(Download) "Operation Hajji Baba (United States Air Force Operation to Fly Stranded Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 1952)" by Air Power History ~ Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Operation Hajji Baba (United States Air Force Operation to Fly Stranded Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 1952)
- Author : Air Power History
- Release Date : January 22, 2003
- Genre: Engineering,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 187 KB
Description
It was the end of August 1952. The eighty-five year old Iranian Muslim had been hoarding his money since he was ten years old. He had hidden coins under the dirt floor of his hut in a lifetime of saving to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, a pilgrimage that all Muslim faithful are expected to undertake at least once in their lives. He had chosen this year to make the journey--the hajj--because the Saudis, keepers of the holy city, were receiving so much money from the Arabian-American Oil Company that they had eliminated the $100 tax previously levied on each pilgrim. He had made it to Beirut, crossroads for many pilgrims and jumping-off point for a flight to Saudi Arabia. He was now, however, stranded at Beirut's international airport. It was hot. He had nowhere to stay; and he had run out of money. He had also almost run out of time. On August 27 the Saudis were scheduled to close the gates to the holy city, and his pilgrimage would come to an abrupt and disheartening end. (1) This unnamed pilgrim had not planned on being stranded in Beirut. He had thought that if he made it to that city, he could fly the rest of the way on one of the three Middle Eastern airlines that traditionally carried pilgrims to Jidda, the airport closest to Mecca. The problem this year was that there were many more pilgrims than the airlines could possibly handle, despite the fact that each of these travelers, including the octogenarian Iranian, had purchased an airline ticket to Jidda before leaving their home country. (2)