Adib Ajib al-Jarf (Arabic: أديب عجيب الجرف) ((1946-05-06)May 6, 1946 – (2021-10-26)October 26, 2021) was a Syrian fighter pilot ace and military officer, who was awarded the Hero of the Syrian Arab Republic [ru] for shooting down several Israeli aircraft in the 1973 October War.


Adib al-Jarf
Native name
أديب الجرف
BornMay 6, 1946
Salamiyah, Syria
DiedOctober 26, 2021
Salamiyah
Cause of deathComplications from COVID-19
Allegiance Syria
Service / branch Syrian Arab Air Force
Years of service1964–1990s
Rank Brigadier General
Battles / warsOctober War
AwardsHero of the Syrian Arab Republic
Order of Civil Merit

Career

edit

Adib al-Jarf was born in Salamiyah in 1946. He joined the Kuweires Military Aviation Institute and served in the Air Force as a combat pilot in the combat aviation branch on the Soviet MiG-21 fighter.[1]

He began his service with the rank of pilot officer student in 1964 and retired with the rank of brigadier general. In the October War, he shot down seven Israeli planes: two French-made Mirage jets and five F-4 Phantom planes. One of the planes was shot down over Ramlet al-Baida in the Lebanese capital Beirut, and another on the road to Bikfaya. During his service, he received several medals, including the coveted Hero of the Syrian Arab Republic [ru] & the Order of Civil Merit of the Syrian Arab Republic.[2]

Al-Jarf is also noted to be the youngest individual to reach a flag officer rank in the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.[citation needed]

Later life

edit

Al-Jarf later passed away from COVID-19 in his hometown of Salamiya in 2021.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Pilot, Adeeb Al-Jarf, the hero of the October Liberation War who shot down 7 Israeli planes, passes away". Syrian Times. 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  2. ^ ""أديب الجرف"... طائرة بسبع طائرات". www.esyria.sy (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  3. ^ "وفاة العميد أديب الجرف أصغر عميد بتاريخ الجيش العربي السوري تفاصيل - …". archive.ph. 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2024-07-26.