Mitchell Flint, a World War II US fighter pilot who was one of the founding members of the Israeli Air Force, recently passed away. Flint was 94.

Flint was one of the founding members of “Machal,” a group of non-Israelis who fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. He was one of the original members of the Israeli Air Force’s first fighter squadron and helped train Israel’s first military pilots, his son said.

Flint was apparently still a fighter pilot in the US Navy Reserve, even as he flew in an Israeli fighter squadron.

It’s a fascinating reminder of a complex and interesting — and seemingly forgotten — time in history.

ADVERTISEMENT