49,000 JEWS RESCUED TO ISRAEL BY LT. COL. MAX LAPIDES

49,000 JEWS RESCUED TO ISRAEL BY LT. COL. MAX LAPIDES
Extensive collection of official and personal documents, letters, photographs, military citations and other ephemera from the estate of U.S. Lt. Col. Max Lapides (1903-1981), Detroit attorney and veteran of both world wars, who assumed the direction of 'Operation Magic Carpet' in which giant Skymasters transported over 49,000 Yemeni Jews to Israel. Lapides, himself a Jew, served in the Counter Intelligence Department of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, and prior to his service in WWII, he worked as a lawyer in New York, helping to draft Roosevelt's New Deal. Large archive of items once belonging to Lapides. During WWII, he served in the Counter Intelligence section of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe from 1941 to 1945, and was stationed in England, France, Luxembourg, and Germany. Lapides worked to dismantle German Luftwaffe planes and equipment. In June 1945, Lapides witnessed the horrors at Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria, working with liberated prisoners and photographing crematoriums. Following the war, Lapides worked with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) in New York City, and was eventually made Director of 'Operation Magic Carpet', an operation from 1949 to 1950 which brought 49,000 Yemeni Jews to Israel. The operation was a joint effort from the JDC, the Jewish Agency for Israel, and the Israeli government. Lapides was responsible for the lives of persecuted Jewish refugees emigrating from Yemen, some of which were hungry, sick, or dying, who were then brought to a camp in Aden to then be flown to Israel. Following the mass emigration from Yemen, Lapides directed 'Operation Colorblind', an operation to retrieve the personal belongings of Yemeni Jews to Israel via a cargo ship from Aden through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba to Israel's new port, Elath. After this, Lapides served in an advisory capacity regarding immigration issues in Iran, India, Ethiopia, and other countries. For his service during WWII, Lapides was awarded a Bronze Star Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Army Commendation Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with two battle stars, and a WWII Victory medal. Lot includes ca. 120 letters to and from Lapides, photos taken at Mauthausen Concentration Camp, a graphic report of the atrocities committed at Camp Gusen (a subcamp of Mauthausen), a IX Air Force Command Secret Intelligence Summary, ribbon bars, pins, and an overseas cap once belonging to Lapides, his passports, military award citations, ephemera from the inauguration of President Roosevelt, Jewish prayer books and ephemera, personal photographs, portraits of Lapides. The collections spans about four decades, from the 1930s to 1970s, hundreds of pages and photographs, award citations, etc., too much to list here. Also included are letters from Max Lapides' brother, Hillie Lapides, a fellow WWII veteran. Excellent grouping for further research about the life of this savior of 49,000 fellows Jews.