Benny Peled

Benjamin "Benny" Peled
Born 1928
Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine
Died July 13, 2002 (aged 73–74)
Allegiance Israel Israel
Service/branch  Israeli Air Force
Years of service 1948–1977
Rank Aluf
Commands held Israel Air Force, Hatzor Airbase
Battles/wars 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, Operation Entebbe
Other work President of Elbit Systems

Benny Peled (Hebrew: בני פלד‎; 1928 – July 13, 2002), born Benjamin Weidenfeld in Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine, was the commander of the Israeli Air Force during the Yom Kippur War and Operation Entebbe.[1] He retired with the rank of Aluf (Major General).

Military career

He started as a mechanic in the beginnings of the Israeli Air Force. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War he had assembled the first Messerschmitt Bf 109 which had arrived in Israel dismantled.[2] He then became a pilot and fought in the Independence war.

After the war, he was one of the pioneers of the jet age in the IAF. He commanded the first Meteor, Ouragan and Mystère squadrons.[2] He was the first Mystère pilot to be shot down in the Sinai Campaign.[2] Peled was a base commander during the Six-Day War.[2]

Benny Peled participated in Operation Kadesh, in which he was shot down by Egyptian anti-aircraft, and became the first Israeli pilot to use an ejector seat.[1] He was later rescued by an IAF Piper.[1]

He became commander of the IAF in 1973 when he was 45 years old.

Post-military

In 1978, Peled became the president of Elbit Systems, a positions he held until 1985.

Peled was played by John Saxon in the film Raid on Entebbe (1977).[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Maj-Gen Benjamin Peled". The Independent. 2002-00902. Retrieved 2008-11-09. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cohen, Eliezer (1993). Israel's Best Defense. New York: Orion Books. p. 504. ISBN 0-517-58790-4.
  3. ↑ "Raid on Entebbe". IMDB. Retrieved 2008-11-09.

External links