Eddie Cohen was born in South Africa. During World War II, he served with the 2nd Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF). In 1947, he moved to Palestine, joining Sherut Avir, the air force of the future State of Israel, on December 27 of that year. He completed several missions before the official establishment of the State of Israel.
Early Service with Sherut Avir
Cohen served in the “Tel Aviv” squadron alongside Boris Senior, Ezer Weizman, Modi Alon, and six other pilots. On January 15, 1948, he participated in Sherut Avir’s first “group” sortie: two Austers covered by a “Tiger Moth” to supply the Gush Etzion settlement. Boris Senior flew the Moth, armed with hand grenades and a Bren light machine gun, while Weizman piloted one of the Austers.
The Inaugural S-199 Combat Flight
Eddie Cohen was among the first pilots to train on the S-199 in Czechoslovakia, arriving back in Israel on May 20. On May 29, he flew the first combat mission involving these new fighters. He, Modi Alon, Ezer Weizman, and Lou Lennart took off from Ekron at 19:45, with each fighter carrying two 70 kg German bombs.
Their target was an Egyptian column of approximately 500 trucks and 10 tanks near Ashdod, 20 km south of Ekron. The only obstacle on their path to Tel Aviv was the remnants of the Givati Brigade, armed with small arms. Lou Lennart led this initial flight, but Modi Alon, who knew the country, was responsible for guiding them to Ashdod.
Engagement and Sacrifice
Lou Lennart dropped his bombs on the village center and, despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, made two more passes, strafing the enemy with machine-gun fire. Modi Alon expended his ammunition in two passes, but his aircraft was severely damaged on landing due to a left brake failure. Ezer Weizman’s cannons jammed after a single shot, yet he attacked the enemy three times using his machine guns.
Tragically, Eddie Cohen’s plane was likely hit by anti-aircraft fire. He contacted ground control, reporting he was okay and would soon be landing. However, he mistakenly landed at Hatzor airfield (formerly Akir), where his damaged aircraft crashed, and the pilot perished. Israeli personnel dispatched to the scene arrived too late, as Egyptian soldiers were the first to reach the crash site.
The material damage from the raid was minimal, but the psychological effect of the air attack was significant, especially as Israeli “night bombers” continued the operation after dark. Encountering stubborn ground resistance in addition, the Egyptians lost their offensive momentum and initiative, becoming bogged down in positional battles. In 1949, the Israelis reburied Cohen’s remains, found near Beit Daras.