By April 27, 2008 Read More →

Armed U.N. Force Off for Palestine, Associated Press, NY Sun, June 20, 1948.

United Nations Secretary General Trygve LieNew York, June 19 (AP)-A small out historic band of gray-uniformed men took off today by plane for Palestine.

As United Nations Secretary General Trygve Lie wished 49 United Nations guards “bon voyage” at LaGuardia Field, he asked them to “do your duty in the cause of peace.”

Each guard carried in his suitcase a 38-caliber revolver, making him a part of the first United Nations force to carry weapons.

The guards were recruited for emergency duty in Palestine, and will assist United Nations Mediator Count Folke Bernadotte in supervising the four-week Jewish-Arab truce in the Holy Land.

About 200 persons, mostly relatives, gathered at the field as the guards assembled for roll-call beside the plane.

At the head of the formation was John Cosgrove, of New York, former acting chief security officer at the United Nations. Twenty-eight of the guards were members of the regular United Nations (??)ard, the others recruited from (??) secretariat. All were volunteers. Although Americans-all ex(??)icemen-predominated, there (??)re Australians, Danes, Chinese, Norwegians. French and Swedes in the group. There were also several Negroes.

The revolvers were the former property of New York City policemen. Ammunition will come later by plane. The guns will be loaded only if Count Bernadotte decides the guards should carry them.

Comments are closed.