Joseph Kahn, the son of Yitzhak and Devora, was born in Philadelphia, USA, on 21st August 1908. He grew up in Los Angeles, and after completing high school he began working until he was mobilized into the US Army in 1941, serving in the Intelligence section of the 26th Infantry Division. He participated in all the campaigns in the Far East, reaching the rank of staff sergeant.
After the war he returned to his business as a merchant in Los Angeles. The news of the fate of his fellow Jews in the Holocaust affected him. He was also worried by the refusal of the British to allow Jewish survivors and others to enter Eretz Israel. In June 1947 he joined the League of National Liberation in Washington, saying, “I was a soldier. I fought in the wars of other nations. It’s now my desire to fight for my own people and to serve them.”
When the “Altalena” was purchased, he served on it as a watchman, and became involved in the repairs and refitting which were necessary for the voyage to Marseilles. He sailed on the ship as an ordinary seaman.
From January 1948 he was a field agent for the Etzel in Paris, making contact with former Marquis French underground members and helping them to purchase arms for Israel. He was released from this duty in time to board the “Altalena” and was put in charge of security, serving as commander of the military police on the ship while refusing to accept a formal rank.
After the outbreak of fighting on the beaches of Kfar Vitkin and Tel Aviv, Joe Kahn remained hidden in Tel Aviv for a few days, and then left for Jerusalem to serve with the Etzel fighters there.
On the last night of the ten days of fighting, he participated in an attempt by a joint force of Etzel and the Palmach to recapture the Old City. Because of the superior Arab Legion forces, the fighters were forced to withdraw as the Sabbath drew near. In the early light of day, Joseph Kahn fell in battle just two hours before the UN second cease-fire agreement took effect.
He was buried at Sheikh Bader “A,” and on 10th September 1950 his body was re-interred and laid to rest in the Mount Herzl military cemetery.
Source: Translated from the Yizkor website by Joe Woolf