Lt. Gabriel Frumkin, a Jewish pilot, shot down five Japanese “Zeroes” in one encounter, it is revealed in the current issue of the “Jewish Veteran,” official organ of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States. Frumkin, who is a native of Memphis, Tenn., is stationed at present with General MacArthur’s forces in Australia.
On a flight to Balikpapan during the Philippine campaign, Lt. Frumkin’s bomber was attacked by fifteen Japanese fighters. Five of the Japanese planes were downed but two explosive shells which hit the bomber’s fuselage broke an oil line and started a fire. Frumkin ordered his crew to bail out while he and his co-pilot rode the bomber down to a crash landing on a small island. Unable to repair his ship, Frumkin ordered it burned to keep it from falling into the enemy’s hands. After spending a week on the island, he and his crew were rescued by another bomber.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
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.
