Rudolph Ward Patzert

Background

Rudolph Ward Patzert was born on October 15, 1911, in New York City, New York, United States. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Florida.

Career

During World War II, Patzert served in the Merchant Marine, commanding a succession of the supply ships, that helped form a steel bridge across the Atlantic. After the war, he was approached by representatives of the Haganah, the militia of the Jews of Palestine, to serve as captain of the Paducah, a 900-ton gunboat. During both world wars, the Paducah had cruised the Atlantic coast on submarine watch, and was eventually decommissioned and surreptitiously purchased by the Haganah. It was to sail under the flag of Panama. Officially, Captain Patzert's assignment would be to take the ship to Europe, but he acknowledged in a memoir, that he knew the ship would be used to transport European survivors of the Holocaust past a British blockade into Palestine.

After the British captured the Paducah, the ship was rerouted to Cyprus and Captain Patzert, his crew and all the passengers were interned in tents and Quonset huts. They were to remain there for two years. Eventually, the Paducah's passengers made their way to Israel, and Captain Patzert came back home in the United States.

After his return from Cyprus, Patzert commanded oil-drilling vessels and freighters, delivering supplies to the United States troops in South Vietnam, retiring in 1983. For some time, Patzert also worked as a newspaper typesetter in New York and Gary, Indiana.

It was in 1994, that Rudolph published his book, titled "Running the Palestine Blockade: The Last Voyage of the Paducah", in which he detailed the experience he and the refugees endured as they were captured by the British blockade off Palestine's coast and then detained for two years in Cyprus.

Achievements

• Rudolph Ward Patzert gained prominence as a captain, who transported Jewish refugees from Europe to Palestine after World War II. He was also known for his book, titled "Running the Palestine Blockade: The Last Voyage of the Paducah" (1994).
  
  In 1997, Rudolph was recognized by the Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles for his role in assisting Jewish Holocaust survivors.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Running the Palestine Blockade: The Last Voyage of the Paducah

    (As much a tale of moral courage and political intrigue as...)

    1994

Membership

Patzert was a member of the Boy Scouts of America.

Personality

For Rudolph, going to sea was not just a job, he truly loved and respected the power of the great oceans.

Physical Characteristics: Patzert suffered from melanoma.

Connections

Rudolph was married to Theresa Patzert. Their marriage produced two sons - Bill Patzert and Andrew Patzert.

child:

Bill Patzert

child:

Andrew Patzert

Wife:

Theresa Patzert