Charles Winters, 1913-1984

A U.S. businessman who wasn’t Jewish, Winters bought three surplus U.S. B-17 bombers on the pretense that they were for his Caribbean transport service. Instead, he delivered them to the nascent Israeli Air Force in June 1948. They were Israel’s only heavy bombers in the War of Independence. He was convicted in 1949 of violating the U.S. Neutrality Act. President George W. Bush posthumously pardoned him.

Photo: FBI