“Fighting Back” is the martial biogrreadersaphy of Stan Andrews, a pilot who risked his life that the Star Spangled Banner wave above the land of the free and gave his life to see the Star of David in the sky, imbedded in a history of the birth of the Israeli Air Force.  Born Stanley Anekstein in New York in 1923, Stan chose to change his name to the less Semitic sounding Andrews on a friend’s suggestion in 1942.  Drawn to the romantic calling of fighter pilot, Stan enlisted in the U. Army in 1942 and reported for duty in 1943.  Flight training took him to South Carolina then California for deployment.  Diverted to piloting B-25 bombers of the 345^th Bombardment Group, the “Air Apaches”, Stan flew from the Philippines and Ie Shima missions on extending as far as Korea.  Peace brought him back to California where he enrolled in UCLA.

This irreligious veteran who had changed his name to hide his Jewish identity would not be joining the post-war migration to California. Incidents of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and the increasing association of Jews and Communists in the American public mind convinced Stan that the time for Jews to fight back had arrived.  With the collaboration of a like-minded Air Force veteran, Bob Vickman, he put his efforts into joining the Jewish forces in Palestine.

American laws against joining the forces of another country and wide-spread hostility to the Zionist movement forced secrecy on their travels through France, Italy and Czechoslovakia.  Assignment to flight training on Messerschmitt ME-109s manufactured in Czechoslovakia began the career as fighter pilots that had eluded Stan and Bob in the U.S. Air Force.  Being a part of the nascent Israeli Air Force, originally consisting of the three Me-109s that had been smuggled to the Jewish military gave them a unique experience as their tasks morphed to fit the needs and opportunities of the rising force.  Mishaps temporarily robbed Stan of his flight status and led to his assignment as a representative to United Nations observers.  Bob would end his career in an attack on Iraq Suweidan on July 9, 1948.  Stan’s would continue until an unsuccessful mission in October.

Authors Jeffrey and Craig Weiss have woven a life story into the legend and lore of the nation of Israel and the Israeli Air Force.  The story is impressive, almost incredible.  A collection of Jewish locals and refugees, in a short time, assembled land and air forces that repelled and defeated those of their established neighbors, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.  The haphazard collection of Me 109s, Spitfires, a P-51 Mustang, Beaufighters, Dakotas, B-17s, C-46s and a Skymaster proved the versatility of settlers and veterans from several countries who flew them.  The sides seem counter -intuitive: Jews flying Messerschmitts, Soviet satellites supplying Jews against the Arabs, the United States impeding support to Israel.

Readers may appreciate this work on several planes.  There is a story of how a Jewish immigrant couple came find a life in New York and how their son responded to adversity with daring and courage in two countries.  There is the saga of how Jewish immigration coalesced into a movement and a nation.  Military History Network members will particularly enjoy accounts of combat in the Pacific and Middle East.  For those trying to understand the genesis of current affairs, the authors have drawn parallels between the challenges of Stan’s life and contemporary headlines.  Photographs put faces to names.  Maps and an index would be helpful.  War History Network members in quest of inspiring stories, combat descriptions or the early history of Israel will find much to satisfy them in “Fighting Back”.