Kiryat Ye'arim, Jerusalem District, Israel — The Middle East (West Asia)

Major General Mickey Marcus

Photographed By David Philip

1. The Major General Mickey Marcus Marker

Inscription. David Daniel Marcus, the son of a Romanian Jewish family, was born in 1902 in New York. In 1924 he graduated from the West Point Military Academy and after three years of military service, he retired and started a legal career. In the 1940's, he joined the legal branch of the U.S. Army, served in training functions, took part in the invasion of Normandy as a parachutist, and subsequently served in the Military Government in Germany as head of the unit for War Crimes Investigations before being discharged with the rank of Colonel. In 1948, David Marcus (nicknamed David Stone) was invited to serve as military advisor for the newly created Israeli army. He was appointed the commander of the Jerusalem Front with the rank of Major General in command of operations for the breakthrough to Jerusalem as well as preparations for the Burma Road. On June 11, 1948 at dawn close to the beginning of the first cease-fire he was mistakenly shot by a guard at his head quarters near Abu Gosh. His coffin was flown to the United States where he was buried at West Point.

This monument has been set up in the memory of David Daniel Marcus, “Mickey Stone”.

(Hebrew not transcribed)

Erected by Ministry of Defense Rehabilitation Department for the Commemoration of the Fallen Soldiers.

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This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Heroes • Military • Wars, Non-US. A significant historical date for this entry is June 10, 1948.

Location. 31° 48.249′ N, 35° 6.269′ E. Marker is in Kiryat Ye'arim, Jerusalem District. Memorial can be reached from Ha-Rav A.Gordon Street. Touch for map. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Stephen Theodore Norman, 1918-1946. Last descendent of Theodor Herzl (approx. 7.7 kilometers away); Etz Haim Neighborhood (approx. 9.2 kilometers away); Government Vehicles Compound (approx. 9.6 kilometers away); Issa Musa Houses (approx. 9.6 kilometers away); Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period (approx. 9.9 kilometers away); The Sephardi Old-Age Home (approx. 9.9 kilometers away); The Shrine of the Book (approx. 10 kilometers away); Shaare Zedek-Wallach Hospital (approx. 10 kilometers away).

More about this marker. The memorial was erected very near the spot General Marcus was killed, the Arab Village of Abu-Gosh.

Regarding Major General Mickey Marcus. David Daniel "Mickey" Marcus (22 February 1901 – 10 June 1948) was a United States Army colonel, later

Major General Mickey Marcus Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By David Philip

2. Major General Mickey Marcus Marker

Officer of the Israel Army salutes after placing a wreath donated by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, in honor and respect, for General Marcus.

Israel's first General.

Also see . . .
1. Mickey Marcus 1902-1948. The infant state of Israel, declared on May 15, 1948, was created by the United Nations Partition Resolution on November 29, 1947. Israel, upon its declaration of independence, was immediately attacked by six invading Arab armies. The infant state, with no air force or navy and only a very poorly equipped, disorganized, conflicting military structure, lacked a centralized professional command. David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister reached out to West Point trained Mickey Marcus to bring control and focus to the desperate Israeli forces. Marcus brought order, structure, and focus to the Israeli army. He overcame internal dissensions and divisions precisely because he was an "outsider." For the first time, the army was able to coalesce under a central command to defend the country bringing Israel to eventual victory against incredible odds.

David Daniel Mickey Marcus, a tough Brooklyn street kid, rose by virtue of his courage and intelligence to help save Israel in 1948 and become its first general since Judah Maccabee. After a distinguished career in military and public service to the United States, the 46-year-old Marcus wrote his name forever in the annals of Israeli history.

(Submitted on June 10, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

Photographed By David Philip

3. Major General Mickey Marcus Marker

2. Colonel David (Mickey) Marcus - "A soldier for all Humanity". Embassy of the State of Israel The booklet is written by Zipporah Porath, a contemporary witness to the historical events that led to the birth of the State of Israel. Published 2010 by the American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation.

Mickey Marcus quotes - recorded David Ben Gurion - Prime Minister of Israel, June 11, 1948

"I may not be the best man for the job but I am the only one willing to go."

"You gotta help your brother out in a fight."

"I doubt I have every done anything - anywhere - at any time, that is more worthwhile."

(Submitted on June 10, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

3. Mickey Marcus. In 1947, David Ben-Gurion asked Marcus to recruit a U.S. officer to serve as military advisor to the nascent Israeli army, the Haganah. He could not recruit anyone suitable, so Marcus volunteered himself. In 1948, the National Military Establishment informally acquiesced to Marcus' undertaking, provided he disguised his name and rank to avoid problems with the British authorities in Mandatory Palestine. Under the nom de guerre "Michael Stone," he arrived in Palestine in January 1948. Arab armies surrounded the soon-to-be declared State of Israel. (Submitted on June 10, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

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Additional keywords. Abu-Ghosh, David Stone, West Point, American, Machal

Credits. This page was last revised on June 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 113 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 10, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.