Page 227 - big friday
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S o much for the reports of the US Consul in the besieged Jerusalem, T. C. Wasson. Shortly
after writing his last report, Wasson left the consulate building and walked towards the
Y.M.C.A. building near the King David Hotel. Roy Carleson, the American corresponding
covering the fighting in Jerusalem at the time, wrote: "The bullet vest that Wasson wore
did not save him this time. A number of bullets, fired at close range, entered his armpit.
Wasson was taken to hospital, and was declared dead the next day, on May 23, 1948."
T he same day, an unidentified sniper shot at a US Naval officer stationed at the
Jerusalem Consulate, Herbert C. Walker, killing him. Was there any connection between
the two incidents? This remains an open question. Governor of Jewish Jerusalem, Dov
Yosef, wrote in his book, Kirya Ne'emana (p. 225), "Unfortunately, Mr. Wasson was shot
on 22 May by an Arab sniper." Carleson raised two possibilities: "Some argued that it was
members of the Stern gang [Lehi] who had shot Wasson; others said that it was an Arab
sniper, but the riddle remains unsolved."
Wasson spent less than two months in the besieged and bombarded city of Jerusalem.
He was buried in a cave near the US Consulate building, and his coffin was later transferred
to the US.
Davar reports Wasson’s death, May 24, 1948
Other Perspectives 225
S o much for the reports of the US Consul in the besieged Jerusalem, T. C. Wasson. Shortly
after writing his last report, Wasson left the consulate building and walked towards the
Y.M.C.A. building near the King David Hotel. Roy Carleson, the American corresponding
covering the fighting in Jerusalem at the time, wrote: "The bullet vest that Wasson wore
did not save him this time. A number of bullets, fired at close range, entered his armpit.
Wasson was taken to hospital, and was declared dead the next day, on May 23, 1948."
T he same day, an unidentified sniper shot at a US Naval officer stationed at the
Jerusalem Consulate, Herbert C. Walker, killing him. Was there any connection between
the two incidents? This remains an open question. Governor of Jewish Jerusalem, Dov
Yosef, wrote in his book, Kirya Ne'emana (p. 225), "Unfortunately, Mr. Wasson was shot
on 22 May by an Arab sniper." Carleson raised two possibilities: "Some argued that it was
members of the Stern gang [Lehi] who had shot Wasson; others said that it was an Arab
sniper, but the riddle remains unsolved."
Wasson spent less than two months in the besieged and bombarded city of Jerusalem.
He was buried in a cave near the US Consulate building, and his coffin was later transferred
to the US.
Davar reports Wasson’s death, May 24, 1948
Other Perspectives 225
