Shmuel Tankus

Shmuel "Shmulik" Tankus
Born4 November 1914
Jaffa, Ottoman-controlled Palestine
Died4 March 2012(2012-03-04) (aged 97)[1]
Allegiance Israel
Service / branch Israeli Navy
Years of service1930–1960
RankAluf
CommandsCommander of the Israeli Navy
Battles / warsWorld War II
1947–1949 Palestine war
Suez Crisis

Aluf (Rear Admiral) Shmuel "Shmulik" Tankus (Hebrew: שמואל טנקוס‎; 14 November 1914 – 4 March 2012) was the fifth commander of the Israeli Navy, serving from 30 June 1954 until 1960.[2]

Tankus was born in 1914 in the Neve Shalom district of Jaffa under Ottoman-controlled Palestine. He was scion to a clan from the Caucasus that had settled in Palestine following a vision by the clan's elder.[3] He studied at The Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv

He joined the Palmach, and served in Palyam. He reported to Yohai Ben-Nun, who was Commander of the Port Brigade (Hebrew: מפקדי פלוגת הנמל) and is considered the father of the Israeli Naval Academy.

In 1942, he married Yafa Grobshtein. They had a daughter, Ruth, who volunteered for service in the Navy. He lived in Haifa from 1952 onwards. In 2001, he was accorded the honour of Friend or Beloved of the municipality.

References

  1. ^ Magnezi, Aviel (4 March 2012). "Former Navy commander Shmuel Tankus dies". Ynetnews.
  2. ^ A Navy is Born[permanent dead link‍] Moshe Amon
  3. ^ Tsadok Eshel (2003). Shmuel Tankus: From the Yarkon River to the Israeli Navy. Ministry of Defence, Jerusalem. p. 174. ISBN 965-05-1231-4.