[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12101-12102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         REMEMBERING LOU LENART

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEVE ISRAEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 21, 2015

  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a true hero of the 
United States and Israel, Lou Lenart. I would like to recognize his 
heroic efforts and great sacrifice in keeping both countries safe 
during World War II and Israel's War of Independence.
   Lou began his incredible journey as Layos Lenovitz in a Hungarian 
village near the Czech border. When he was 10 years old, he moved with 
his family to the United States in order to escape increasing anti-
Semitism. At age seventeen, Lou enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps where 
he became a fighter pilot.

[[Page 12102]]

He served in the U.S. military valiantly, flying in the Battle of 
Okinawa and other engagements in the Pacific.
   After the war, he learned that fourteen of his relatives who had 
remained in Hungary had been killed in Auschwitz. This prompted him to 
join a clandestine effort to smuggle surplus American aircraft into 
Israel. He also helped recruit other war veterans like himself to fly 
for the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
   After surviving the treacherous journey smuggling aircraft into 
Israel, Lou led his comrades Ezer Weizman, Eddie Cohen, and Modi Alon 
in the IAF's first mission. On May 29th, 1948, two weeks after Israel 
declared its independence, Egyptian soldiers and tanks were advancing 
to Tel Aviv. With Lou at the helm, the secretly assembled IAF was able 
to force the Egyptian troops to retreat. This mission gave Lou the most 
accurate nickname I have ever heard, ``the man who saved Tel Aviv.''
   Lou served bravely throughout Israel's War of Independence and later 
participated in Operation Ezra and Nehemiah, which airlifted Iraqi Jews 
to Israel. After leaving the military he became a pilot for El Al 
Airlines and a film producer.
   Lou passed away on Monday of this week at age 94, but his life will 
forever be remembered as one of exceptional service and commitment to 
both the United States and Israel. His sacrifices and achievements are 
great, and I hope Lou's heroic efforts will serve as a reminder to us 
all that one individual can truly make a difference.

                          ____________________