tonnage: 1,273 tons
Engine: diesel-electric propulsion
She was originally fitted with auxiliary sails, but they were removed and her tall masts were trimmed in 1936.
USCGC Northland (WPG-49) served primarily on the Bering Sea Patrol, where she performed "everything under the midnight sun."
USCGC Northland was renamed after the title of the book, The Jewish State, written by Theodor Herzl.
British Intelligence Report on the Arrival of the "Northland" cites: "The ship was a 1275 ton vessel built in 1927 by NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING COMPANY for the purpose of icebreaking and had a normal career until 4 May 47 when her master Captain MITCHELL, was ordered to move to BAYONNE for refitting. There, a certain CAPTAIN MORGAN of Room 32, GRAND HOTEL, took over command. The ship then visited a succession of French Ports and was next traced on the 12 Sep in the DARDANELLES, on the following day in the BOSPOROS, and the day after that at BURGAS, under a pilot names HASSAN ALI. Nine days later she sailed for VARNA."

In June 1939, USCGC Northland (WPG-49) was recommissioned and transferred to Boston, to prepare for the second Byrd Antarctic Expedition.

In May 1940, USCGC Northland (WPG-49) entered New York Navy Yard to be outfitted for special duty in Greenland.
On August 20, 1940, she sailed on her first Greenland Survey, and visited harbors in order to determine the best location for patrol forces.
On April 7, 1941, she sailed on a two month cruise to assist in the South Greenland Survey Expedition.

On January 3, 1947, USCGC Northland (WPG-49) was sold to the Weston Trading Company for scrap.

On May 1, 1947. Northland sailed from Baltimore.
The night she sailed, half of her engines went dead, leaving her in the middle of the ocean and half power, and by. the end of the next day the other diesel stopped.
The gaskets were blown on both engines, but the person in charge was told not to send anl SOS.
The engine mechanics and ship crew worked for hours to repair the damage, and she finally resumed her voyage to Port-de-Bouc.

Eddie Abadi, age 23 years, served as Bosun aboard Northland Jewish State מדינת היהודים.

Harold R. 'Hess' Abells served as Third Mate aboard Northland Jewish State מדינת היהודים.
British Intelligence Report, October 3, 1947, cites: Harold Abells served as Second Mate aboard Northland Jewish State מדינת היהודים.

James L. Biddle served as Fireman aboard Northland Jewish State מדינת היהודים.

Howard 'Eddy' Edmundson served as Messman aboard Northland Jewish State מדינת היהודים.
British Intelligence Report, October 3, 1947, cites: Howard Edmundson served as Messman.

Morgan Mitchell and May Arnik-Schrier served as Captains aboard Northland Jewish State מדינת היהודים.
British Intelligence cites: On "4 May 47 when her master Captain MITCHELL, was ordered to move to BAYONNE for refitting. There, a certain CAPTAIN MORGAN of Room 32, GRAND HOTEL, took over command."

On May 4, 1947, Master Captain Mitchell was ordered to move Northland to Bayonne.
In 1947, Weston Trading Company, paid $50,000 to acquire Northland from the United States Maritime Commission, for the Haganah.
Captain Morgan took over command.
The plan was to use Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים to transport maapilim from Gdansk, but the Exodus 1947 affair changed the plan.

Before SS Paducah and Northland stopped at Bayonne for refitting, they entered the Mediterranean and stopped at Marseille and Port-du-Bouc, to deliver cargo, refuel and make other arrangements.
Northland brought diesel mechanics on board to repair the engines, and had the generator replaced.

Northland docked at Bayonne until August, 1947, and was refitted to carry passengers.
British Intelligence cites the modifications to Northland Medinat haYehudim included a barbed wire, anti-boarding curtain.and a wireless transmitter similar to that used on SS Paducah.
Geulah arrived a little later, and docked next to Northland, but sailed from Bayonne before her.
Northland was not allowed to leave the dock until payment had been made on the bill for Exodus 1947.

On August 28, 1947, Northland sailed from Bayonne.

30 miles from Gibraltar, an British reconnaissance plane flew over SS Paducah.
From August 9, 1947, and September 3, 1947 when the SS Paducah Geulah and Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים arrived in the Mediterranean to the time they entered the Dardanelles, were shadowed by various British warships.

On September 12, 1947, Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים entered the Dardanelles.
On September 13, 1947, Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים sailed though the Boğaziçi Bosporus.

On September 23, 1947, Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים boarded 2,664 passengers, chiefly Romanian, and some Germans and Austrians among them. in Burgas Бургас, who all had to be approved by the Communist authorites.
British Intelligence cites: Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים arrived at Burgas Бургас on September 14, 1947, under a pilot named Hassan Ali.
British Intelligence cites: Russia, if not organized, connived at "an international racket for encouraging violation of the Palestine immigration laws for the purpose of embarrassing HMG."
Most of the passengers were about 25 years old, but there was also a high number of over 50.
British Intelligence cites: The passengers of Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים were inclined more to the left wing than those on the SS Paducah Geulah, and the ship included three complete left-wing settlement groups, Zikim, Magen, along with a group of 70 Scouts, and 140 Mishmar members.
Mossad leAliyah Bet paid the Bulgarian and Romanian governments a flat sum for each passanger permitted to leave.
More than 4,000 people were transported across the Romanian border, by truck, and the Romanian charge d'affairs in Bulgaria tried to make the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs aware of the movement, and not allow Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים to sail from Burgas Бургас.
British Intelligence cites: Northland Medinat haYehudim sailed from Varna Варна, on September 23, 1947, "with the full consent and co-operation of the Bulgarian Government officials".
The Palmach Information Center cites Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים sailing from Varna, on September 24, 1947.
She waited for Geula, and the to boats sailed together for Rodos.
Both vessels sailed with assistance from local authorities, the Bulgarian government, and Soviet approval.
The plan was to transfer the passengers from Geula to Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים, which wasn't feasible, given the overcrowding n Northland Medinat haYehudim.
At Rodos, the vessels separated, Geula sailed to Haifa and Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים proceeded to Tel Aviv.

On September 28, 1947, SS Paducah Geulah and Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים sailed out from the Dardanelles, and were shadowed by HMS Chaplet, and HMS Cheviot, until relieved by HMS Haydon.

British iintelligence cites: the Jewish refugees reaching București on September 22, 1947, where they were assigned to either Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים or SS Paducah Geulah convoy, both ships being part of a single, large scale evacuation plan, one group going to Burgas Бургас for SS Paducah Geulah, and the second group headed to Varna for Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים.
British iintelligence cites:
"The Jews reached the town of BUCHAREST at about 22 Sep., and we have now discovered that they were detailed by HAGANAH leaders to join either the PADUCAH convoy or the one destined to embark upon the NORTHLAND. Both ships, therefore, were part of one single large-scale evacuation plan in which candidates from RUMANIA (chiefly), HUNGARY, POLAND, and AUSTRIA concentrated around BUCHAREST which seems to have become a veritable transit camp, and from which they appear to have arrived in two flights: the first to BOURGAS for the PADUCAH, and the second, in all probability, to VARNA for the NORTHLAND."
"At the end of para 5 of our report on the PADUCAH we mentioned that the train had halted for 24 hours on 23 Sep to observe the Jewish Day of Atonement. On this ship, however, several passengers maintained that they had passed the Day of Atonement on board, and it is thought that those with the journey to VARNA, which is shorter by some 150 miles, completed it in one stage, instead of stopping half-way."
"Letters were read by this Section, which indicate that some individuals arrived at VARNA directly from such towns as CERNOWITZ (which is now Soviet territory), without passing in transit through the camps and billets around BUCHAREST."
"On arrival at VARNA the party was welcomed by courteous Bulgarian officials who examined the collective passports, held by PALMACH leaders for each group, and directed them into the ships, in this case the railway line did not run onto the quayside."

On October 2, 1947, Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים was intercepted by HMS Charity, and took evasive action.
The British Navy allocated three destroyers and a frigate to cover Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים, as she sailed 20 miles south of SS Paducah Geulah.
Five miles offshore from Tel Aviv, the British boarded Northland Medinat haYehudim, after confronting significant resistance, which resulted in four casualties, one from Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים the boarding party,

In October, 1947, Northland Medinat Hayehudim מדינת היהודים was secured to the breakwater in Haifa חיפה.
Near her were about 45 other Aliyah Bet ships, also captured as they tried to land maapilim on the shores of Palestine in violation of Britain’s 1945 Emergency Regulations for Palestine.
British Intelligence cites: "When it was announced in Hebrew that the passengers would have to remain on board until ships arrived to take them to CYPRUS, but that they would be allowed to write to relatives in PALESTINE through the AJDC, there was a complete and stony silence, and then isolated voices shouted “YIDDISH, Yiddish”, as if they could not understand another tongue. Mr. SHMUEL WERCHENGER of the Jewish Agency offered his services over the public address equipment since no Yiddish interpreter was immediately available. He then took the microphone and told them that they would be sent to CYPRUS in one short, sharp phrase which aroused howls of anger and protest from the ship’s passengers, after which he hurried away and refused to say anything more."
The passengers waited 3 days before being transferred to HMT Empire Rest, HMT Empire Comfort, and HMS Snowden Smith. for internment in Dhekelia Δεκέλεια Detention Camp in Cyprus Κύπρος.
Two Palyam Escorts, four passengers, and some of the foreign crew hid in a 'Slik' on board, and were rescued by a Palyam squad disguised as HaOgen Company cleaners.

On October 3, 1947, after 13:33PM, the British towed Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים into Haifa.
The passengers waited to disembark, owing to shortage of shipping space for their transport to Cyprus.

In April, 1948, חיל הים the Israel Navy began preparing Medinat Hayehudim מדינת היהודים Northland and two other ex-Aliyah Bet ships, Josiah Wedgewood Beauharnois and Haganah Norsyd, for military service.
Avraham Zakai, Moshe Rabinowitch and Shmuel 'Samek' Yanai met with Yosef Almog to inform him that he was to be responsible for preparing Medinat Hayehudim מדינת היהודים Northland for naval service, and to be its commander.
A group, including Avraham Meron, was organzed to work with Yosef Almog to prepare and crew Medinat Hayehudim מדינת היהודים Northland.

On October 30, 1956, Lieutenant Commander Rushdie Tamzin, commanding officer of Ibrahim El Awal, was ordered to sail to Haifa, and to shell and bombard the oil refineries and the military facilities.
INS Eilat and INS Yaffo identified four targets approaching from the west, and Ibrahim El Awal,to the north.
Captain Shmuel Yanai sent lamp signals toward all the ships around, and the four ships identified themselves as ships of the United States 6th fleet.
Ibrahim El Awal did not identify herself, and the Israeli boats attacked, while the Americanships changed course and disappeared to the west..
At 05:32AM, October 31, 1956, the Israelis opened fire on Ibrahim El Awal, at the range of 9000 yards, Captain Shmuel Yanai, determined to utilize his supremacy and end the battle before the expected intervention of the Egyptian Air Force, fired massive salvos, hitting their target and causing severe damage to the Egyptian destroyer.
At 06:00AM, the damaged ship slowed from 25 knots to 17 knots.
At 06:37AM, two IAF Dassault Ouragan jet fighters joined the attack, the Ouragan rockets crippled Ibrahim El Awal, while the Israeli destroyers hit the anti-aircraft guns.
At 07:00AM, October 31, 1956, Ibrahim el Awal stopped, and the two Israeli destroyers closed on her from both sides.
Egyptian sailors were spotted jumping into the sea, and the white surrender flag was hoisted up the mast of Ibrahim El Awal.
Egyptian sailors wee rescued and the injured were given first aid.
Ibrahim El Awal was towed to Haifa, repaired and renovated,, and joined the Israeli navy, commissioned as INS Haifa.
INS Haifa served under the Israeli naval flag for 11 years, and in 1968, she was decommissioned.

In February, 1962, INS Matzpen INS Eilat (A-16 Aleph-16) was decommissioned and sold for scrap.