Giora Romm
Encyclopedia
Giora Romm is a former deputy commander of the Israeli Air Force
(IAF), Israel's former military attaché
in the United States and the current director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. Romm was the Israeli Air Force's very first jet ace, scoring five kills during the 1967 Six Day War. In 1969, during the War of Attrition
, Romm was shot down and spent several months in Egyptian captivity. He commanded the IAF's 115 Squadron
through the intensive fighting of the 1973 Yom Kippur War
and participated in Operation Wooden Leg
, the 1985 raid against PLO headquarters in Tunisia
.
and Mystère, Romm soon converted to the Dassault Mirage III
which he flew with the 119 "Bat" Squadron
at Tel Nof
.
on June 5, 1967, Romm was one of the few pilots who were not tasked with striking Egyptian air bases, remaining at Tel Nof on quick reaction alert instead. When Israeli Mysteres attacking the air base at Abu Suwayr encountered Egyptian Air Force
MiG-21s, Romm and fellow pilot Eitan Karmi were scrambled to the scene. In the ensuing dogfight, each pilot shot down a pair of MiG-21s. That same afternoon, Romm was part of a 119 squadron formation that struck T-4 Syrian Air Force
base. Two MiG-21s attempting to defend the base were shot down, one by Romm and the other by Asher Snir.
On June 6 Romm's aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire while leading a strike against Syrian positions on the Golan Heights. Suffering a light injury, Romm brought his stricken aircraft to a landing at Ramat David
. He was back flying the next day, June 7, when he scored his final kills of the war. A 119 squadron three-ship formation was vectored to intercept Egyptian MiG-17s attacking Israel forces in the Sinai and Romm shot down two to become the IAF's first jet ace. Although other aces had served with the IAF before, Romm was also the first to score all five kills while flying for the IAF (as opposed to pilots who had scored while flying with allied air forces in WWII). A Segen (lieutenant) at the time, IAF commander Mordechai Hod
incorrectly addressed Romm as a Seren (captain) at a victory dinner several weeks after the war. At the instigation of his fellow pilots, Hod promptly promoted Romm to the rank.
, a mounted raid into Egyptian territory, and on September 11 Egypt responded with a large air raid on Israeli positions in the Sinai. Scrambled to the scene, Romm was pursuing a pair of MiG-21s when he was hit by another MiG he had failed to spot, reportedly flown by Major Fawzi Salama. Romm bailed out of his Mirage and landed in the Egyptian Delta, suffering multiple injuries. Denied proper medical attention, he was held at a prison at Abbassia, near Cairo
, where he was repeatedly beaten and tortured. On December 5, after three months in captivity, Romm and fellow pilot Nissim Ashkenazi were released in a prisoner exchange. Hospitalized for 4 months, he was able to return to flying, and was eventually assigned command of an IAF flight school squadron.
crashed during a training sortie. On Friday, October 5, Romm took command of the squadron, despite having never flown the Skyhawk nor serving with the unit. The Yom Kippur War broke out the very next day, and Romm's first flight was a combat sortie targeting Egyptian troops crossing the Suez Canal
. Joining Tulip formation as its number 4, Romm familiarized himself with the aircraft en route to the target. He later described the sortie:
The squadron was eventually to fly 750 sorties throughout the war, losing 7 aircraft. 5 pilots were killed and 2 made prisoners of war.
. In 1980 he was assigned command of the new airbase constructed at Ramon, and in 1984 went on to command Tel Nof, largest of all IAF bases. As commander of Tel Nof, in 1985 he participated in operation Wooden Leg
, flying one of the F-15 Eagle
s that struck PLO headquarters in Tunisia.
In 1987 Romm became the deputy to the head of the IDF Operations Directorate and in 1987 deputy IAF commander, a role he played during the 1991 Gulf War
. Shortly after the war he was promoted to Major General and appointed Israeli military attaché in the United States. Returning to Israel, he retired from military service in early 1996.
. He later entered the private sector and from September 2001 served as the director general of the Jewish Agency for Israel
. In 2008 he was appointed director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel.
Romm holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Bar Ilan University and an MBA from UCLA. He has served as a senior researcher at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
and since 2005 has been chairman of Mezilah, the Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal and Humanist Thought. Married to Miriam, he is the father of a daughter and two sons. In 2008 Romm published his autobiography, Tzivony Arba (Tulip Four), for which he won the 2009 Yitzhak Sadeh
Prize for military literature.
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
(IAF), Israel's former military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in the United States and the current director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. Romm was the Israeli Air Force's very first jet ace, scoring five kills during the 1967 Six Day War. In 1969, during the War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
, Romm was shot down and spent several months in Egyptian captivity. He commanded the IAF's 115 Squadron
115 Squadron (Israel)
115 Squadron, also known as the Flying Dragon or Red Squadron, is the Israeli Air Force's aggressor squadron. Based at Ovda, it is the sole IAF squadron to operate fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and also ground-based assets.-Formation:...
through the intensive fighting of the 1973 Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
and participated in Operation Wooden Leg
Operation Wooden Leg
Operation Wooden Leg was an attack by Israel on the Palestine Liberation Organization headquarters in Hammam al-Shatt, Tunisia, 12 miles from the capital of Tunis. It took place on October 1, 1985. Taking place 1,280 miles away, this was the furthest operation from Israel undertaken by the...
, the 1985 raid against PLO headquarters in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
.
Military service
Born in Tel-Aviv in 1945, Romm enlisted in the Israel Defence Forces in 1962 and attended Israeli Air Force flight course 43. Initially flying the Dassault OuraganDassault Ouragan
The Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan was the first French-designed jet fighter-bomber to enter production, playing a key role in resurgence of the French aviation industry after World War II. The Ouragan was operated by France, Israel, India and El Salvador...
and Mystère, Romm soon converted to the Dassault Mirage III
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
which he flew with the 119 "Bat" Squadron
119 Squadron (Israel)
The 119 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Bat Squadron, is an F-16I fighter squadron based at Ramon Airbase.-References:...
at Tel Nof
Tel Nof Airbase
Tel Nof Israeli Air Force , also known as Air Force Base 8, is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force. Tel Nof is located near Rehovot, Israel.-History:...
.
Six Day War
Romm was 22 at the outbreak of the Six Day War and in the span of three days became the IAF's first jet ace, shooting down five enemy aircraft. When Israel launched operation FocusOperation Focus
Operation Focus was the opening airstrike by Israel at the start of the Six-Day War in 1967. It is sometimes referred to as "Sinai Air Strike" since the focus was primarily on airfields around the Sinai Peninsula. At 07:45 on June 5, 1967, the Israeli Air Force under Maj. Gen...
on June 5, 1967, Romm was one of the few pilots who were not tasked with striking Egyptian air bases, remaining at Tel Nof on quick reaction alert instead. When Israeli Mysteres attacking the air base at Abu Suwayr encountered Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
MiG-21s, Romm and fellow pilot Eitan Karmi were scrambled to the scene. In the ensuing dogfight, each pilot shot down a pair of MiG-21s. That same afternoon, Romm was part of a 119 squadron formation that struck T-4 Syrian Air Force
Syrian Air Force
The Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948.-History:The end of World War II led to a withdrawal of the United Kingdom and France from the Middle East, and this included a withdrawal from Syria...
base. Two MiG-21s attempting to defend the base were shot down, one by Romm and the other by Asher Snir.
On June 6 Romm's aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire while leading a strike against Syrian positions on the Golan Heights. Suffering a light injury, Romm brought his stricken aircraft to a landing at Ramat David
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Israeli Air Force Base is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force, located southeast of Haifa, close to kibbutz Ramat David and Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley...
. He was back flying the next day, June 7, when he scored his final kills of the war. A 119 squadron three-ship formation was vectored to intercept Egyptian MiG-17s attacking Israel forces in the Sinai and Romm shot down two to become the IAF's first jet ace. Although other aces had served with the IAF before, Romm was also the first to score all five kills while flying for the IAF (as opposed to pilots who had scored while flying with allied air forces in WWII). A Segen (lieutenant) at the time, IAF commander Mordechai Hod
Mordechai Hod
Aluf Mordechai "Mottie" Hod was the Commander of the Israeli Air Force during the 1967 Six-Day War.- Biography :Hod was born in the British Mandated of Palestine in Kibbutz Degania in 1926...
incorrectly addressed Romm as a Seren (captain) at a victory dinner several weeks after the war. At the instigation of his fellow pilots, Hod promptly promoted Romm to the rank.
War of Attrition and captivity
By 1969 Romm was slated to convert to the F-4 Phantom. In September 1969, however, he was shot down and captured by the Egyptians. On September 9 the IDF had carried out Operation RavivOperation Raviv
Operation Raviv , also known as the Ten-Hour War, was a mounted raid conducted by the Israeli Defence Forces on Egypt's Red Sea coast during the War of Attrition. Taking place on September 9, 1969, Raviv was the sole major ground offensive undertaken by the IDF against Egypt throughout the war...
, a mounted raid into Egyptian territory, and on September 11 Egypt responded with a large air raid on Israeli positions in the Sinai. Scrambled to the scene, Romm was pursuing a pair of MiG-21s when he was hit by another MiG he had failed to spot, reportedly flown by Major Fawzi Salama. Romm bailed out of his Mirage and landed in the Egyptian Delta, suffering multiple injuries. Denied proper medical attention, he was held at a prison at Abbassia, near Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, where he was repeatedly beaten and tortured. On December 5, after three months in captivity, Romm and fellow pilot Nissim Ashkenazi were released in a prisoner exchange. Hospitalized for 4 months, he was able to return to flying, and was eventually assigned command of an IAF flight school squadron.
Yom Kippur War
On October 3, 1973, 115 Squadron lost its commanding officer, Ami Gadish, when his A-4 SkyhawkA-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
crashed during a training sortie. On Friday, October 5, Romm took command of the squadron, despite having never flown the Skyhawk nor serving with the unit. The Yom Kippur War broke out the very next day, and Romm's first flight was a combat sortie targeting Egyptian troops crossing the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. Joining Tulip formation as its number 4, Romm familiarized himself with the aircraft en route to the target. He later described the sortie:
The squadron was eventually to fly 750 sorties throughout the war, losing 7 aircraft. 5 pilots were killed and 2 made prisoners of war.
Later Service
Romm commanded 115 Squadron until 1976, when he was appointed head of the research department at Lamdan, the IAF's Air Intelligence DirectorateAir Intelligence Directorate
The Israeli Air Intelligence Group is a unit of the Israel Defense Forces Air Force. Like other IDF intelligence gathering bodies, it is professionally subordinate to the IDF's Intelligence Directorate....
. In 1980 he was assigned command of the new airbase constructed at Ramon, and in 1984 went on to command Tel Nof, largest of all IAF bases. As commander of Tel Nof, in 1985 he participated in operation Wooden Leg
Operation Wooden Leg
Operation Wooden Leg was an attack by Israel on the Palestine Liberation Organization headquarters in Hammam al-Shatt, Tunisia, 12 miles from the capital of Tunis. It took place on October 1, 1985. Taking place 1,280 miles away, this was the furthest operation from Israel undertaken by the...
, flying one of the F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
s that struck PLO headquarters in Tunisia.
In 1987 Romm became the deputy to the head of the IDF Operations Directorate and in 1987 deputy IAF commander, a role he played during the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. Shortly after the war he was promoted to Major General and appointed Israeli military attaché in the United States. Returning to Israel, he retired from military service in early 1996.
Civilian career
Upon leaving the military, Romm was appointed director of the Ministry of National Infrastructure, under then-minister Ariel SharonAriel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
. He later entered the private sector and from September 2001 served as the director general of the Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
. In 2008 he was appointed director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel.
Romm holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Bar Ilan University and an MBA from UCLA. He has served as a senior researcher at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit think-tank focusing on issues of United States and Israel in national security. JINSA's stated aim is threefold: to ensure a strong and effective U.S...
and since 2005 has been chairman of Mezilah, the Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal and Humanist Thought. Married to Miriam, he is the father of a daughter and two sons. In 2008 Romm published his autobiography, Tzivony Arba (Tulip Four), for which he won the 2009 Yitzhak Sadeh
Yitzhak Sadeh
Yitzhak Sadeh , was the commander of the Palmach, one of the founders of the Israel Defense Forces at the time of the establishment of the State of Israel and a cousin of British philosopher Isaiah Berlin.-Biography:...
Prize for military literature.