David Daniel Marcus, the son of a Jewish family of Romanian origin, was born in 1902 in New York. In 1924, he completed his studies at the West Point Military Academy and, after three years of military service, he retired from the US Army and began a legal career.

In 1940, he returned to the legal branch of the US Army and also served in the training sector.

In 1944, he took part in parachuting in Normandy and later on served in the Military Government in Germany, where he was appointed Head of the Unit for War Crime Investigations.

In 1947, he was discharged from the US Army, with the rank of Colonel. At the beginning of 1948, he complied with a request to serve as military adviser and came to Israel, where he was known under the nickname of "Mickey Stone". After studying the conditions of the country, he served in senior advisory and training capacities in the Israel Defense Forces which had just been created during the War of Independence. On May 28, 1948, he was appointed Commander of the Jerusalem Front, with the rank of Aluf (Brigadier General).

He commanded the operations to breakthrough to Jerusalem (Operations "Bin-Nun" and "Yoram"), as well as the building of the "Burma Road".

In Memory of 31459 Brigadier General David (Mickey) Marcus, who fell in the War of Independence on 4th of Sivan, 5708 (11.6.1948). He was loyal to the Jewish People and to his home country of America.

On June 11, 1948, at dawn, shortly before the first cease-fire took effect, General Mickey Marcus was accidentally shot by a sentry who did not recognize him, as he went outside the perimeter fence of his headquarters, near Abu-Gosh.

His coffin was flown to the United States and he was buried at West Point. A memorial monument was set up at the site of his death.

Pictures by: Pinhas Baraq