Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Exodus 1947 יציאת אירופה was a Chesapeake Bay excursion ferry, built for the Baltimore Steam Packet Company, operators of the "Old Bay Line
Registered name: President Warfield
Built: 1928, by Pusey and Jones Corp., Wilmington
Length: 118 metres

In 1928, President Warfield, a Chesapeake Bay excursion ferry, a luxury 200-berth steamer, set sail on her maiden voyage.
President Warfield was named after Solomon Davies Warfield, owner of the Baltimore Steam Packet Company, whose niece, Bessie Wallis Warfield (Mrs Wallis), married Edward VIII of England.

On September 21, 1942, President Warfield sailed from St. John's, Newfoundland, commandeered under the Lend-Lease Agreement as part of a group of shallow-draft ships, and converted into a troop ship for the Royal Navy.

On September 25, 1942, President Warfield's convoy was attacked by a German U-Boat.

On May 21, 1944, President Warfield was acquired by the United States Navy, and commissioned as the USS President Warfield (IX-169).
President Warfield took part in the D-day landings at Normandy.

On July 25, 1945, USS President Warfield (IX-169) docked in Norfolk, Virginia.

On October 11, 1945, USS President Warfield (IX-169) was struck from the United States Naval Vessel Register,
On November 14, 1945, she was returned to the War Shipping Administration, taken out of service and anchored in the ships' graveyard in Baltimore.
The War Shipping Administration sold USS President Warfield (IX-169) as scrap for slightly more than $8,000, to the Potomac Shipwrecking Company, of Washington, which acted as an agent of the Haganah, Mossad leAliyah Bet.
Immediately after the Mossad leAliyah Bet purchased USS President Warfield (IX-169) , its interior was reconfigured in order to maximize the number of passengers it could hold.

On February 25, 1947, President Warfield sailed from Baltimore, headed for the Mediterranean.
The cover story, if anyone asked, was that the ship was going to China, where it was to be sold.

Sam Baer served as a Crew Member and Engineer aboard President Warfild Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

John Stanley Grauel served as Galley Crew aboard President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

John Stanley Grauel's official cover was as a foreign correspondent for the Episcopal journal, The Churchman.
When President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז docked in Marseille, he flew to Paris, where he helped organize the transfer of Jewish refugees from DP camps to the port of embarkation on the southern coast of France.
When President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז sailed for Palestine, John Stanley Grauel took on the role of ship's cook, and also served as unofficial mediator between the crew and the passengers.

Solomon 'Sol' M. Lester served as First/Second Engineering Officer aboard President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

Mike Weiss served as boatswain-carpenter aboard President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

On March 29, 1947, 'Bill' Millman, age 21 years, served as Deck Crew aboard President Warfild Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.
He had been sent to Baltimore where the Weston Trading Co. a friend told him, worked at in getting emigrants to Palestine.
When he signed on as Helmsman and Bosun mate, and first saw the ship, 'Bill' Millman cites: "No lights, no heat, plenty of rats, It had a metal hull but the superstructure atop the hull was entirely made of wood. The boat was outfitted with 5,000 life jackets and 5,000 1-gallon tins of water and the crew set sail for the Azores."
He became involved in the illegal immigration movement for personal reasons.
'Bill' Millman cites: "I had my problems in the service because of the fact that I was Jewish, "I caught a lot of garbage. But I took care of myself. And when I came out (of the Navy), I didn't like what I saw and what I read about" what the Nazis had done. "I decided I would do something about it."

A bad storm at Cape Hatteras, forced President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז back to land and the crew had to try again.

On March 22, 1947, President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז stopped at Paulsboro, New Jersey, to take on fuel and change captain.

On April 5, 1947, President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז stopped at Ponta Delgada, Azores Açores.

On May 4, 1947, Master Captain Mitchell was ordered to move Northland to Bayonne.
In 1947, Weston Trading Company, paid $50,000 to acquire Northland from the United States Maritime Commission, for the Haganah.
Captain Morgan took over command.
The plan was to use Northland Medinat haYehudim מדינת היהודים to transport maapilim from Gdansk, but the Exodus 1947 affair changed the plan.

On May 15, 1947, HMS Veryan Bay took passage to Ligorno for surveillance of SS President Warfield.

Northland docked at Bayonne until August, 1947, and was refitted to carry passengers.
British Intelligence cites the modifications to Northland Medinat haYehudim included a barbed wire, anti-boarding curtain.and a wireless transmitter similar to that used on SS Paducah.
Geulah arrived a little later, and docked next to Northland, but sailed from Bayonne before her.
Northland was not allowed to leave the dock until payment had been made on the bill for Exodus 1947.

In April, 1947, Tradewinds docked in Lisboa, next to her sister ship, President Warfield, for more refitting.
When Portuguese police became suspicious of Yehuda Baharav, the Mossad leAliyah Bet agent who directed the repairs, and had him arrested, Tradewinds moved from Lisboa to Marseille, then to Port-de-Bouc, and finally to Portovenere.

Lenny Slar cites that on July 9, 1947, they worked all night on President Warfield Exodus 1947, in Sete, to fix the pipes so that the shelves on which the Maapilim were to sleep would be ready.

Azriel Einav served as Gidoni גדעוני, wireless radio operator, aboard Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז when she sailed from Sète.
When Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז was close to the shore of Palestine and surrounded by five British destroyers, he activated his equipment so that the whole story of the Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז was broadcast to the world in Hebrew, English, including a call to the United Nations. read by Reverend J. Grauel, and French.

On July 11, 1947, 4,515 passengers, including 655 children, boarded President Wardfield, in Sête.
March of The Living International.org cites: "Of the 4,515 refugees, 1,282 were women, 655 were children and 1,017 were teenagers."
"HaShomer haTzair members were assigned the duty of policing the crowd."
Gordon Thomas cites boarding the ship in Marseilles.
In early July, 1947, Jewish DPs had been moved from camps in Germany to transit camps in southern France.
With the cooperation of several French Socialist cabinet ministers, the Jewish DPs were able to board President Warfield.
Lenny Sklar cites directing the Maapilim to their hold.
Lenny Sklar cites that early in the morning, President Warfield Exodus 1947 almost lost her anchor, cirvcing inside the port without a Pilot, and finally ran into a sandbar before, after several attempts to struggle free, she managed to leave port.
Aviva Halamish cites the process of choosing the name Exodus 1947, as rather unconventional.
The name was proposed by Moshe Sneh, Head of the Political Department for Europe and Aliyah Bet Department of the Jewish Agency, and was immediately adopted by Mossad leAliyah Bet in Paris.

On July 11, 1947, Judah Abbecasis sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Polya Abramovich sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Mordechai 'Motke' Adler and his two sisters sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Ajzyk Ajnnberg Weinberg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Mordekai and Chajka Aurbach sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Chaja Vera Auslender sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Josef Avigdor sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Aryeh Birnbaum sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Cwi Zvi Eisenberg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Lina Goldberger sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sete for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Haim Kintzler sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sete for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Jacob Kirsztajn sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Itzhak Pressburger, age 13 years, sailed with his two sisters on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield, from Sete for Palestine.
Itzhak Pressburger cites: "We traveled for a week and reached Haifa. I was with the other children down below. It was like a cage. We were aware of the men fighting the British above on the deck," he recalls. "When I went up with the other Hungarians, we saw Haifa from far. We were told by others that we're not going to enter, but be sent to Cyprus."
"Nous étions en mer depuis une semaine lorsque nous sommes arrivés à Haïfa. J'étais tout au fond, avec les autres enfants. C'était comme une cage. Nous savions que les hommes combattaient les Britanniques en haut, sur le ponceau", se souvient Itzhak Pressburger. "Lorsque je suis remonté avec les autres Hongrois, nous pouvions apercevoir Haïfa, au loin."

On July 11, 1947, Melach Schubert, his wife, Rosa, and his son Zeev, sailed from France on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

On July 11, 1947, Emmanuel Zaubermann Zoberman sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Max Zifferblat sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Josef Zinger sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Frances sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sete for Palestine.
Before departing on the Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield, Frances, the only survivor of her immediate family, met Isak Greenberg, a fellow Holocaust survivor, in a displaced persons camp.
Despite his love for her, they parted ways because she was a Zionist and dreamed of going to Palestine, while he planned to go to America.

On July 11, 1947, Lida Zyto sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

Lenny Sklar cites that while at sea, days before President Warfield Exodus 1947 was to reach Palestine, the passengers and crew practiced how to oppose a British attack.

The Captain, and officers of President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז, Ike Aranne, Bernie Marks and Cyril 'Cy' Weinstein decided to disconnect the steering wheel from the bridge and to steer the vessel form the aft steering wheel.
'Cy' Weinstein took over that wheel, and kept the vessel underway for a full four hours, despite efforts of the British destroyers to halt President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז by ramming her.

On July 17, 1947, HMS Ajax, part of the Royal Navy task force trailing the Aliyah Bet ship, intercepted Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield before she entered the territorial waters of Palestine, and forced her to Haifa חיפה.
Aware that Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield was skippered by Haganah paramilitaries, British troops boarded the ship 20 nautical miles off the coast of Palestine.
Able Seaman Alan Green cites: "Providence wasinvolved, along with the cruiser Ajax and destroyer Childers, in the boarding of S.S. President Warfield (1814 tons) known to the Jewsas Exodus 1947."
Lenny Sklar cites the British destroyers going by at night, using searchlights to see aboard Exodus 1947.
Lenny Sklar cites being awakened at 3 in the morning, when the British ships came close, directing the searchlights at Exodus 1947, while all our passengers gathered on deck.
Able Seaman Alan Green cites: "On 18 July she was intercepted and boarded by men from Childers and some bitter fighting took place."
The passengers resisted.
Lenny Sklar cites the Maapilim and crew prepared with potatoes, bottles, sticks and whatever they could find, including some hot water hoses they had readied as well, while the British responded with cans of tear gas, dispersing the crowd.
The British commander on the scene cites: "Every available weapon up to a biscuit and bulks of timber was hurled at the soldiers. They withstood it admirably and very stoically till the Jews assaulted and in the first rush several soldiers were downed with half a dozen Jews on top kicking and tearing. "It should be borne in mind that the guiding factor in most of the actions of the Jews is to gain the sympathy of the world press."
The British reached the bridge, and the fighting intensified.
The British moved about the deck, while the Maapilim attacked them from all sides.
3 people were shot, and another was badly wounded.
Able Seaman Alan Green cites: "3 Jews were killed and 23 were injured."

Two of his crewmates alleged that Sol Lester pointed out crewmen to the British boarding party, but Eli Bergman researched events, and commended Sol Lester for averting the explosion of the unattended boiler, by descending to the engine room and instructing a British officer, Ravenscroft, as to how to turn off the plant and run Exodus 1947 יציאת אירופה on her own power.

A scale model of President Warfield Exodus 1947 sits in the storage room of the Maryland Jewish Museum in Baltimore, as is her original bell.
An interpretive marker to the Exodus 1947 sits prominently at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Rafael Medoff, Director of Washington-based David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies cites "The important role of American volunteers on the Exodus is a reminder that the struggle to establish Israel was supported by a broad coalition of Americans of all faiths - and that support for Jewish statehood continues among Americans to this day," "It is no surprise that many Americans sympathized with the Jewish immigration struggle, given its strong parallels to American history. Refugees from persecution were trying to build a country based on liberty and equality, only to be blocked."

On July 19, 1947, Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז was brought into Haifa port under British escort.
The Maapilim were transferred to another ship to be returned to Germany via France.
Abba Eban, the Jewish liason to the United Nations Special Commmitte On Palestine UNSCOP, persuaded four UN representatives to go to Haifa to witness the transfer.
Sir Martin Gilbert cites Abba Eban's account: "[In Haifa] the four members watched a 'gruesome operation.' The Jewish refugees had decided 'not to accept banishment with docility. If anyone had wanted to know what Churchill meant by a "squalid war," he would have found out by watching British soldier using rifle butts, hose pipes and tear gas against the survivors of the death camps. Men, women and children were forcibly taken off to prison ships, locked in cages below decks and set out of Palestine waters."