Alaska Over Israel: Operation Magic Carpet, the Men and Women Who Made it Fly, and the Little Airline That Could

Known initially as "On Wings of Eagles" and later as "Operation Magic Carpet", the top-secret emergency Jewish Airlift that began in 1948 was meant to rescue Jewish refugees from around the world and bring them to their ancient homeland–the newly reborn nation of Israel.In Shanghai, homeless Jews huddled in ghettos and prayed for rescue. In Yemen, entire tribes trekked miles of desert and robber-infested mountains to the ancient port city of Aden within the British Protectorate to await a miracle. It came in the form of a tiny, struggling American airline known as… Alaska Airlines.Alaskan pilots and crew little suspected they would create an aviation legend. With inadequate aircraft and no preparation, they risked their lives every time they lifted from Aden or Shanghai runways to fly Jewish refugees across Muslim territory to the new nation of Israel. Warren Metzger and Marian Liscomb were among those who accepted the challenge. Dodging bullets and bombs, Warren, Marian, and their fellow Alaskans faced deadly peril, bureaucratic bungling, inspirational faith and courage, horrors and heroism to help fulfill an ancient prophecy. They bore the scattered children of Israel to the Holy Land "on the wings of eagles."