Completing their good-will and training visit to the United States, the two Israeli warships–the Misgav and the Haganah–which visited five Eastern seaboard cities on behalf of the Israeli Bond drive, left New York for Israel this morning.
At a short departure ceremony, the 30-year old Commander, Shlomo Erel, presented to Capt. David D. Hawkins, Director of Training of the Third Naval District of the U.S. Navy, the flag of the Israel Navy “as a taken of our thanks and appreciation for the marvelous hospitality extended during our visit to America.” Present at the ceremony were: Dr. Israel Goldstein, chairman of the Greater New York Committee of the Israel Bond Drive; Arthur Lourie, Consul General of Israel; Yosef Move, Israel’s senior Consul; Col. Chaim Herzog, chief military attache, Israel Embassy; Commander Joshua Goldberg, chief naval chaplain, Third Naval District.
Prior to the ceremony, Commander Erel, together with Lt. Comm. Naphtali Resen, commander of the “Misgav,” and Lt. Com. Ariel Shaanan, skipper of “Haganah,” held a press conference at which they expressed their “thanks to America for forty-three marvelous days.” Com. Erel declared: “The support of the U.S. Navy during our stay here has given our young navy added enthusiasm and encouragement.” He also commented on the training and lessons the young navy had received from the U.S. Navy, and said that Israel will continue to thrive “as long as the defense of democracy links Israel with America.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
