page_title: Gilla Gerzon
hierarchical_section_title: Gilla Gerzon
caption_attribution_description: English: Gilla Gerzon, Director of the Haifa Israel USO, from 1984 until its closing around 2003-2004
context_page_description: Gilla Gerzon, known to many United States military personnel as the "mother of the 6th fleet," is an Israeli who served as director of the Haifa, Israel USO for almost eighteen years, from the time it opened in December 1984 until it closed in September 2002 when U.S. security concerns for the region led to a sharp decrease in U.S. ship visits. In 1993, she was brought to Somalia to establish a temporary USO for U.S. service personnel deployed in support of Operation Restore Hope.
  Gerzon is the first Israeli citizen to receive the United States Navy Commendation Medal.
context_section_description: Gilla Gerzon (Hebrew: גילה גרזון‎), known to many United States military personnel as the "mother of the 6th fleet," is an Israeli who served as director of the Haifa, Israel USO for almost eighteen years, from the time it opened in December 1984 until it closed in September 2002 when U.S. security concerns for the region led to a sharp decrease in U.S. ship visits. In 1993, she was brought to Somalia to establish a temporary USO for U.S. service personnel deployed in support of Operation Restore Hope.
  Gerzon is the first Israeli citizen to receive the United States Navy Commendation Medal.
caption: Gilla Gerzon
exif: {}