Jack’s parents were Irish Catholics who were involved in the troubles in Ireland during World War I. They moved to the U.K. where Jack was born, and when he was six the family moved to the U.S.A. where Jack was educated.
In 1940 he went to Canada to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. He fought all across North Africa and finally into Italy. In an attack near the Anzio beach-head he shot down one German aircraft and damaged a second before his own plane sustained extensive damage. Unable to get the canopy open, he was forced to attempt a dead stick, wheels-up landing on the beach. He had been wounded in the leg, back and arm, but somehow managed to walk away from his wrecked plane.
Jack was taken to an American hospital where the surgeon wanted to amputate his arm. When he declined the suggestion, it was revealed that he was not an American but “one of King George’s boys.” He was moved to a British hospital after five days, and there the Canadian surgeon declared his injury was no big deal and removed various bits of steel from his body. At this hospital a nurse whom he’d been dating was based, a French Canadian girl and they married in Sacramento after the war. In his World War II service with the Royal Canadian Air Force he had shot down four enemy planes and damaged several others.
He became a Canadian citizen and was studying at the university in Ottawa when he was approached about the possibility of flying for Israel. Whoever approached him had complete knowledge of his service career. Jack’s Irish temperament, coupled with his feelings about the British role in Ireland and his feelings about what had happened to the Jews in Europe, made his decision an easy one.
The organization worked very smoothly as he quickly received his passport and was soon on his way to the U.K. via British Overseas Airways. From there he flew to Geneva where he met Clifford (“Denny”) Wilson and John McElroy, and then proceeded to Haifa via Athens. Denny and John were non-Jewish volunteers from Canada who also subsequently flew for 101 Squadron.
Jack’s initial recruitment was for the purpose of training Israeli pilots at Urbe, but that was soon forgotten and he was sent on to fly operations in Israel. It took some time before he could get into action and he was prepared to head back to the U.S.A. if he couldn’t be put to work. He flew for 101 Squadron and shot down two enemy planes and damaged several others.
On 28th December 1948, Jack Doyle and Gordon Levett were flying Spitfires escorting a formation of Harvards on a bombing mission on the Faluja pocket. The Israeli formation encountered two Egyptian Macchis and two Spitfires. Doyle shot down one Macchi and damaged one Spitfire. Levett hit the remaining Macchi and Spitfire but did not succeed in shooting them down.
On 30th December 1948, Jack Doyle and John McElroy shot down two Macchis which were strafing IDF ground forces. One kill was awarded to each pilot.
Jack remained in Israel after the end of the War of Independence and trained Israeli pilots. He left Israel for Canada on 12th May 1949. Later Jack and John McElroy rejoined the Royal Canadian Air Force and were based in Europe with NATO, flying Sabre Jets. An unfortunate accident just ten days after his discharge resulted in the amputation of John’s hand.
Source: American Veterans of Israel Newsletter, October 1995 (Mike Finegood)
Smoky Simon’s article “Israel Air Force during the War of Independence”