Esther Arditi (1937 – 20 February 2003), also known as "The Angel in White," was a medic in the Israel Defense Forces, and the only woman to be awarded the Israeli Medal of Distinguished Service.

[1] A week after earning her medic certification in 1954, Arditi saved combat pilot Yaakov Salomon and navigator Shlomo Hertzman from a burning Mosquito FB6 which had been struck by lightning while landing in a storm.

[2] Arditi abandoned the ambulance and ran on foot towards the burning plane where she pulled out the injured crew just before it exploded.

[4] As a result of her heroism, she became the first and only female soldier to be awarded the Israeli Medal of Distinguished Service.

[1] Her achievements in the military earned her the nickname "Angel in White," which stayed with her until she died of cardiac arrest on 20 February 2003.