Meir Halevi Gover IDF MIAs 1947-2021 Second Edition a Second Generation publication Cover Design by Meir Halevi Gover Photo: N12 2016 Product of Israel MEIR Halevi GOVER ================================= IDF MIAs 1947 – 2021 Second Edition a SECOND GENERATION publication Copyright © 2021 by Meir Halevi Gover All rights reserved. a Second Generation publication Permission: Any part of this album may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, provided it is for non-commercial and non-profit purposes only and remains identical in content, format and wording with this publication and provided that full credit for the wording, captions and photographs is attributed to the sole author and publisher of this publication © MEIR HALEVI GOVER. Author and Publisher’s E-mail address: mggover@gmail.com ISBN 978-965-92760-9-7 Product of Israel ‫מאיר הלוי גובר‬ ‫חללי צה"ל‬ ‫שמקום קבורתם לא נודע‬ ‫מקל"נים ‪1947-2021‬‬ ‫מהדורה שנייה‬ ‫ספרי הדור השני‬ CONTENTS CHAPTER # CHAPTER NAME PAGE PART A PART B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 23.1 IDF MIAs Electronic Bracelet Alphabetized Table MIAs By Age MIAs by Birth Location Years Range MIAs December 1947‐August 1949 Israel's War of Independence December 22, 1947 Safed, Galilee December 13, 1947 December 22, 1947 Beit‐Nabala January 01, 1948. Zrifin January 1948. Nablus January 13, 1948. Etzion March 15, 1948. Unknown The KASTEL Battles I KASTEL Battles II KASTEL Battles III Mishmar Haemek Battles Jaffa Battles II Jaffa Battles II Jaffa Battles III Jaffa Battles IV May 1948. Operation MEDINA‐11 MIAs IDF's NAVY The NEGEV Battles Jerusalem May, 1948 Operation MEDINA. Tirah Malkia Battles. Upper Galillee Operation DEKEL Last War of Independence MIA 1 8 13 25 26 28 29 30 34 45 61 67 72 80 85 90 96 101 106 112 117 125 175 179 233 238 271 285 300 333 368 PART C 24 MIAs 1949‐1957 25 November 23, 1952. 7 NAVY MIAs PART D MIAs 1960‐1967 PART E MIAs 1967‐1973 26 EILAT Destroyer‐16 MIAs 27 IDF Air‐Force PART F 28 DAKAR Submarine‐69 MIAs PART G MIAs 1968‐1973 29 The KARAMEH Operation. March 21, 1968 PART H MIAs 1973‐2014 30 The YOM‐KIPPUR WAR 31 The ELTAGAR Tank Enigma 32 The BEN‐DROR Tank Enigma 33 MIAs Air‐Force 33a MIAs NAVY 34 MIAs Armored Corps. PART I MIAs 1975‐2014 35 MIAs NAVY 36 MIAs Air‐Force 37 June 11, 1982. The Sultan Yacoub Battle 38 MIAs NAVY 39 MIAs Air‐Force PART H Post LEBANON Wars 40 Operation "PROTECTIVE EDGE"‐"TZUK EITAN" NAME INDEX 371 372 390 442 472 473 531 543 544 693 694 702 703 707 719 725 742 749 757 758 765 772 778 783 787 790 796 809 1 PART A: IDF MIAs 2 This album is about the men who fell for the State of Israel but remain MIA to date. Many of the MIAs were in my age bracket when they became MIAs. This triggered me to write this album. It seems that I shared with many of them growing up in the 1950s, the years of innocence during Israel’s first years of existence. Nobody was rich but nobody felt poor either. We were happy first born children growing in innocent, maybe even naïve neighborhoods across Israel, entirely not exposed to the main powers running the big world around us. And why write this album in English, not in Hebrew? I found no English written material about this subject of Israeli MIAs, thus decided to expose English language readers to the subject of this album. This album is not about the full scope of the Israelis fallen for their state in the Modern Zionism1 era. This book is about the Israeli MIAs during the 74 first years 1947 to 2021. October 29, 1947 was a major date in the history of the only Jewish state worldwide. United Nations Resolution 1812 partitioned the small land of Palestine, controlled then and since 1917 under a British Mandate, into two independent countries: The Jewish state of Israel and the Arab state of Palestine3. The city of Jerusalem was to become under this resolution an international independent territory. Some historians claim that the modern times Jewish – Arab conflict over the land of Israel initiated as early as 1881, the year of first modern days massive flux of Jews into Israel which was given the title “The First Aliyah”4. Those historians count the victims of the Jewish – Arab 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Partition_Plan_for_Palestine 3 https://www.britannica.com/topic/United‐Nations‐Resolution‐181 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Partition_Plan_for_Palestine 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Aliyah 3 conflict over Israel starting as early as 1881. I decided to border the scope of the conflict more sensibly to the period starting with UN Resolution #181, i.e. October 1947 and onwards to date (2021).Thus, for example, the May 01, 1943 sinking of the SS Erinpura5 incident is not part of this book, even though the number of victims in this incident was massive 796 victims of which 140 were Jewish soldiers serving in the British Armies, drowned in the Mediterranean, 50 KM north of Benghazi, Libya. This album is not even about all the fallen in the Israeli Wars since the Israeli War of Independence and onwards. This album is reduced to the MIAs6 in the Israeli Wars, i.e. the fallen who remain Missing in Action to this day (2021). Their bodies were not recovered since the various battles they were involved in. Thus their remains could not be put into proper rest. Most all IDF’s7 MIAs are of the Jewish faith, three are of the Moslem faith and one was Christian. All major religions do stress the proper burial of the dead, thus the MIA phenomena remains unusual but still cannot be overlooked. There were exceptional cases where the remains of a deceased could not be recovered while there were many other cases where sheer negligence was the reason why the MIA’s body or remains was left behind in the battlefield forever. Each Israeli MIA is represented in this book by his black and white photograph and most are represented by their “Pillow” as well. “Pillow” is the popular name for the rectangular stone put upon the head of each buried soldier. “Bed” is the name attached with the grave in which the dead Israeli soldier body remains are put to rest. However, the MIAs graves “bed” less for the trivial reason that the MIA’s body remains are missing, thus the MIA’s grave is merely symbolic and empty and thus “Bed” less. 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Erinpura https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bWXuVPgPSo 6 MIA = Missing in Action 7 IDF – Israel Defense Forces. Hebrew: ‫צה"ל – צבא הגנה לישראל‬ 4 Fig. 01: Mount Herzl, Jerusalem (March 2021). Standard “normal” soldiers’ graves: i.e. a “Pillow” and a “Bed” for each fallen soldier. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 5 Fig. 01A: Mount Herzl, Jerusalem (March 2021). NON‐Standard symbolic graves for the MIAs: i.e. a “Pillow” only to identify the MIA. NO “Beds” since the MIA’s body remains were not recovered. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 My calculations point to just under 250 Israeli soldiers who are still MIAs - Missing in Action between 1947, the year when the War of Independence had initiated and 2021, the year this album is published. Roughly a third of the MIAs are 84 Israeli Navy soldiers, quite a high percentage, not in favor of the Israeli Navy. This high percentage of Navy MIAs constitutes the 14 Navy soldiers perished in the Egyptian missile bombing and sinking of the ‘Eilat’ Navy Destroyer on October 1967, east of Port Said on the Mediterranean and the 69 Navy sailors 6 who sunk with the Dakar submarine. Three cursed months for all Israelis. The Dakar submarine was purchased by Israel from the British after serving the British Navy for many years. British shipyards reconditioned the Dakar according to Israeli requirements. During the virgin voyage of delivering the Dakar from England to Israel, the Dakar submarine disappeared at high seas. Further investigation recovered that the Dakar was not attacked by any hostile Navy, nor any boat colided into it. It took 31 years to recover the remains of the Dakar in the Mediterranean, 485 KM west of Haifa, 3 KM deep. The Dakar sinking is attributed now (2021) either to a mechanical constructional failure or to an erroneous maneuver which caused an immediate technical structure collapse of the submarine body and thus the suffocation of its entire 69 men crew or combination thereof. One of many conclusions was to staff submarines and destroyer boats with the minimal manpower required for orderly operation and stay “economical” with the men count aboard at any given time. About 15 of the Israeli MIAs are Air Force Pilots and Air-Navigators. This constitutes 6% of the MIAs. Taking into account the Navy and the Air Force MIAs, leaves the main body of about 60% of the MIAs to IDF’s Infantry and the Armored Corps. One ought to be careful to differentiate between the total number of Israelis who fell during the various Middle East wars involving Israel and the much lower number of IDF’s MIAs. Indeed, each victim is a full world, but naturally the number of the Israeli MIAs is so much lower than the total number of Israelis fallen in Middle East wars. A special permanent IDF unit has the sole task of locating IDF MIAs. Over the years this unit had located the remains many who were considered MIAs. Each located MIA is then removed from the MIA list. Some forensic questions had aroused as to what will suffice scientifically to identify an MIA remains vis a vis the quantity and quality of his remains. Obviously DNA remains of the deceased, in sufficient amounts so to identify the remains by comparing the remains DNA with the DNA of his close living family member would be the most accurate way. Alas, not always remains discovered after dozens of years are in quality or in quantity to produce good forensic 7 results. There were few cases where family of an MIA located after many years claimed that the coffin of their dear one is actually empty and contains no remains at all. This is a sensitive issue. The author skipped particular such cases Most 248 men who remain IDF MIAs to date (2021) are of the Jewish faith. Orthodox Jewish customs require mourning the death annually on his anniversary death date by reciting the KADISH prayer and mentioning the deceased Jewish Death Date – the YAHRZEIT8. Hence, the YAHRZEIT of each Jewish MIA is included in this album. “Giving Face to the Fallen”9 is a non-profit Israeli organization whose goal is to memorize the fallen for Israel. One of their goals is to add basic details sometimes missing; such as the location and circumstances of each death. Obviously, IDF MIAs missing such information are on their mission lists. Photo 01: MIA Emblem in Texas. 8 http://mykaddish.com/yahrtzeit‐basic.html 9 https://latetpanim.org.il/en 8 The Electronic Bracelet 9 Most present (2021) soldiers are electronically equipped. It seems that future wars will be conducted where the future soldier will be much more electronically equipped. One such accessory will be no doubt, a military spec sort of Electronic Bracelet or a similar dressed on device embedded in the soldier’s battle uniform. Such device will “waze” the soldier’s position anytime, anywhere. Fig. 02: Electronic Hand Bracelet. Photo: Wikipedia 10 Fig. 03: Electronic Ankle Bracelet. Photo: Wikipedia If at any time during the battle or the military maneuver the soldier goes into a halt, the bracelet will record his last position. Such bracelet will apply to all soldiers: in Infantry, in Armored Vehicles, on Navy and Air Force instruments. Naturally, some sort of a creative coding solution will need to be developed in order to avoid electronic penetration to such bracelet by the enemy. Once such Bracelet will become field operational, the number of future MIAs will drop considerably. It will apply not only to MIAs; Mountaineers or valleys trackers in remote or less 11 remote parts of the world will not go lost again and again and if they will, somebody behind will know where they are at any given point of their voyage1. 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_tagging 29 PART B: IDF MIAs December 1947 – August 1949 30 1. ISRAEL’s WAR of INDEPENDENCE The Men with the 1 Handsome Forelocks 1 CHUPCHIK in Russian 31 Fig. 04: Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. The War of Independence MIAs fell as early as December 1947. War of Independence MIAs goes to August 1949. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 32 On October 29, 1947 Jews in British Israel and in heavy Jewish populated locations around the world were rejoicing in the streets as a result of the United Nation Resolution 181; however hostilities between Jews and Arabs in Palestine initiated the day following the resolution. Israel’s War of Independence initiated on November 30, 1947. The first hostility is considered the Sunday, November 30, 1947 Arab attack on a civil bus going south of Petah-Tikva carrying civilian passengers enroot from Petah-Tikva to Jerusalem. Two of the Jewish bus passengers were killed. The War of Independence lasted about 1.5 years. The last of the Armistice Agreements was signed on July 1949. No Arab country signed a peace agreement with Israel up until the Israeli – Egyptian Peace Treaty on 1979. Back in 1948 amidst the War of Independence, the popular Hebrew poem ‘Song of Comradeship’2 was written by poet Haim Gouri3 and was set for music by composer Shasha Argov4. This poem became the hymn of the War of Independence. It collectively perpetuates the Jewish men fallen as ‘The Men with the Handsome Forelocks’5, very befitting when one does go through the forelocks as depicted in this album in the pictures of the fallen, one by one. The number of MIAs solely during the War of Independence during the years 1947-1949, and as of 2021, at 73 years of Israel’s independence, remains high 97 [Ninety-Seven]. 97 MIAs during the War of Independence seems a high number. An effort is still to be made to reduce the number, i.e. to identify the location where they became MIAs. The issue of collecting the remains of IDF soldiers from battlefields was performed with gross negligence. A May 1948 Ordinance to collect the dead from the fields was not executed6. The task was delegated since to the IDF’s Rabbinate Units. 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hareut 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haim_Gouri 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasha_Argov 5 Hebrew: '‫'יפי הבלורית והתואר‬ 6 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%99_%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9E%D 7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%A6%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA 33 Fig. 05: November 29, 1947. The Pronunciation of U.N. Resolution 181 to divide Israel between two states: a Jewish State (green), an Arab state (orange) and neutral Jerusalem (white). Photo: Wikipedia 34 2. December 22, 1947. First IDF MIAs Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev’s Water Line Battle. 35 Fig. 06: 2021. MIAs Zone: Jerusalem, Israel Mt. Herzl National Monument. Zone B’, Plot 2. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 36 The first two IDF MIAs on Israel’s War of Independence had fallenl in the Kibbutz MishmarHanegev battle. Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev is located in the northern NEGEV region, 80 KM south of Tel Aviv and 20 KM north east of Beer-Sheba. The Kibbutz was established in October 1946. By the end of 1947, following the United Nations Resolution 181 to establish two states a Jewish and an Arab state in Palestine, the Kibbutz was merely one year young. The kibbutz main manpower body consisted of 50 Holocaust survivors from Poland and Lithuania. They were members of the Zionist left wing party POALEY ZION-Left. At breakdown of the hostilities the Kibbutz members were drafted in the PALMAH – HANEGEV infantry brigade, one of the then three PALMAH brigades. Two main water lines were laid down to this region by August 1947 to replace the local stale wells. The water lines needed constant protection from local Tarabin al Tsana7 Tribe Bedouins who objected the fact that the water lines were running through territory which the Bedouins considered their own. Obviously, the Bedouins lacked ownership documents. Menachem Honen and Mordechai Kalman were two young draftees who were summoned to in the Kibbutz in platoon AMELIM in order to protect the new water lines. The platoon became part of the PALMACH 12th Squad under Commander Moshe Brachman8, reporting to Isaak Rabin9. Menachem Honen was born in Istanbul, Turkey on September 22, 1928. At age 15, in 1943 he made Aliyah. He was drafted in 1947 in the PALMACH infantry. Mordechai Kalman was born on December 25, 1928 in Korozin, Rumania. At age 16, in 1944 he made Aliyah. By November 1947 they were positioned with a squad guarding the Mishmar Hanegev water line. On December 11, 1947 the water line guard squadron was ambushed by local Bedouins, just south of Mishmar Hanegev. Few of the squadron men were killed and their bodies carried back to the kibbutz. Honen and Kalman’s bodies were not recovered, not even on the following days. It is quite impossible to establish today (2021) if Brachman’s Squad men returned to search for 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarabin_Bedouin 8 https://www.palmach.org.il/veterans/veteranpage/?itemId=73341 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzhak_Rabin 37 the two missing bodies of their comrades in the following days or if the local Bedouins kidnapped the two bodies from the battlefield. In 1947 the emerging IDF was merely in establishing the standard of “NEVER desert a body of a fellow soldier in the battle field - if necessary, return soon enough to recover his remains”. There were constant rumors spreading that the Arabs mutilated Jewish soldiers’ corpses, undressing them, cutting their genitals and then photograp them in humiliating postures. Following Israel’s War of Independence, the territory around Mishmar Hanegev became part of the State of Israel. The Tarabin Bedouin tribe became Israeli citizens in 1948 just one and a half year following the Mishmar Hanegev MIAs incident. Surely they could have been interrogated long since, in order to identify the members of the pack who killed the two Jewish MIAs. Fig. 07: 1947‐1948 The “NEGEV Animals” platoon @ Mishmar Hanegev: Shlomo Carmel, Bentz, Amos Krasnicki, Saul Sapir, Uri Zlatin, Baruch Shapir (not identified per person). Photo: https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%A8_%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%92 %D7%91 38 Fig. 08: May 1947. The then new water line just south to Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev. Photo: https://mishmar‐ hanegev.localtimeline.com/index.php?lang=he#[showWindow/event/3/image/12] 39 Fig. 09: Menachem Honen. War of Independence MIA #110. Killed: December 11, 1947, south of Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev. Yahrzeit: 28 KISLEV 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 10 This book is about IDF’s MIAs, not about the IDF’s full victims list. Unfortunately the total IDF victims count scope is much higher than the MIAs count. 40 Fig. 10: IDF Personal Number 170053 Private Menachem Honen old Pillow. Photo: Billiongraves.com 41 Fig. 11: IDF #170053 Private Menachem Honen new Pillow. Rank added. ‘Turkey’ spelling in Hebrew was amended. Age: 21 Born: Istanbul, Turkey Parents: Leah and Samuel Honen. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 42 Fig. 12: Mordechai “Motke” Kalman. Killed: December 11, 1947 south to Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev. YAHRZEIT: 28 KISLEV 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 43 Fig. 13: IDF Personal #170055 Private Mordechai “Motke” Kalman old Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Kordozin, Rumania Parents: Rachel and Chaim Kalman. Photo: BllionGraves.com 44 Fig. 14: IDF Personal #170055 Private Mordechai Motke Kalman new Pillow. Rank was added Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 202149 45 3. The Battle over Safed, Upper Galillee December 13, 1947. 46 Menachem “Nachmu” Mizrahi was born in 1926 in Safed. December 13, 1947 at age 19, was his last day. Merely two weeks before, United Nations Resolution 181 threw British Israel into chaos. The town of Safed in the upper Galilee was designated to be part of the Jewish territory. Practically was divided for about 1,000 years long between two distinctive quarters: the Jewish quarter and the Moslem (Sunnite) quarter. Both communities lived usually in harmony but under a distinctive separation. There were few cases of intermarriage, usually a Jewish bride marrying a Moslem groom, but those were uncommon. Modern researches (21st Century) point to a distinct genetic similarity of the Y chromosome lines between Jews and Moslems from Safed, pointing to the phylogenetic possibility that at least some of the Moslems who lived in Safed were Moslemized perhaps as early as the 8th to the 12th Centuries CE. Being on an intelligence mission for the Haganah11 in Safed, Menachem Mizrahi made his way on December 12, 1947 down from the Jewish quarter to the Moslem quarter, where he disappeared ever since. Rumors spread across the Safed Jewish community that extreme Safed Arabs caught and tortured him then murdered him and burned his remains. His disappearance set the signal to what was to come four month later: the battle over Safed. This battle lasted 3 weeks, April 16 to May 11, 1948 and was conducted between the IDF and the Arab Liberation Army12 headed by Colonel Fawzi al-Qawuqji13. The Arabs lost. Most all the Arab population evacuated the town. Fawzi al-Qawuqji lived to be 87 and died in 1977 in Beirut Lebanon surrounded with Arab refugees from Safed. An historic question remains open: could he or people around him, shed light on the whereabouts of Menachem Mizrahi on December 1947 in Safed. 11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haganah 12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Liberation_Army 13 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawzi_al‐Qawuqji 47 Fig. 15: Menachem “Nahmo” Mizrahi. Killed: December 13, 1947 YAHRZEIT: 30 KISLEV 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 48 Fig. 16: IDF Personal #172819 Private Menachem “Nahmo” Mizrahi old Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Safed, Israel Killed: December 13, 1947. Parents: Pirhia and Jacob Mizrahi. Photo: billionGraves.com 49 Fig. 17: IDF Personal #172819 Private Menachem “Nahmo” Mizrahi new Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Safed, Israel Parents: Pirhiya and Jacob Mizrahi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 50 Moslem Ahmed Nimer al-Abdalla ‫ احمد نمر العبد ﷲ‬was born June 20, 1923 in the el-Heib Arab tribe in the Galilee. During the War of Independence he served in the IDF Minorities Platoon. The IDF Minorities Platoon was established in the PALMACH under the command of Isaac Hankin. Its soldiers came from the Bedouin, Druze and Cherkessk communities14. At age 25, married with three children, Ahmed Nimer al-Abdalla participated in a raid conducted by the IDF in Wadi Lemon near Safed, where he lost his life on July 01, 1948. His body was never recovered. 14 https://kotar.cet.ac.il/KotarApp/Index/Chapter.aspx?nBookID=104817776&nTocEntryID=104820361 51 Fig. 18: Ahmed Nimer al-Abdalla ‫احمد نمر العبد ﷲ‬ No picture of his is available. Either his family wish or he was never photographed. 52 Fig. 19: IDF Personal #174017 Private Ahmed Nimer al-Abdalla’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Tuba Zangria, British Israel Parents: Matra and Nimer al-Abdalla Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 53 Moslem Dib el-Heib ‫ ديف الھب‬of the Sunni Moslem faith was born in 1910 in the Arab village of Tuba in the Upper Galilee. He was member of the Arab el-Heib tribe which on the War of Independence supported the Jewish cause. On July 1948 he and another tribe member were recruited for a reconnaissance mission in the Arab village of Akrabe, near Safed. They were caught by Syrian forces stationed in Akrabe. The second man denied any connection to a reconnaissance mission for the Jews and was freed within three months. Dib el-Heib confessed that he was on mission for the IDF and thus was executed in the Arab village of Tarshiha. He left behind his wife and six children. His burial location is not known. He remains MIA to date. Assuming that he was buried in or near the Moslem cemetery in Tarshiha, question remains if his remains are still traceable to date. 54 Fig. 20: Dib el-Heib ‫ديف الھب‬ Photo: Not available. Either his family wish or he was never photographed. 55 Fig. 21: IDF Personal #176004 Private Dib el-Heib ‫ ديف الھب‬old Pillow. Photo: BillionGrves.com 56 Fig. 22: IDF Personal #176004 Private Dib el-Heib ‫ ديف الھب‬new Pillow. Age: 38 Born: Tuba Zangria, Turkish Israel Parents: Maryem and Hader el‐Hib Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 57 Moslem Mohammad Hasan Salem ‫ محمد حسن سالم‬was born in 1905 in the Arab village of Muftachra in the Hula lake valley up in northern then Turkish Israel. He was married and had two boys and two girls. He worked in the nearby Kibbutz Sde- Nehemiah and thus was recruited in the HAGANAH forces. On October 24, 1948 Mohammad Hasan Salem was on a reconnaissance mission to meet some Arab informers. He encountered a Syrian force and was executed by them. His body was interned in the Arab village of Arfiah, east of Kibbutz Gadot. He remains MIA to date. 58 Fig. 23: Mohammad Hasan Salem ‫محمد حسن سالم‬ Photo: Not available. Either his family wish or he was never photographed. 59 Fig. 24: NO IDF Personal #, NO rank Mohammad Hasan Salem ‫ محمد حسن سالم‬old Pillow. Photo: BilionGraves.com 60 Fig. 25: NO IDF Personal #, NO rank Mohammad Hasan Salem ‫ محمد حسن سالم‬Pillow. Age: 43 Born: Muftachra, Turkish Israel Parents: Asba and Hasan Salem Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 61 4. December 22, 1947. 1 MIA Beit-Nabala, Israel 62 Nissim Moses Attyia was born in 1926 in Jerusalem, British Israel. In 1942, at age 16 he joined the PALMACH in Jerusalem. By 1943, an Arab Platoon department was established within the PALMACH. The mission of this department was to gather intelligence among the Arabs in Palestine and in the neighboring Arab countries. Sephardic15 and Mizrahi16 Jews who spoke Arabic, looked like Arabs and could portray Arabs joined the PALMACH Arab platoon. On October 09, 1945 Nissim Moses Attyia was in the PALMACH platoon which broke into the Atlit Detention Camp where the British kept captive visa-less Jewish immigrants to Palestine. This operation released 2,000 Jewish detainees from British captivity. The detainees were then hidden in Kibbutz Yagur and later dispersed over the country. In 1946, Attyia was found fit and joined the Arab Platoon of the PALMACH. On December 14, 1947 a convoy of arms, ammunition and food supplies made its way from Petach-Tikva to Ben-Shemen. The convoy took a detour route in order to avoid the Arab populated town of Lod. The detour route took the convoy near the Arab village of Beit Nabala. A squad of the Arab Legion17 soldiers was stationed by then In the British camp near Beit Nabala18. The Arab Legion soldiers attacked the Jewish convoy. Most convoy vehicles managed to speed up and escape. The last two trucks stumbled. The Arab Legion soldiers, armed with British Bren light submachine guns19 killed the Jews injured in the two trucks at point blank distance. 13 Jewish soldiers died with their commander Abraham Baram. Few oddities about the Arab Legion soldiers stationed inside a British Army Camp: 1. Who had permitted such housing in the British camp? After all, the British were committed to ‘neutrality’ in the Jewish-Arab conflict. 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardi_Jews 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardi_Jews 17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Legion 18 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_Nabala 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bren_light_machine_gun 63 2. Who armed The Arab Legion soldiers with British made Bren submachine guns? 3. Who had supplied the ammunition for the Brens? Golda Meir, representing the Jewish Agency20, protested to Sir Allan Gordon Cunningham21 the Brit High Commissioner22 in Jerusalem. The British agreed symbolically to add a British liaison to each future such convoy but going to Ben-Shemen only… 4. Who supplied the Arab Legion soldiers with the real-time information about the Jewish convoy going to pass on the road adjacent to the Beit Nabala Base? PALMACH policy was to avoid by all means such incidents where Arabs murder defenseless Jews. The PALMACH Arab Platoon was ordered to locate the Arab commanders responsible for the Beit Nabala massacre. On or around December 20, 1947, Nissim Attyia of the PALMACH Arab Platoon was sent from Jaffa to Lod23 in order to gather intelligence about the Beit Nabala base and the neighboring Arab villages of Dir Tarif, Tira and Koole. Attyia was never heard from thereafter. He is presumed MIA as of December 22, 1947. 20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Agency_for_Israel 21 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Cunningham 22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_commissioner 23 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%99_%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9E%D 7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%A6%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA 64 Fig. 26: Glilot, Israel. Nissim Attyia on the Intelligence soldiers Memorial for the fallen. Photo: Wikipedia. There is little doubt that Nissim Attyia remains are somewhere in the area of Beit Nabala, Dir Tarif, Tira and Koole. This territory is part of the State of Israel since 1948, yet Attyia’s remains were not recovered… 65 Fig. 27: Nissim Moses Attyia. Killed: December 22, 1947 Yahrzeit: 09 Tevet 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 66 Fig. 28: PALMACH Brigade soldier Nissim Moses Attyia Pillow. NO IDF Personal Number, NO rank. Age 21. Born: Jerusalem, British Israel Parents: Jamila and Isaac Attyia. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 67 5. January 01, 1948. 1 MIA Zrifin (Sarafend), Israel 68 Baruch Behar was born July 13, 1926 in Alexandria, Egypt. He made his way to British Israel in 1946 and lived at his uncle’s, his mother’s brother, in the Hatikva quarter in Tel Aviv. A cousin of his, Mordechai Max Behar, who was born in Egypt as well, fell at age 27 in the Kastel battles on April 06, 1948. On May 1947, at age 21 Baruch Behar enlisted to the British Police Force (Hebrew: Notrim Guardsmen)24. He served as a Guardsmen in the Sarafend Camp (Hebrew name: Zrifin), 15 KM south east of Tel Aviv. On October 16, 1947 he enlisted in Tel Aviv as a Haganah member, but oddly enough, there is no record of his IDF personal number. Behar remained in the British Watchmen Corps while being a Haganah member. Baruch Behar disappeared sometime between the end of 1947 and the beginning of 1948. His family arrived from Egypt in 1950, parents, 4 sisters and 3 brothers. His parents did not last long due to the grief following his disappearance. As Baruch Behar disappeared likely between Tel-Aviv and Zrifin, one would think that Israel would do more in the last 73 years elapsed since his disappearance (2021). A cousin of his, Mordechai Behar served as a British clerk in Jerusalem and fell thereafter in the Kastel battles. At this stage it remains unclear if his disappearance was voluntary or can be attributed to a crime or to the War of Independence hostilities. 24 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notrim 69 Fig. 29: Baruch Behar. Disappeared around January 01, 1948, age 22. YAHRZEIT: 19 TEVET 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 70 Fig. 30: Baruch Behar’s old Pillow. NO Personal #, NO rank. Age: 22 Born: Alexandria, Egypt Parents: Donna and Isaac Behar. Photos: blliongraves.com 71 Fig. 31: Baruch Behar new Pillow. No IDF Personal Number, NO rank Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 72 6. January 1948 One unidentified MIA, Nablus. 73 Fig. 32: Private Ezra Nattal. Estimated disappearance date: January 01, 1948. His photo is missing. His Pillow is missing at the Mount Herzl National Cemetery, Jerusalem. NO IDF Personal Number, NO Rank 74 Fig. 33: Private Ezra Nattal. Photo: Not available. Did his family reject showing his picture? 75 Private Ezra Nattal is the only Jewish MIA whose photo is missing. Only known pieces of Information is that he was an Infantry soldier last seen in the West Bank town of Nablus (Hebrew: Shchem) hospital by the end of 1947. Seen by whom? How did he get into the Arab town of Nablus? Did he die in the Nablus hospital? In the 1940s there were 4 hospitals in Nablus: Rafidia, Al Watani, St. Lukes and The National Hospital. The Nablus hospitals, like any other hospitals, surely were running records of the patients hospitalized, the dead and the ones who recovered. Jewish Kfar-Saba is mere 60 KM west of Nablus. Jewish Afula is mere 50 KM north of Nablus. Which Jewish units were stationed by the end of 1947 near those towns? 76 Druze Kaid Naif Hason ‫ كايد نايف قوي‬was born in 1924 in the Druze village Dalyat-el-Carmel on the Carmel Mountains. In 1947 together with his cousin they joined the HAGANAH Minorities Platoon headed by Giora Zeid25. In 1948 they were on a reconnaissance mission after Iraqi forces who parked in Wadi Ara26. They were captured and put trough a pseudo trial in Nablus. Kaid Naif Hason was executed on July 01, 1948. He was buried in Nablus. His body was never recovered. 25 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%92%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%90_%D7%96%D7%99%D7%99%D7%93 26 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_Ara 77 Fig. 34: Kaid Naif Hason ‫كايد نايف قوي‬ Photo: Not available. Either no picture or family refusal to post one. 78 Fig. 35: No IDF Personal Number, NO rank, Kaid Nimer Hason’s old Pillow. Photo: Billiongraves.com 79 Fig. 36: No IDF Personal Number, NO rank (!?) Kaid Nimer Hason’s new Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Parents: Nayifa and Nimer Hason 80 7. January 13, 1948 The Etzion Settlements Battles. 1 MIA 81 Obadiah Zrubavel was born in 1929 in British Jerusalem. In 1945, at age 16 he enlisted to the HAGANAH in Jerusalem. In 1948 he enlisted in the British Police Force – The NOTRIM27 a force which escorted and guarded remote Jewish settlements. In the Police force he served as a medic. On January 13, 1948 at age 19, he was with a NOTRIM force which escorted a Jewish convoy of food supplies from Jerusalem to the ETZION settlements, about 22 KM south to Jerusalem. The onwards leg from Jerusalem to Etzion went well. On the return leg from Etzion back to Jerusalem the convoy encountered a barricade across the road bend near the Solomon Pools water reservoirs, just outside the Arab town of Bethlehem, about 12 KM south of Jerusalem. One policeman was injured while dismantling a landmine at the barricade. Obadiah Zrubavel jumped off his armored vehicle in order to bandage the injured policeman. The Arab forces around the roadblock opened heavy fire. Both Obadiah Zrubavel and the injured policeman were exposed and thus were hit dead. The convoy hastingly proceeded forward leaving behind the two bodies. I could not identify the second victim on the Fallen List, as the only one listed dead on January 13, 1948 is Obadiah Zrubavel. At least four questions remain: 1. What is the identity of the second soldier killed on January 13, 1948 at the Solomon Pools ambush? On the Fallen List, there appears no additional fallen on that day. 2. Why were the two bodies left behind? 3. Which efforts, if any, were made to recover the two bodies immediately following the event? 4. Which efforts, if any, were made to find the whereabouts of the remains since June 1967 when the area became under Israeli control? 27 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notrim 82 Fig. 37: Obadiah Zrubavel. Killed: January 13, 1948. YAHRZEIT: 02 SHVAT 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 83 Fig. 38: IDF Personal #172573 Private Obadiah Zrubavel’s old Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Jerusalem, Israel Parents: Chana and Ezekiel Zrubavel Photo: Blliongraves.com 84 Fig. 39: IDF #172573 Private Obadiah Zrubavel’s new Pillow. Rank was added: Private. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 85 8. March 15, 1948. 1 MIA Unknown Venue 86 Chaim Moses Berman was born on July 16, 1930 in Krakow, Poland. In 1947 he made his way to British Israel but en route he was incarcerated by the British in the Cyprus Detention Camps. By the middle of March 1948 he was released and arrived in British Israel, enlisted and received his IDF Personal Number. Thereafter, nothing is known about his whereabouts. The assumptions can go few ways: 1. He perished in a battle where his body was not recovered. 2. He was assaulted and murdered either in Tel-Aviv or in the Sarfend Base (Sarafend was and still is today (2021) one of the largest army bases in Israel), or en route. 3. He disappeared due to personal issues. 87 Fig. 40: Chaim Moses (Jezi Marian) Berman. Killed: March 15, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 88 Fig.41: IDF #174069 Private Chaim Moses (Jezi Marian) Berman’s old Pillow. Age: 18 Born: Krakow, Poland Parents: Helena and Hans Jan Berman. Photo: Blliongraves.com 89 Fig. 42: IDF #174069 Private Chaim Moses (Jezi Marian) Berman’s new Pillow. His rank was added: Private. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 90 9. The Battles over the Kastel April 07, 1948 Kastel MIA #1 91 Fig. 43: 1948. A Typical Arab roadblock at Bab el‐Wad (today: Shaar Haguy) on the main road from Tel‐Aviv to Jerusalem. The battles evolved when the Jewish convoys had to stop and clear such blockades while the Arabs were lurking on the hills on both sides of the road. Photo: Wikipedia The bottleneck of arriving to Jerusalem from the western Mediterranean Plato had cost the Jewish forces many battles and many MIAs. The combination of stubborn Arab forces that controlled the topographic heights on top of the mountains west of Jerusalem had produced heavy battles and a high number of Israeli MIAs. One of the important tasks of the #6 ETZIONI Brigade was to protect convoys in and out of Jerusalem. On January 1948 David Shaltiel28 became the commander of the Battalion. The battalion’s main enemy was the professional Jordanian British well trained Arab Legion. Thus the Jews suffered heavy loses. Shaltiel was replaced, practically dismissed, on July 1948. Moshe Dayan29 replaced him 28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shaltiel 29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshe_Dayan 92 Aaron ‘Aruna’ Ben-Saul was born February 11, 1930 in British Jerusalem. Come December 1947, at the age of 17 and following the hostilities initiated by United Nations Resolution #181, Aaron Aruna Ben-Saul was drafted into the MORIYA battalion of the ETZIONI brigade. On April 07, 1948 Aaron Ben-Saul was part of a MORIYA battalion which was alarmed from Jerusalem to assist the re-occupation of the Kastel hill and village as part of Operation Nachshon30. “al Kastel” was an Arab village which sat on a hill directly south and over the TelAviv-Jerusalem highway and disturbed the Jewish traffic in and from Jerusalem31. The name of the village was derived from a 3rd Century CE Roman Castle and thereafter a 10th Cen. CE Crusader Castle on the top of the village. On April 1948 the Kastel hill exchanged hands few times. The Arab forces lost their commander Abed al-Qadir al-Hoseyni32. At a point of KM #4 west of Jerusalem Ben-Saul platoon engaged fire with an Arab unit. Aaron Ben-Saul was wounded and left behind to watch over heavy machineguns left behind. No force was designated in an attempt to rescue him. Aaron Ben-Saul was never heard from as of April 07, 1948 and is considered MIA to date (2021) Leaving a wounded soldier to die in the battlefield was then (and is certainly to date) short of the IDF elementary standards, notewistanding the then IDF incubation days and the gravity of this specific convoy. 30 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Nachshon 31 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al‐Qastal,_Jerusalem 32 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al‐Qadir_al‐Husayni 93 Fig. 44: Aaron ‘Aruna’ Ben‐Saul. Killed: April 07, 1948 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 94 Fig. 45: IDF #173510 Private Aaron ‘Aruna’ Ben‐Saul old Pillow. Age: 18 Born: Jerusalem, Israel Parents: Sara and Joseph Ben‐Saul. Photo: Blliongraves.org 95 . Fig. 46: IDF #173510 Private Aaron ‘Aaruna’ Ben‐Saul new Pillow. His rank was added: private. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 96 10. Kastel MIA #2 97 Moses Bentov Treblinski was born in 1919 in Poltusk, Poland. He arrived in Israel in 1942 together with the Anders Army33. Moses Treblinski enlisted into the IDF #10 HAREL Brigade. The brigade commander was Isaak Rabin34. Initially, the HAREL brigade consisted upon three battalions: The FOURTH [HAPORTZIM] battalion headed by Joseph Tabenkin; the FIFTH [SHAAR HAGUY] battalion headed by Menachem Rusak35 and the SIXTH [Jerusalem] battalion headed by Zvi Zamir36. Moses Treblinski was placed as a Jeep driver in the FOURTH – [HAPORTZIM] battalion. This battalion main task was to secure free transportation in and out of Jerusalem. Between April 05 and April 15, 1948 the IDF initiated the NACHSON Operation37 with a main target: breakthrough the road to Jerusalem. Jewish loses up to April 12, 1948 on the west front of this operation: 7 deaths, 38 wounded and 1 MIA. This MIA in the NACHSON Operation was Moses Bentov Treblinski. 33 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders'_Army 34 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzhak_Rabin 35 https://palmach.org.il/veterans/veteranpage/?itemId=85291 36 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvi_Zamir 37 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Nachshon 98 Fig. 47: Moses BenTov Treblinski Killed: April 12, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 03 NISAN 5708 Photo credit: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 99 Fig. 48: IDF #11992 Private Moses BenTov Treblinski’s old Pillow Age: 29 Born: Pultusk, Poland Parents: Rachel and Solomon Treblinski Photo: Blliongraves.com 100 Fig. 49: IDF #11992 Private Moses BenTov Treblinski new Pillow His rank was added: Private. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 101 11. Kastel MIA #3 102 Jacob Zrihen was born in 1925 in Casablanca, Morocco. He made Aliyah38 in 1947. He enlisted in the IDF and served as a driver during the Nachson Operation conducted April 05 to April 15, 1948. On April 20, 1948 he was a member of the Fifth Battalion “SHAAR HAGUY” of the HAREL Brigade. He was a driver of an armored truck in a convoy of supplies making its way from Kibbutz Hulda to Jerusalem. He died on April 20, 1948 of wounds sustained by Arab fire when the convoy passed the KASTEL Arab village. On April 1948 the control over the 5 KM strip from the KASTEL to Jerusalem had exchanged hands numerous times between the Jewish and the Arab forces. His body was kidnapped and mutilated by Arab forces. No effort was made to reach his truck in order to recover his body. No efforts were made thereafter to recover his remains. 38 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliyah 103 Fig. 50: Jacob Zrihen. Killed: April 20, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 11 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 104 Fig. 51: IDF #11938 Private Jacob Zrihen’s old Pillow Age: 23 Born: Casablanca, Morocco His parents’ names are missing on the stone. Photo: Blliongraves.com 105 Fig. 52: IDF #11938 Private Jacob Zrihen’s new Pillow. His rank was added: Private. His parents’ given names are yet missing. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 106 12. The MishmarHaemek Battles 1 MIA April 13, 1948 107 David Ginter Lowenstein Livingstone was born in Breslau, Germany on September 11, 1919. At the rise of Adolf Hitler39 in Germany, the Lowenstein family managed to immigrate to the United States in the early 1930s. In 1947 at age 28 he arrived in British Israel. He was drafted into the FIRST [Jezrael Valley] battalion, of the #11 YIFTAH brigade, under the command of Dan Laner (Ernst Liner)40 reporting later on to Isaac Sade (Landoberg)41. Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek sat on a strategic alternate road from Tel-Aviv to Haifa. The Arabs in the area had almost brigade size forces under the ALA – the Arab Liberation Army42 headed by Fawzi al-Qawuqji43. 39 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler 40 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%93%D7%9F_%D7%9C%D7%A0%D7%A8 41 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzhak_Sadeh 42 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Liberation_Army 43 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawzi_al‐Qawuqji 108 Fig. 53: 1948. The ALA ‐ Arab Liberation Army emblem Photo: Wikipedia On April 04, 1948 in the late afternoon, the ALA – Arab Liberation Army initiated heavy cannon shelling of Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek. ALA infantry attacked the kibbutz from the south. The wounded and the children were evacuated with British help on the following days. The battle lasted to April 14, 1948. The IDF won. The Arab villages around the kibbutz were dismantled. 109 A memorial erected for the Jewish victims lists 19 dead in Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek battles. David Livingstone’s name is not carved on the memorial... Fig. 54: The Mishmar Haemek Memorial44. 19 Jewish victims. David Livingstone is not among the dead listed on this memorial, neither is he listed as an MIA… Photo: Wikipedia 44 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%91_%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%A8_%D7%94%D7%A2% D7%9E%D7%A7 110 We could not corroborate the statement in Izkor.gov.il45 that David Ginter Livingstone fell April 13, 1948 in the Mishmar-Haemek battle… This MIA requires further investigation to establish his correct disappearance circumstances. Fig. 55: David Ginter Livingstone. Killed: April 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 45 https://www.izkor.gov.il/%D7%93%D7%95%D7%99%D7%93%20%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%99%D7%A0%D7% 92%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%95%D7%9F/en_887a3ad6c2bda483e4230d9e7d059399 111 Fig. 56: IDF Personal #174083 Private David Ginter Livingstone’s Pillow. Age: 28 Born: Germany Parents: Frieda and Joseph Lewinstein Livingstone Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 112 13. The Battles over Jaffa February 23, 1948 1 MIA 113 Jacob “Zaki” Goren was born in Tel Aviv on February 12, 1936. Hostilities between the Arabs of Jaffa and the adjacent on the north, Tel-Aviv initiated as early as November 1947, the day United Nation Resolution 181 awarded a Jewish state. Most all Israeli Jews accepted the resolution, the Arabs did not. Come 1948 Jacob Goren was 12 years old boy performing messaging errands between the ETZEL (also called the IRGUN46) soldiers defending the south municipal border line of Tel Aviv. An Iraqi Squad arrived in order to fortify the local Jaffa Arabs. In addition, the British were committed to keep Jaffa Arab as it was the biggest Arab town inhabited with 70,000 Arab residents and located in the center of the land to be divided between the Arabs and Jews as per the November 29, 1947 United Nation Resolution #181. As of December 1947 the Arab forces were shelling Tel Aviv from the Hasan Beck mosque on the northern edge of Jaffa. 156 civilian Jews were killed by the shelling. 1,000 injured. Arab mortars demolished entire Tel-Aviv neighborhoods. The Arabs in Jaffa received help from an Iraqi squad47. Now they were waiting for additional help from the Egyptian Army and the Jordanian Legion. On February 23, 1948 two months before the IRGUN took over Jaffa, Jacob Goren was running one of his numerous courier errands. He was apprehended by soldiers of the Iraqi squad positioned on the north edge of Arab Jaffa. The papers he carried may have led them to the conclusion that this child is actually an IDF soldier. They executed him. There is no way to know whether they buried him and if they did, his remains were never recovered. His remains location is certainly within the borders of 1948 Arab Jaffa. Jacob Goren’s fall marks the beginning of the battle over Jaffa in which Jaffa became an Israeli town, integrated into Tel-Aviv. 46 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irgun 47 Joseph Evron – Gidi. 2001. 444 pages. Page 311 114 Fig. 57: Jacob “Zaki” Goren. Death Date: February 23, 1948. YAHRZEIT: 12 SHVAT 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 115 Fig. 58: IDF #174064 Private Jacob “Zaki” Goren. Age: 12 (Twelve). The youngest MIA. Enlisted Post Mortem. Born: Tel Aviv, Israel Parents: Mina and Mordechai Goren Photo: Blliongraves.com 116 Fig. 59: IDF #174064 Private Jacob “Zaki” Goren new Pillow. Rank was added: Private. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 117 14. The Battles over Jaffa March 22, 1948. 1 MIA 118 Judah Gotlieb was born in British Tel Aviv in April 10, 1921. On October 1947 he graduated Summa Cum Laude48 from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His Major was Chemistry. Come 1948, at age 27 he was drafted into the #5 Brigade GIVATI. The emblem of this brigade became a sword and two sabra branches. The Brigade first Commander was Colonel Symon Avidan49. Fig. 60: Colonel Symon Avidan (born in Germany as Siegbert Koch), Commander of the GIVATI Brigade during the Jebelia battle. Photo: Wikipedia On March 22, 1948 he participated in the battle around the Pillbox of Jebelia. Jebelia was an Arab village adjacent to Jaffa on the south. Jebelia was a fishermen village on a 48 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/summa‐cum‐laude.asp 49 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimon_Avidan 119 hill just south of Jaffa. Jaffa’s richest kept there their summer houses in order to enjoy the Mediterranean cool breeze and the sea view. During WWII the British strategically erected a Pillbox overlooking the village and the sea. The Pillbox was situated on top of the village. Come the hostilities of December 1947 the village local Arabs took control over the Pillbox. Fig. 61: 1960s. View from the Jebelia Pillbox towards the Mediterranean. Photo: http://www.daaton.co.il/Article.aspx?id=3768 120 Fig. 62: 1960s. The Jebelia Green House summer estate of sheikh Ben Ali. Photo: http://www.daaton.co.il/Article.aspx?id=3768 Judah Gotlieb was part of the squad whose task was to attack and overtake the Jebelia Pillbox from the Arabs on March 22, 1948. Judah Gotlieb did manage to reach the Pillbox and did manage to activate a load of explosives at the wall of the Pillbox. Then he had 15 seconds remained to run away and find refuge from the bombing. But he made the error for which he paid with his life. He ran away from the Pillbox in the wrong direction, directly towards an Arab post. The Arab unit defending the Pillbox shot him dead. Due to the heavy fire from the Arab Jebelia unit, the GIVATI squad was forced to retreat, deserting Judah Gotlieb’s body at the Pillbox. 121 His body was not recovered in the following days to come. GIVATI Commander Colonel Symon Avidan issued no order to recover Gotlieb’s body. Those were the early IDF days when the tradition of recovering comrades bodies from battlefields was not prioritized yet. Fig. 63: 2021. On the right: British type 25 circular World War II era Pillbox (On the left stands an Ottoman era building). This Pillbox is located in the former Arab village of Tel a‐Rish, today the Tel‐Giborim quarter in the north part of the town of Holon, bordering south Tel‐Aviv. The Jabelia village pillbox was situated on the Mediterranean beach 2 KM west of the Tel a Rish pillbox. Photo: Wikipedia 122 Fig. 64: Judah Gotlieb. Fell: March 22, 1948. Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 123 Fig. 65: IDF Personal #3094 Corporal Judah Gotlieb’s old Pillow. NO Rank mentioned. Age: 28 Born: Tel Aviv, Israel Parents: Bilha and Moses Gotlieb. Photo: blliongraves.com 124 Fig. 66: IDF #3094 Corporal Judah Gotlieb’s new Pillow. His rank Corporal was added: Corporal. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 125 15. The Battles over Jaffa April 25, 1948 1 MIA 126 Samuel Wachtfogel was born on March 15, 1929 in British Jerusalem. In 1946 he joined the ETZEL (IRGUN)50 underground. In 1948 he was made responsible for the IRGUN’s underground arms factory. On April 25, 1948 he was member of the forces to attack Jaffa under the NACHSON Operation, conducted on cooperation with HAGANA brigades. On April 28, 1948, few HAGANA brigades in cooperation with the IRGUN were conducting Operation Hametz51 with the objective to capture Arab villages around Jaffa, so to isolate Jaffa from its hinterland. The commander of the entire operation was Dan Epstein Even52, commander of the Alexandroni Brigade53. Wachtfogel was a soldier in the 52nd battalion of the GIVATI brigade. The battalion’s commander was Jacob Prolov Peri. The target was the Arab village Tel-a-Rish. Canon shelling on the village started on time but Peri’s battalion was lingering behind. The surprise attach advantage was lost. Nevertheless, the 52nd battalion soldiers did overcome Tel-a-Rish. The Arabs send reinforcements from nearby Jaffa, west of Tel-a-Rish. The Arab Liberation Army - ALA54 AGNADIN battalion headed by Michel-al-Issa arrived from Jaffa. The Jewish forces had no ample time to get fortified. The ALA forced the 52nd battalion Jewish forces to retreat east to the Jewish village of MIKVE ISRAEL55 just 3 KM east of Tel-a-Rish. Tel-a Rish remained in the hands of Arab forces for few more weeks. They surrendered only at the Jaffa capitulation on May 13, 1948. 50 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irgun 51 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Hametz 52 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%93%D7%9F_%D7%90%D7%91%D7%9F 53 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandroni_Brigade 54 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Liberation_Army 55 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh_Israel 127 The Tel-a-Rish retreat was costly for Jacob Prolov Peri 52nd battalion: 36 dead, out of which 7 MIAs and 100 wounded. Obviously their arms were lost as well: 3 machineguns, 12 sub machineguns and 20 rifles but this was secondary to the loss of lives and the conscious abandonment of bodies in the battlefield. The Arabs suffered 30 deaths and 62 wounded56. The 52nd battalion and any other Jewish help force did not return in the days to come in search of the MIAs. It seems that bodies of the dead were left to rot in the sunny fields between Tel-a-Rish and MIKVE ISRAEL. Few MIAs from the Jaffa battles were identified in 2007, over 60 years post mortem. Eight Jewish soldiers remain MIAs of the Jaffa battles to date: Jacob Goren, Chaim Moshe Berman, Judah Gotlieb, Samuel Wachtfogel, Bert Wasserberg, Amos Danieli, Nehemia Jacobi and Isaac Kendler. 56 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90‐%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A9 128 Fig. 67: April 03, 1948, Cairo, Egypt. The al‐Mussawar daily newspaper reports about Arab Liberation Army – ALA ‘success’ battles in Palestine. Photo: Wikipedia 129 Fig. 68: Samuel Wachtfogel. Killed: April 25, 1948 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 130 Fig. 69: IDF #173816 Private Samuel Wachtfogel’s old Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Jerusalem, Israel Parents: Bluma Rachel and Isaac Jacob Wachtfogel Photo: blliongraves.com 131 Fig. 70: IDF #173816 Private Samuel Wachtfogel new Pillow. His rank was added: Private. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 132 Bert Wasserberg was born October 22, 1919 in Berlin, Germany. Following the Holocaust he made Aliyah to Israel in 1946. In 1948 he was drafted to the GIVATI brigade. Bert Wasserberg fell in the Tel-a-Rish battles east of Jaffa, on or around April 28, 1948. 133 Fig.71: Bertold Bert Wasserberg. Killed: April 28, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 19 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 134 Fig. 72: IDF Personal #5400. Bertold Bert Wasserberg’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Berlin, Germany Parents: Chana and Zigmond Waserberg Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 135 Amos Danieli was born May 11, 1929 in Rehovot, British Israel. On December 1947 at age eighteen, he was enlisted and became a corporal. On April 28, 1948 he participated in the Hametz Operation57. He fell during the battles in and around the Arab village Tel-a-Rish. Notewistanding numerous searches, his body was not recovered and he remains MIA to date. 57 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Hametz 136 Fig. 73: Amos Ami Danieli. Killed: April 28, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 19 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 137 Fig. 74: IDF Personal #172150 Corporal Amos Ami Danieli Pillow. Age: 18 Born: Rehovot, Israel Parents: Rebecca and Isaac Danieli. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 138 Judah Levi Kipur was born June 11, 1929 in Turkey. At age 16, in 1945 he made Aliyah. In 1948 he was drafted in the #5 GIVATI infantry brigade. The brigade first commander was Symon Avidan58. The deputy commander was Meirke Davidson59. Fig. 75: 1948. Left to right: Symon Avidan GIVATI brigade commander and his deputy Meirke Davidson. Photo: Wikipedia. 58 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimon_Avidan 59 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A8_%D7%93%D7%95%D7%93%D7%96%D7%95%D7 %9F 139 On April 30 to June 03, 1948 the GIVATI brigade in cooperation with an ETZEL battalion and a battalion of the NEGEV brigade conducted Operation PLESHET. The operation carried two targets: To take over the Arab village of Yavne and to attack Egyptian pioneer forces in the area of today’s Ashdod. The first mission succeeded, the second mission failed. Judah Levi Kipur fell on May31, 1048 in the battle over Ashdod as a result of heavy Egyptian shelling. His body was never recovered. 140 Fig.76: Judah Levi Kipur. Killed: May 31, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 22 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 141 Fig. 77: IDF Personal #173522 Private Judah Levi Kipur’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Turkey Parents: Shafika Shefia and Joshuah Levi Kipur. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 142 Martin Louis ‘Tom’ Katenburg was born on July 01, 1922 in Amsterdam, Holland. On April 1948 he made Aliyah to British Israel just before the Israel Declaration of Independence. He was drafted into the GIVATI brigade. During the Ten Days Battles60 a GIVATI platoon engaged with the Egyptian forces near today’s Ashdod. Following this battle, he or his body was never recovered. 60 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%A2%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%AA_% D7%94%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9D 143 Fig. 78: Martin Louis Katenburg. Killed: July 07, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 30 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 144 Fig. 79: IDF Personal #16127, no rank, Martin Louis ‘Tom’ Katenburg’s old Pillow. Photo: Billiongraves.com 145 Fig. 80: IDF Personal #16127 Private Martin Louis ‘Tom’ Katenburg’s Pillow. Age: 26 Born: Holland Parents: Helena and Levi Katenburg. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 146 Zalman Zigmond Rosenfeld was born on August 05, 1920 in Czestochowa, Poland. On August 1947 he made Aliyah. On July 1948 he was drafted to the 53th Battalion of the #5 GIVATI Brigade under which he was employed in fortifications construction. The record shows that he was shot by the Egyptian forces near the base of Beit Daras on July 08, 1948. He is possibly interned in the Beer Tuvia Cemetery in an anonymous grave. 147 Fig. 81: Zalman Zigmond Rosenfeld. Killed: July 08, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 01 TAMUZ 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 148 Fig. 82: NO IDF Personal #, NO rank. Zalman Zigmond Rosenfeld’s Pillow. Age: 28 Born: Poland Parents: Ida and Fajbish Rosenfeld. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 149 Joseph Hovshi [Kovshi] was born in 1920 in Yemen. The family made Aliyah in 1933. In 1948 he was drafted into a Fortification Squad. Fortification Squads were responsible for erecting fortifications across the various battle fronts. On January 01, 1949, Joseph Hovshi and his squad mate Zachary Yihiya Moses, wandered over the Egyptian side of the front near the Arab village of Beit-Daras, south of today’s town of Kiryat Malhaki. The Red Cross confirmed in a later date that Joseph Hovshi and Zachary Yihiya Moses were captured and executed by the Egyptian Army forces stationed near the vicinity of Beir Daras. 150 Fig. 83: Joseph Hovshi Gone MIA: January 01, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 30 KISLEV 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 151 Fig. 84: IDF Personal #172832 Private Joseph Hovshi’s Pillow. Age: 28 Born: Yemen Parents: Susana and David Hovshi Kovshi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 152 Zachary Yihiya Moses was born in 1910 in the town of Jechzan in Yemen. His family made Aliyah in 1934. In 1948 he was drafted into a Fortification Squad. Fortification Squads were responsible for erecting fortifications across the various battle fronts. On January 01, 1949, Joseph Hovshi [Kovshi] and his squad mate Zachary Yihiya Moses, wandered over the Egyptian side of the front near the Arab village of Beit-Daras, south of today’s town of Kiryat Malhaki. The Red Cross confirmed in a later that Joseph Hovshi and Zachary Yihiya Moses were captured and executed by the Egyptian Army forces stationed near the vicinity of Beir Daras. 153 Fig. 85: Zachary Yihiya Moses Is he Zachary Yihiya Moses? Gone MIA: January 01, 1949 The Pillow writes that he fell on: July 05, 1948, 28 SIVAN 5708. YAHRZEIT: 30 KISLEV 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 154 Fig. 86: NO IDF Personal # NO rank Yihiah Chaim Moses’s Pillow. Is he Zachary Yihiya Moses? Age: 38 Born: Yemen Parents: Zohara and Chaim Moses. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 155 Robert Lester (Bob) Wikman was born on November 21, 1921 in Los-Angeles, CA. In 1943 he became a U.S. Air Force WWII pilot. At age 27, he was drafted to the IDF Air Force on April 1948. On July 07, 1848 he was in a reconnaissance flight over Gaza from which he never returned. He remains MIA to date. The remains of his plan and his body were either overlooked or not traced. 156 Fig. 87: Robert Lester (Bob) Wikman. Killed: July 09, 1948 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 157 Fig. 88: IDF Personal #71641, Robert Lester (Bob) Wikman’s Pillow. Age: 26 Born: Los‐Angeles, CA. Parents: Elsa and Mordechai Wikman. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 158 David Mizrahi was born in 1924 in British Jerusalem. In 1940 at age 16 he joined the PALMACH and latter on he was accepted into the PALMACH Arab Squad, responsible for intelligence missions within the Arab population. At age 24, on May 1948 he and his comrade Ezra Efgin were on an IDF intelligence mission within Gaza city. They were captured and tortured. They were forced to falsely admit that their mission was to poison Gaza water wells. They were executed in Gaza on August 22, 1948. They were possibly interned in the Gaza Jewish Cemetery. The Gaza Jewish Cemetery remains were under Israeli control in 1956 and since 1967 for long periods but this cemetery was practically destroyed by Arab houses build over it. 159 Fig. 89: David Mizrahi. Executed: August 22, 1948 Yahrzeit: 17 AV 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 160 Fig. 90: IDF Personal #80963, Lieutenant David Mizrahi’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 161 Fig. 91: IDF Personal #80963, Lieutenant David Mizrahi’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Jerusalem Parents: Miriam and Nahum Mizrahi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 162 Ezra Efgin Horin was born on September 15, 1925 in Asmara, Eritrea. His family made Aliyah in 1927. He passed his schooling years in Kibbutz Afikim. At age 23, on May 1948 he and his comrade David Mizrahi where on an IDF intelligence reconnaissance mission within Gaza city. They were captured and tortured. They were forced to falsely admit that their mission was to poison Gaza water wells. They were executed in Gaza on August 22, 1948. They were possibly interned in the Gaza Jewish Cemetery. The Gaza Jewish Cemetery remains were under Israeli control in 1956 and thereafter since 1967 for long periods, but this cemetery was practically destroyed by Arab houses build over it. 163 Fig. 92: Ezra Efgin Horin. Executed: August 22, 1948 Yahrzeit: 17 AV 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 164 Fig. 93: IDF Personal #31609, Lieutenant Ezra Efgin (Horin)’s old Pillow. Photo: BilionGraves.com 165 Fig. 94: IDF Personal #31609, Lieutenant Ezra Efgin Horin’s new Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Asmara, Eritrea Parents: Leah and Issachar Efgin Horin. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 166 Fig. 95: The Ezra Efgin Memorial at Kibbutz Afikim. Photo: Wikipedia 167 Fig. 96: Circa 1942. Kibbutz Afikim. Ezra Efgin age 17, kneels on right. Photo: Wikipedia 168 Fig. 97: August 1948, Gaza. David Mizrahi (left) and Ezra Efgin (middle) during their pseudo trial in Gaza City. Photo: Wikipedia 169 Fig. 98: August 1948, Gaza. David Mizrahi (left) and Ezra Efgin during their pseudo trial in Gaza City. Photo: Wikipedia 170 Fig. 99: May 22, 1958: The fabricated confession signed by Ezra Horin: “I, Ezra Horin from Tel Aviv, was given a canteen with Typhoid and dysentery bacteria by my commander Moses, and I was ordered to drop it into the water well so to kill the Egyptian Army. Ezra Horin” Photo: Wikipedia 171 Nehemiah Jacobi was born on August 08, 1928 in British Tel Aviv. In 1948 he joined the IRGUN ETZEL61 forces. In April 1948 he was part of the ETZEL forces in the battles over Jaffa. While delivering ammunition to his post on April 29, 1948, during Operation Hametz62, he fell as victim to a British bombardment. His body remains were never recovered. 61 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irgun 62 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Hametz 172 Fig. 100: Nehemiah Jacobi. Killed: April 29, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 20 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 173 Fig. 101: IDF #173817 Private Nehemiah Jacobi’s old Pillow Age: 20 Born: Tel Aviv, Israel Parents: Susana and Mattie Jacobi Photo: BllionGraves.com 174 Fig. 102: IDF #173817 Private Nehemiah Jacobi’s new Pillow. His rank was added. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 175 16. The Battle over Jaffa April 30, 1948 1 MIA 176 Isaac “Isaacale” Kendler was born on October 12, 1926 in Ekron, Brit Israel. He joined the HISH HAGANAH Corps63 which later on became the GIVATI brigade. During Operation Hametz he was in the force retreating from Tel-a-Rish. He was the operator of a Spandau Machinegun 4264. Isaac Kendler stayed behind covering the wounded left in the fields between Tel-a-Rish and Mikve Israel. This is where he was hit again and killed.. His body was not recovered. 63 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hish_(Haganah_corps) 64 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG42 177 Fig. 103: Isaac “Isaakale” Kendler. Killed: April 29, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 21 NISAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 178 Fig. 104: IDF #6489 Private Isaac “Isaacale” Kendler’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 22 Born: Ekron, British Israel Parents: Rebecca and Jacob Kendler 179 17. Operation Medina. May 1948 11 MIAs 180 Dov Golumb was born in 1927 in Poland. Surviving the Holocaust, he arrived in British Israel in 1943 together with the Teheran Children65. In 1948 he served as a machine-gunned in the 33rd Battalion of the #3 Alexandroni Brigade66. Eleven Israeli soldiers remain MIAs to date s as the result on Operation MEDINA which initiated on April, 1948 and overtook merely one Arab village: Kafr Saba. One of the MIAs in this operation was Dov Golumb. Such high number of MIAs in a single battle did not make Operation Medina a success. Obviously, many things went wrong. Medina means “State” in the Hebrew language. The operation was conducted few weeks before May 14, 1948 the day David Ben Gurion67 declared the independent Jewish State68. Jewish Kfar Saba was attacked by forces from Arab Kafr-Saba on May 09, 1948. Both the Arab and the Jewish village were adjacent with mere 2 KM distance between them. The Alexandroni brigade was allotted the task of taking over Arab Kafr Saba. 65 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%99_%D7%98%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9F 66 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandroni_Brigade 67 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ben‐Gurion 68 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%96%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%A6%D7%9E%D 7%90%D7%95%D7%AA 181 The Alexandroni brigade commander was Dan Even69. Fig. 105: 1948. General Dan Even. Photo: Wikipedia 69 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%93%D7%9F_%D7%90%D7%91%D7%9F 182 The tactics of the battle called for three stages operating in harmony. Harmony there was not. Aside from the success in stage 1, stages 2-4 failed70. 1. Taking over Arab Kafr Saba. 2. Blocking Arab enforcements at the OTZAR orchard. 3. Blocking Arab enforcements at the a-Nebi-Yamin (today’s Neve Yamin a Jewish village) 4. Taking over the Arab village of Tirah. Stage 1: Two squads from the #33 and the #32 battalions of the Alexandroni Brigade attacked Arab Kafr Saba at 13:00 on May 13, 1948. The Arabs escaped, they attempted to counter attacked but failed. Stage 2: The Jewish blockage at the OTZAR orchard and the nearby Brown Hill failed. Arab soldiers of Arab Kafr Saba attacked the blockade from the back side. Wounded Jewish soldiers in the OTZAR Orchard main building were killed. Stage 3: The Jewish blockage at a-Nebi-Yamin Arab village on the Kfar Saba-Kalkilia road failed. Arab armored vehicles arriving from Kalkilia attacked the blockade. The blockade Jewish forces requested reinforcement from Kfar-Saba. The Arab armored vehicles eliminated Jewish anti-tanks launchers. The explosives which this blockade planted under the road did not ignite. A Jewish armored vehicle which came for help was neutralized by the Arab armored vehicles, its occupants killed. The a-Nebi Yamin blockade had to retreat. Stage 4: The Battle over Tirah initiated April 13, 1948. Approaching Tirah the village seemed abandoned. Hence Jewish forces were ordered to take the village over. At this stage the Jewish 70 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2_%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%94 183 force was caught by heavy crossfire. Most men got killed, few managed to retreat. Jewish casualties: 24 killed, 4 MIAs. A Jewish attack on Tirah the next day failed causing additional 5 deaths. Total count of the Jewish side dead: Over 50. The main benefit of the Medina Operation: Arab Kafr Saba remained in Jewish control and thus the green line border between Israel and the West Bank was pushed back in 1948 few kilometers to the east. 184 Fig. 106: Dov Golumb. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 185 Fig. 107: IDF #173515 Private Dov Golumb’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 21 Born: 1927, Poland Oddly his parents’ names are not mentioned on his Pillow 186 Fig. 108: Judah Singer. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 187 Judah Hacohen Singer was born in 1924 in the town of Vasloy, Rumania. At age 21, on 1947, with his wife and daughter they made Aliyah. On May 1948 he was drafted for fortification work in Arab Kafr-Saba. He died due to an Arab shelling on May 13, 1948. 188 Fig. 109: IDF #170043 Private Judah Singer’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 25 Born: 1924, Vasloy Rumania Parents: Feiga and Eliezer Hacohen Singer. 189 Israel “Srulik” Frank was born on September 16, 1921 in Arciz, Bessarabia (then in Rumania). Following the Holocaust the family made Aliyah in 1946. He was drafted in 1948, trained as a sapper and stationed in the Alexandroni Brigade. On May 1948 he participated in Operation Medina. When Iraqi forces under ALA – the Arab Liberation Army attempted to recover Arab Kafr Saba, he was in the Alexandroni squad which dredged the road. A fellow soldier got wounded and Israel Frank stalled too long in order to save him. Both got killed and became MIAs. Fig. 110: Israel Frank. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 190 Fig. 111: IDF #6741 Private Israel “Srulik” Frank’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 25 Born: 1924, Vasloy Rumania Parents: Esther and Chaim Frank. 191 Abraham Presler was born on February 03, 1928 in Brunswig, Germany. At age 8, in 1936, his family made Aliyah. In 1948 he was drafted in the Alexandroni Brigade. On May 13, 1948 he fell on Operation Medina. His body was never recovered and he was pronounced MIA. Fig. 112: Abraham Presler. MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 192 Fig. 113: IDF #1236 Private Abraham Presler’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1928, Brunswig, Germany Parents: Regina and Joseph Presler. 193 Hillel Reiner was born on February 20, 1926 in Berlin, Germany. As a result of Hitler’s rise in Germany, Reiner’s family made Aliyah to Israel in 1933. For a while he was a member of the bodyguard’s team who protected Chaim Weitzman71. He was stationed in the Alexandroni brigade and went through the lucrative HAGANA Officers’ Course. Lieutenant Hillel Reiner fell on May 13, 1948 during Operation Medina to overtake Arab Kfar Saba. His body was never recovered from the battlefield. Fig. 114: Hillel Reiner. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 71 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Weizmann 194 Fig. 115: IDF #136459 Lieutenant Hillel Reiner’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 22 Born: 1928, Berlin, Germany Parents: Pnina and Joshua Reiner. 195 Dan Stern was born in British Tel Aviv on June 26, 1929. He enlisted on December 1947 to the Alexandroni Brigade where he went through Squad Commanders’ course. Corporal Dan Stern fell on May 13, 1948 during Operation Medina to overtake the Arab village of Kafr Saba. Fig. 116: Dan Stern. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 196 Fig. 117: IDF #8383 Corporal Dan Stern’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1929, Tel‐Aviv Parents: Frieda and David Stern. 197 Ruben ‘Debka’ Pitel was born in Kfar Hess, British Israel on June 13, 1928. On March 1948 he enlisted into the Alexandroni Battalion and defended his own Kfar Hess. Ruben Pitel fell during Operation Medina on the attack on the village of Tirah. His body was never recovered. Fig. 118: Ruben Pitel. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 198 Fig. 119: IDF #173528 Private Ruben Pitel’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1929, Kfar‐Hess, British Israel Parents: Chana and Michael Pitel. 199 Amiram Yagnatinski was born on August 09, 1928 in Haifa, British Israel. In 1948 he was drafted and defended his village Kfar Hess. On May 13, 1948 he fell on Operation MEDINA, near the Arab village of Tirah. His body was not recovered from the battlefield. Fig. 120: Amiram Yagnatinski. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 200 Fig. 121: IDF #173517 Private Amiram Yagnatinski’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1928, Haifa, British Israel Parents: Tova and Moses Yagnatinski. 201 Pinkus Cohen was born on April 21, 1930 in Kibbutz Tel-Joseph in the Beit-Shean valley of British Israel. In 1948 he enlisted into the Alexandroni Brigade. Pinkus Cohen fell in the Tirah battle, Operation MEDINA, on May 13, 1948. His body was not recovered. Fig. 122: Pinkus Cohen. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 202 Fig. 123: IDF #173521 Private Pinkus Cohen’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 18 Born: 1928, Haifa, British Israel Parents: Rina and Zeb Cohen. 203 Jehiel Michael Karsel was born on May 29, 1926 in Zvlotow, Poland. His family made Aliyah in 1932 and settled in Kfar Hess. He was drafted in 1947 and served with the Alexandroni Brigade. Jehiel Michel Karsel fell on May 13, 1948 in the battle over the Arab village Tirah. His body was never recovered from the battlefield. Fig. 124: Jehiel Michael Karsel. Date gone MIA: May 13, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 204 Fig. 125: IDF #173519 Corporal Jehiel Michael Karsel’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 21 Born: 1926, Zvlotow, Poland Parents: Leah and Abraham Karsel. 205 Dov “Berale” Broder was born in 1927 in Vilna (then in Poland). On 1934 his family made Aliyah. In 1948 he enlisted in the Alexandroni Brigade. On May 13, 1948 his unit participated in the battle over Arab Kafr Saba. He was in the staff of an armored vehicle hit by an Arab antitank shell. The vehicle caught fire. His body was never recovered from the battlefield. Fig. 126: Dov Broder. Date gone MIA: May 14, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 05 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 206 Fig. 127: IDF #38136 Private Dov “Berale” Broder’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1927, Vilna, then in Poland Parents: Esther and Eliezer Broder. 207 Zvi Herman Stern was born in 1908 in Germany. He made Aliyah in 1935. In 1948 he enlisted in the Alexandroni Brigade. The battle over Arab Kafr Saba72 was conducted between May 13, 1948 and May 14, 1948. Violent Patrol Squads consisting of the 33rd Battalion soldiers enhanced with 2 Squads of the 32nd Battalion. The two battalions of the Alexandroni Brigade attacked and took over Arab Kafr Saba, but the human toll was high: 24 dead soldiers and 4 MIAs73. Three months following this battle on August 11, 1948 Zvi Herman Stern manned an IDF observation position on the northern outskirts of Arab Kafr Saba, now in Jewish hands. The position was attacked by Iraqi forces and he was killed. His body was never recovered. Fig. 128: Zvi Herman Stern. Date gone MIA: August 11, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 01 AV 5708 72 https://www.alexandroni.org/medina/ 73 https://www.alexandroni.org/tira/ Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 208 Fig. 129: IDF #78083 Private Zvi Herman Stern’s old Pillow. Photo: BilionGraves.com 209 Fig. 130: IDF #78083 Private Zvi Herman Stern’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 40 Born: 1908, Germany Parents: Frieda and Hugo Herc Stern. 210 Shlomo Stoler was born in 1926 in Karelic, Poland. In 1941 his family was incarcerated in the Novogrodek Ghetto. Shlomo and his brother Judah escaped the ghetto and joined the Bielski partisans74. In 1946 he made Aliyah. In 1947 he was drafted into the #5 GIVATI Brigade. On May 05, 1948 he was part of a force of armored vehicles attacking the Arab village of Latrun. The force encountered heavy shelling by ALA – the Arab Liberation Army75. Shlomo Stoler fell during the shelling. His body was left in enemy controlled territory and was never recovered. Fig. 131: Shlomo Stoler. Date gone MIA: May 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 26 NISAN 5708 74 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bielski_partisans 75 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Liberation_Army Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 211 Fig. 132: IDF #10399 Private Shlomo Stoler’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 22 Born: 1926, Karelic, Poland Parents: Tova Gitel and Zelig Stoler. 212 Fig. 133: May 14, 1948. Tel‐Aviv, Israel. David Ben Gurion proclaims the State of Israel. Photo: Wikipedia 213 Judah Hiller was born in 1929 in Poland. His family made Aliyah in 1932 to British Israel. In 1948 he was drafted in the 54th Battalion of the GIVATI Brigade. On July 1948 his unit participated in Operation Death to the Invaders 76‫מוות לפולש‬. A squad of the 54th Battalion of the GIVATI Brigade attacked Egyptian forces stationed in the Arab village Beit Afa77 in southern Israel. The Egyptian forces constituted of a infantry brigade and support forces, some 500 soldiers. The village exchanged hands. On July 17, 1948 the 54th Battalion squad and a NAVY Squad re-attacked Beit Afa. They were stalled by a new fence erected by the Egyptians overnight and by heavy shelling. The Jewish force had to withdraw to Kibbutz Negba78. The 54th Battalion suffered twelve dead and forty wounded. Few of the wounded were left behind. The Egyptians killed them all. Total toll: 37 Jewish dead and MIAs. The IZKOR website79 claims that Judah Hiller fell and became MIA in the 51st Battalion attack in a July 17, 1948 attack on Stronghold 113 hill80. Alas, such attack occurred only 3 months later on October 17, 1948 under Operation YOAV81, not on July 17, 1948, the date the IZKOR website attributes to Judah Hiller going MIA. 76 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Death_to_the_Invader 77 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA_%D7%A2% D7%A4%D7%94 78 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negba 79 https://www.izkor.gov.il/%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94%20%D7%94%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%A8/en_0 818b77e6b5504f3851cca6f96826c3f 80 https://www.mapah.co.il/%D7%A7%D7%A6%D7%A8‐ %D7%95%D7%9C%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9F/%D7%98%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9 D‐%D7%95%D7%90%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D‐ %D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%9D‐ %D7%91%D7%A9%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%AA‐%D7%94%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A3‐ %D7%94%D7%93%D7%A8/%D7%92%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%AA‐%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9F‐ %D7%92%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%94‐113/ 81 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Yoav 214 Fig. 134: The 2006 Yad Nathan82 memorial for the 37 killed in the Beit Afa battles. Judah Hiller is not among them… Photo: Wikipedia 82 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yad_Natan 215 Fig. 135: Judah Hiller’s photo is not available on the IZKOR.gov.il website Date gone MIA: July 18, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 11 TAMUZ 5708 216 Fig. 136: IDF #5894 Private Judha Hiller’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1929, Poland Parents: Miriam and Abraham Hiller. 217 Israel Maykel was born in Warsaw, Poland on December 25, 1929. At age 5, in 1934 the family made Aliyah. In 1947 he joined the ETZEL83 Underground. In 1948 he joined the #5 GIVATI Brigade as a mortar operator. The battle over the Arab village of al-Burj (today near the town of Modiin) occurred on July 15, 1948. YIFTAH brigade soldiers took over the village. On July 16, 1948, The Arab Legion84 under the British command of John Bagot Glubb85 attacked back with a force of 12 armored vehicles and two infantry Squads. It was a close range battle. The Arab Legion had to retreat, and left behind them two operational armored vehicles. Fig. 137: al‐Burj battle, July 1948. IDF soldiers with one of the two captured Jordanian Arab Legion armored vehicles. In the middle: possibly Abraham Sendik. 83 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irgun 84 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Legion 85 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bagot_Glubb Photo: Wikipedia 218 On September 16, 1948, a GIVATI brigade patrol was making its way in the vicinity of the alBurj village. The patrol was ambushed by an Arab Legion front reconnaissance unit. Four GIVATI soldiers got killed: Israel Myikel, Abraham Sendik, Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri and Zvi Rosenblum. The bodies of the four fallen where never recovered. To date it would have been unheard-of to leave a single soldier’s body in the battlefield, certainly not 4 bodies. In this case, the area was not under Arab control; the village of al-Burj was captured and held two months before this incident by IDF forces. Fig. 138: Israel Myikel. Date gone MIA: September 16, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 12 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 219 Fig. 139: IDF #87824 Private Israel Myikel’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 18 Born: 1929, Warsaw, Poland Parents: Leah and Elimelech Chaim Myikel. 220 Abraham Sendik was born on 1927 in Lodz, Poland. In 1945 he was freed following incarceration in three Concentration Camps. He made Aliyah in 1945. On September 16, 1948, a GIVATI brigade patrol was making its way in the vicinity of the al-Burj village. The patrol was ambushed by an Arab Legion front reconnaissance unit. Four GIVATI soldiers got killed: Israel Myikel, Abraham Sendik, Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri and Zvi Rosenblum. The bodies of the four fallen where never recovered. To date it would have been unheard-of to leave a single soldier’s body in the battlefield, certainly not 4 bodies. In this case, the area was not under Arab control; the village of al-Burj was captured and held two months before this incident by IDF forces. Fig. 140: Abraham Sendik. Date gone MIA: September 16, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 12 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 221 Fig. 141: IDF #95305 Private Abraham Sendik’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 21 Born: 1929, Lodz, Poland Parents: Chana and Zvi Judah Sendik. 222 Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri was born on January 16, 1918 in the town of Orla, Poland. He made Aliyah on 1935. On September 16, 1948, a GIVATI brigade patrol was making its way in the vicinity of the al-Burj village. The patrol was ambushed by an Arab Legion front reconnaissance unit. Four GIVATI soldiers got killed: Israel Myikel, Abraham Sendik, Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri and Zvi Rosenblum. The bodies of the four fallen where never recovered. To date it would have been unheard-of to leave a single soldier’s body in the battlefield, certainly not 4 bodies. In this case, the area was not under Arab control; the village of al-Burj was captured and held two months before this incident by IDF forces. Fig. 142: Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri. Date gone MIA: September 16, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 12 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 223 Fig. 143: IDF #87909 Private Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 30 Born: 1929, Orela, Poland Parents: Rachel and Moses Wolkostavski. 224 Zvi Rosenblum was born on October 27, 1929 in Tel Aviv. In the 1940s he joined the ETZEL Underground and then drafted in the IDF. On September 16, 1948, a GIVATI brigade patrol was making its way in the vicinity of the al-Burj village. The patrol was ambushed by an Arab Legion front reconnaissance unit. Four GIVATI soldiers got killed: Israel Myikel, Abraham Sendik, Zvi Wolkostavski Cemri and Zvi Rosenblum. The bodies of the four fallen where never recovered. To date it would have been unheard-of to leave a single soldier’s body in the battlefield, certainly not 4 bodies. In this case, the area was not under Arab control; the village of al-Burj was captured and held two months before this incident by IDF forces. Fig. 144: Zvi Rosenblum. Date gone MIA: September 16, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 12 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 225 Fig. 145: IDF #87909 Private Zvi Rosenblum’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 30 Born: 1929, Tel Aviv Parents: Rina and Shlomo Zalman Rosenblum. 226 Jacob Ladislaw Betelheim was born on 1906 in the town of Shatorayla-Ohyl in Hungary. He made Aliyah in 1933. In 1948 he was drafted in Squad A’, 142nd battalion of the infantry #4 Kiryati Brigade. By July 1948, Stronghold #219 near today’s town of MODIIN was captured during Operation Danny86 and held by the Squad A’ infantry soldiers. The 142nd battalion commander was Shmaya Beckenstein Bareket. Local Arabs from the Midia village with enhancements from the Arab Legion87 initiated a surprise attack in the morning of September 24, 1948. To soften resistance, they initiated heavy and accurate shelling. The small Squad A’, 142nd Battalion soldiers had to retreat, leaving behind their dead. GIVATI brigade reinforcements arrived in the afternoon and Stronghold #219 was reclaimed. The reinforcements found 23 bodies of fallen soldiers from the 142nd battalion. The bodies were found barbarically mutilated by the local Midia village Arabs. The bodies’ genitals were cut off by knives and put into the bodys’ mousses in a horrible posture of animalistic humiliation. Two soldiers were MIA as their bodies were not recovered. Either their bodies were mutilated beyond recognition the barbaric Midia Arabs or the Arabs removed the two bodies from the battlefield in an attempt to hide the atrocities. The two remain MIA to date. Following the battle, grievances were raised as to low quality soldiership displayed by the 142nd battalion soldiers defending Stronghold #219. Jacob Ladislaw Betelheim is one of the two MIAs in the battle. The second MIA in the Stronghold #219 battle is Israel Karl Glickzam. 86 87 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Danny https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Legion 227 Fig. 146: The monument at Stronghold #219. MIA’s Jacob Betelheim and Israel Karl Glickzam are on the list’s right side. Local vandals destroy this monument often. Photo: Wikipedia 228 Fig. 147: Jacob Ladislaw Betelheim. Date gone MIA: September 24, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 20 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 229 Fig. 148: IDF #150051 Private Jacob Ladislw Betelheim’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 42 Born: 1906, Shatorayla‐Ohyl, Hungary Parents: Miriam and Alexander Betelheim. 230 Israel Karl Glikzam was born on June 09, 1909 in Vienna, Austria. He made Aliyah in 1939. In 1948 he was drafted in Squad A’, the 142nd battalion of infantry #4 Kiryati Brigade. By July 1948, Stronghold #219 near today’s town of MODIIN was captured during Operation Danny88 and held by the Squad A’ infantry soldiers. Local Arabs from the Midia village with enhancements from the Arab Legion89 initiated a surprise attack in the morning of September 24, 1948. To soften resistance, they initiated with heavy and accurate shelling. The small Squad A’, 142nd Battalion soldiers had to retreat, leaving behind their dead. GIVATI brigade reinforcements arrived in the afternoon and Stronghold #219 was reclaimed. The reinforcements found 23 bodies of fallen soldiers from the 142nd battalion. The bodies were found barbarically mutilated by the local Midia village Arabs. The bodies’ genitals were cut off by knives and put into the bodys’ mousses in a horrible posture of animalistic humiliation. Two soldiers were MIA as their bodies were not recovered. Either their bodies were mutilated beyond recognition the barbaric Midia Arabs or the Arabs removed the two bodies from the battlefield in an attempt to hide the atrocities. The two remain MIA to date. Following the battle, grievances were as to low quality soldiership displayed by the 142nd battalion soldiers defending Stronghold #219. Jacob Ladislaw Betelheim is one of the two MIAs in the battle. The second MIA in the Stronghold #219 battle is Israel Karl Glickzam. 88 89 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Danny https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Legion 231 Fig. 149: Israel karl Glickzam. Date gone MIA: September 24, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 20 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 232 Fig. 150: IDF #150382 Private Israel Karl Glickzam’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 39 Born: 1906, Vienna, Austria Parents: Mina and Jacob Glickzam. 233 18. May 16, 1948 st 1 NAVY MIA 234 Pinkus Sobol was born on August 28, 1928 in Poland. He arrived in British Israel on February 27, 1943 with the Teheran children90. In 1948 he enlisted to the PALMAH naval units. On May 16, 1948, 2 days following Israel’s Independence, he was with a naval squad in a mission to explode bridges in Ras Baida, Lebanon in order to cut off Arab supply traffic. The mission failed. The unit was discovered at the bridge and had to retreat. Back on the boat which waited to take them back home, it was discovered that Pinkus Sobol is MIA. He either was left on the Lebanese beach near the Ras Baida Bridge, or was drowned in the Mediterranean while swimming to the dinghies waiting to collect the force. His body was never recovered. His pillow says that he fell in a battle near the town of Akko. It would have been more appropriate to write that he fell near Rosh Hanikra, British Israel or near Ras Baida, Lebanon. 90 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%99_%D7%98%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9F 235 Fig. 151: Pinkus Sobol. Date gone MIA: May 16, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 07 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 236 Fig. 152: Pinkus Sobol’s old Pillow. Photo: Billiongraves.com 237 Fig. 153: IDF #172977 Private Pinkus Sobol’s new Pillow. His rank was added. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1928, Poland Parents: Gita and Israel Sobol. 238 19. Battle over the NEGEV 239 Samuel Arava was born on 1931 in the town of Ajeb in Yemen. His family made Aliyah in 1935. They settled in the town of Hadera. In 1948 he enlisted in the HANEGEV Brigade. HANEGEV brigade first commander was Nahum Weisfish Sarig91. May 15, 1948 was the date on which the Egyptian Army invaded the NEGEV. The Egyptian Army initiated attacks on three Jewish settlements: Kfar Darom, Nirim and Yad-Mordechai. Samuel Arava was in a force driving for the help of Kfar Darom. The force was hit by the Egyptian Army and Arava fell. His body was not recovered from the battlefield. Fig. 154: Samuel Arava. Date gone MIA: May 15, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 06 IYAR 5708 91 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%97%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%92 240 Fig. 155: Samuel Arava’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 241 Fig. 156: Samuel Arava’s new Pillow His rank was added. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1931, Ajeb Yemen Parents: Neomi and Chaim Arava. 242 Benjamin “Yurek” Eisenberg was born on June 16, 1926 in Sosnowiec, Poland. Following the Holocaust he arrived in 1945 in British Israel. In 1948 he was drafted to the NEGEV brigade. On May 24, 1948 he was among the defenders of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. Benjamin Eisenberg fell during the Egyptian attack on the kibbutz. One source said that his body was burned. Fig. 157: Benjamin Yurek Eisenberg. Date gone MIA: May 24, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 15 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 243 Fig. 158: Benjamin “Yurek” Eisenberg’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1926 Sosnowiec, Poland Parents: Chana and Elimelech Eisenberg. 244 Isaac Rubinstein was born on March 1913 in the town of Ilesco in Galicia. On April 1938 at age 25, he made Aliyah. In the early 1940s he settled in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. On May 24, 1948 he was making his way on an armored vehicle together with [Ms] Libka Sheffer, evacuating a wounded PALMACH soldier from the kibbutz due to a heavy Egyptian artillery shelling. They perished in the shelling. Isaac Rubinstein remains were not recovered neither identified as of yet. Fig. 159: Isaac Rubinstein. MIA: May 24, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 15 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 245 Fig. 160: IDF #172911 Private Isaac Rubinstein’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 246 Fig. 161: IDF #172911 Private Isaac Rubinstein’s new Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 35 Born: 1913 Ilesco, Poland Parents: Rebecca and Herzl Rubinstein. 247 Samuel “Sammy” Gavrialidas was born on January 13, 1926 in Athens, Greece. On 1946 he made Aliyah to British Israel. On May 27, 1948 he was a part of three men platoon force of the 8th battalion of the #12 NEGEV Brigade which was tackled on the Chan-Juneis – Raffah road by a superior Egyptian force. The force commander of the Jewish platoon ordered a retreat. Three soldiers, Sammy Gavrialidis, Meir Mizrahi and Joseph Penso made a navigation error. As darkness settled down, they turned up north instead of retreating down south to the nearby Jewish position of Nirim-Dangur. Thus, they stumbled into the Arab village of Beit-Jara where the local mob executed them and buried the three bodies in a nearby ravine. A next day reprisal party failed to recover their bodies. The three are MIAs to date. 248 Fig. 162: Samuel “Sammy” Gavrialidas. Date gone MIA: May 27, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 18 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 249 Fig. 163: IDF #173514 Private Samuel “Sammy” Gavrielidas’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 22 Born: 1913 Athens, Greece Parents: Fanny and Judah Leon Gavrielidas. 250 Meir Mizrahi was born in 1932 in Tel Aviv. At age 16 he enlisted in the PALMACH. On May 27, 1948 he was a part of three men platoon force of the 8th battalion of the #12 NEGEV Brigade which was tackled on the Chan-Juneis – Raffah road by a superior Egyptian force. The force commander of the Jewish platoon ordered a retreat. Three soldiers, Sammy Gavrialidis, Meir Mizrahi and Joseph Penso made a navigation error. As darkness settled down, they turned up north instead of retreating down south to the nearby Jewish position of Nirim-Dangur. Thus, they stumbled into the Arab village of Beit-Jara where the local mob executed them and buried the three bodies in a nearby ravine. A next day reprisal party failed to recover their bodies. The three are MIAs to date. Fig. 164: Meir Mizrahi. Date gone MIA: May 27, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 18 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 251 Fig. 165: IDF #173524 Private Meir Mizrahi’s Pillow Age: 16 Born: 1932, Tel Aviv Parents: Miriam and Zion Mizrahi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 252 Joseph Penso was born on January 1932 in Jerusalem. In January 1948 he enlisted in the PALMACH. On May 27, 1948 he was a part of three men platoon force of the 8th battalion of the #12 NEGEV brigade, tackled on the Chan-Junes – Raffah road by a superior Egyptian force. The force commander of the Jewish platoon ordered a retreat. Three soldiers, Sammy Gavrialidis, Meir Mizrahi and Joseph Penso made a navigation error. As darkness settled down, they turned up north instead of retreating down south to the nearby Jewish position of Nirim-Dangur. Thus, they stumbled into the Arab village of Beit-Jara where the local mob executed them and buried the three bodies in a nearby ravine. A next day reprisal party failed to recover their bodies. The three are MIAs to date. Fig. 166: Joseph Penso. Date gone MIA: May 27, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 18 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 253 Fig. 167: IDF #173529 Private Samuel Penso’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 16 Born: 1932, Tel Aviv Parents: Perla and Benjamin Penso. 254 Joseph “Yosale” Shullerer was born on June 14, 1927 in Hamburg, Germany. He made Aliyah on May 1947. In 1948 he enlisted into the NEGEV brigade. On June 09, 1948 his patrolling squad hit an ambush near the Arab village Beit-Girga in the south of British Israel. He was killed. His body was not recovered. Fig. 168: Joseph Judah “Yosale” Shullerer. Date gone MIA: June 09, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 02 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 255 Fig. 169: IDF #173380 Private Joseph “Yosale” Shullerer’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1927, Hamburg, Germany Parents: Berta and Joshua Shullerer. 256 Raymond “Lufti” Dodge is the only Christian person on the IDF MIA list. Obviously most IDF’s MIAs were of the Jewish faith and few were of the Moslem-Sunnite faith. Only he is known to be of the Christian faith. He was Australian; About 23% of Australians are Christian Catholics; about 13% are Christian Anglicans92. Raymond ”Lufti” Dodge was born in 1921 in Australia. During WWII he served in the British 6th Division. In 1945, following WWII his unit was stationed in British Israel. On May 1948, four soldiers of the British 6th division decided to desert the British forces and fight with IDF forces for the Jewish cause. Raymond Dodge served in the 9th battalion of the HANEGEV battalion. The commander of the 9th battalion was Israel Weinman Carmi93. On June 03, 1948 his unit participated in an attack on the Egyptian forces near today’s town of Ashdod. He fell in this battle. The dead were left behind. No attempts were made to recover their bodies in the days to come. In 1948 there was no IDF tradition strong enough to recover the dead. 92 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia 93 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Carmi 257 Fig. 170: Raymond “Lofti” Dodge. Date gone MIA: June 03, 1948 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 258 Fig. 171: IDF #90 Private Raymond “Lofti” Dodge’s old Pillow. Photo: Billiongraves.com 259 Fig. 172: IDF #90 Private Raymond “Lofti” Dodge’s Pillow. Note the added unique IDF Personal Number #90. Age: 27 Born: 1921, England His parents’ names are not mentioned. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 260 Jacob Brahms Braha was born in 1927 in Rusa, Bulgaria. He made Aliyah in 1944. He was drafted in 1948 into the HANEGEV Brigade. The brigade commander was Nahum Sarig94 IDF’s Operation YOAV was conducted between October 15 and 22, 1948. The purpose of which was to connect the roads between the southern and center parts of Israel. Fig. 173: 1948. Nahum Sarig, the commander of the HANEGEV Brigade. Photo: Wikipedia On October 16, 1948 HANEGEV brigade and additional forces conducted battles along the train line between Gaza and Raffah. The battle went for few days. Jacob Braha fell on October 19, 1948. Jacob Brahms Braha body was never recovered. 94 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%97%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%92 261 Fig. 174: Jacob Brahms Braha Date gone MIA: October 19, 1948 Yahrzeit: 16 Tishrey 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 262 Fig. 175: IDF #84964 Private Jacob Brahms Braha’s Pillow. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 21 Born: 1927, Rusa, Bulgaria His parents: Johebed and David Brahms. 263 Stanley Andrius Enkstein was born on April 13, 1923 in the Bronx, NY. He was a WWII U.S. Air Force pilot. On June 1948 he volunteered into the IDF young Air Force. He participated in flight dashes during Operation YOAV95. On October 20, 1948 he was in a bombing mission over the IRAQ-SUIDAN Police Fort96 held by the Egyptian Army. His plane carried a crew of three: Picthet, Enkstein and Sugerman97. The plan was hit by anti-air fire and had to make a forced landing in the sandy hills north of the Arab village of Isdod (today’s town of Ashdod), in a territory controlled then by the Egyptian Army. They three were murdered by the Egyptians. The Muchtar – head of the Isdod village was caught with Pichet’s watch on his arm. Only Pitchet’s body was traced. Fig. 176: 1948. The IRAQ‐SUIDAN Police fort in southern Israel, near Kibbutz Sde‐Yoav. Photo: Wikipedia The two bodies of pilot Stanley Andrius Enkstein and navigator Dov Sidney Sugerman were never traced and remain MIA to date. 95 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Yoav 96 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shmone 97 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%AA_%D7%9E%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A1_%D7%94% D7%91%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%99%D7%98%D7%A8_%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%91 264 Fig. 177: October 1948. Operation YOAV. A Squad of 13 IDF soldiers (the photographer included) enters in a single armored troop carrier the then Arab town of Beer‐Sheba in the southern region of Israel. Note on the top left of the picture, the ‘fighter’ plane supporting from above the ground forces. Beer‐Sheba today (2021) is a thriving Israeli city. Photo: Wikipedia 265 Fig. 178: Stanley Andrius Enkstein Date gone MIA: October 20, 1948 Yahrzeit: 17 Tishrey 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 266 Fig. 179: IDF #71640 Lieutenant Stanley Andrius Enkstein’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: 1923, Bronx, NY. His parents: Rebecca and Joseph Enkstein Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 267 Dov Sidney Sugerman was born on February 17, 1923 in London, Britain. During WWII He served as a navigator in the Royal British Air Force. On July 1948 he made Aliyah with his wife and joined as a navigator the freshly born Israeli Air Force. On October 20, 1948 he was on a bombing mission over the IRAQ-SUIDAN Police Fort98 held by the Egyptian Army. His plane carried a crew of three. The plan was hit by anti-air fire and had to make a forced landing on the sandy hills near the Arab village Isdod, north of today’s town of Ashdod, in a territory controlled then by the Egyptian Army. The three were murdered by the Egyptians. Only one body, pilot Captain Leonard Elmer Pitchet was traced in later days99. Leonard Elmer Pitchet was interned in the British Military Haifa Cemetery100. 98 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shmone 99 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%AA_%D7%9E%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A1_%D7%94% D7%91%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%99%D7%98%D7%A8_%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%91 100 https://www.izkor.gov.il/%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%93‐ %D7%90%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A8%20%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%9F%20%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%98/en_aac5 7d0a2d3040b85a52cc87be17488b 268 Fig. 180: 1948. Royal Canadian Pilot Captain Leonard Elmer Pitchet; Interned in the Haifa British Cemetery. Photo: Izkor.gov.il The two bodies of pilot Stanley Andrius Enkstein and navigator Dov Sidney Sugerman were never traced and remain MIA to date. 269 Fig. 181: Dov Sidney Sugerman Date gone MIA: October 20, 1948 Yahrzeit: 17 Tishrey 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 270 Fig. 182: IDF #63667 Dov Sidney Sugerman’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: 1923, London, GB His parents: Rachel and Abraham Sugerman Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 271 20. Battle of Jerusalem May 1948 272 Absalom Levi Yanay was born on May 1927 in Jerusalem, British Israel. In 1942 he joined the ETZEL underground. On May 19, 1948 he fell in Jerusalem in the battles over the positions in the Jerusalem Police Academy. Fig. 183: Absalom Levi Yanay. Date gone MIA: May 19, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 10 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 273 Fig. 184: Absalom Levi Yanay’s Pillow Age: 21 Born: 1927, Jerusalem Parents: Mazal and David Levi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 274 Moses “Mussa” Agi was born on March 28, 1930 in Jerusalem. In 1946 at age 16 he enlisted to the battalion MORIYA of the Jerusalem Brigade. On May23, 1948 he was planning mines on a roadblock in the Sheikh Garach quarter of Jerusalem. One of the mines exploded and ignited two more mines. Moses “Mussa” Agi expired due to the heavy explosions. His remains were never recovered. Fig. 185: Moses Agi. Date gone MIA: May 23, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 14 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 275 Fig. 186: Absalom Moses Agi’s Pillow Age: 22 Born: 1930, Jerusalem Parents: Miriam and Abraham Chaim Agi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 276 Shalom Amir was born January 05, 1927 in the town of Sanaa, Yemen. Three years later, his family made Aliya and settled in Tel Aviv. He was drafted on December 1947 into the MORIYA battalion of the #6 ETZIONI brigade101. On May 26, 1948 he was in the Jerusalem quarter of Sheik Jarach in an armored vehicle attacking the Arab Legion102. He was killed. His body was never recovered. The ETZIONI brigade headed then by David Shaltiel103, did not internalize as of then the burden of recovering dead soldiers from the battlefield. Fig. 187: Shalom Amir. Date gone MIA: May 26, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 17 IYAR 5708 101 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etzioni_Brigade 102 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Legion 103 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shaltiel Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 277 Fig. 188: Shalom Amir’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 278 Fig. 189: Shalom Amir’s new Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 21 Born: 1927, Sanaa, Yeman Parents: Haviva and Pinkus Amir. 279 Meir Shachmon was born on 1907 in Bagdad, Iraq. In 1944 he made Aliyah and settled in Jerusalem. In 1948 he was drafted and served in and around Jerusalem. He was killed during a shelling in Jerusalem on June 22, 1948. His remains were never recovered. Fig. 190: Meir Shachmon. Date gone MIA: June 22, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 15 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 280 Fig. 191: Meir Shachmon’s Pillow Age: 21 Born: 1907, Bagdad, Iraq Parents: Aziza and Shlomo Shachmon. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 281 Symon ‘Sam’ Samargad was born on November 01, 1924 in Vienna, Austria. He made Aliyah in 1940 and enlisted in 1947. Due to his tenure as a Captain in the British Army he became a Squad Division commander in the IDF #16 Jerusalem Brigade104. His stepbrother (same mother) Arie Louis Bal, son of Leah and Julian fell on July 09, 1948, at age 26 during one of the battles over the Irak-Suidan Police building in the south of British Israel. Symon ‘Sam’ Samargad fell on September 14, 1948, three months following the fall of his brother Arie Louis, iin the Arab village of Malha, south west to Jerusalem (today a south-west suburb of Jerusalem named Manhat). His body was never recovered. Fig. 192: Symon Sam Samargad. Date gone MIA: September 14, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 10 ELUL 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 104 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%98%D7%99%D7%91%D7%AA_%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D 7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D 282 Fig. 193: IDF Personal #108922 Captain Symon Sam Samargad’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 23 Born: 1924, Vienna, Austria Parents: Leah and Eiri Samargad. 283 Abraham Aroasti was born in 1930 in Jerusalem. In 1945 he joined the Haganah. In 1948, at age 18, he became a sapper in the Beit-Horon Battalion of the #6 ETZIONI Brigade in Jerusalem. On October 18, 1948 he disappeared in the south Jerusalem quarter of ARNONA and was never heard from thereafter. He remains MIA to date. Fig. 194: Abraham Aroasti. MIA: October 18, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 15 TISHREY 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 284 Fig. 195: IDF Personal #107228 Private Abraham Aroasti’s Pillow The Pillow writes a wrong death date: May 14, 1949. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1930, Jerusalem Parents: Miriam Markeda and Isaac Aroasti. 285 21. Operation Medina May 13, 1948. Arab village Tirah 286 Joseph Mekayton Bashari was born in 1922 in Yemen. His family made Aliyah to British Israel in 1946. In 1947 he enlisted in the HAGANAH. On May 30, 1948 Joseph Edelstein and Joseph Mekayton Bashari participated in Operation Simcha the latest stage of previous Operation Medina, The mission was to take the Arab village of Tirah located in the center of British Israel. An Iraqi force was stationed in Tirah staged multiple cannon shelling on Jewish villages in central British Israel. Joseph Edelstein and Joseph Mekayton Bashari were with a squad of the 32nd battalion of the Alexandroni brigade. The attack of the Arab village of Tirah occurred on May 30, 1948. The attack failed. They both fell. Both their bodies were not recovered. Both were pronounced and remain MIAs to date. Fig. 196: Joseph Eidelstein. Date gone MIA: May 30, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 21 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 287 Fig. 197: Joseph Eidelstein’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 288 Fig. 198: Joseph Eidelstein’s new Pillow Age: 20 Born: 1928, Zikron‐Jacob, British Israel Parents: Sarah and Gershon Eidelstein. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 289 Joseph Mekayton Bashari was born in 1922 in Yemen. His family made Aliyah to British Israel in 1946. In 1947 he enlisted in the HAGANAH. On May 30, 1948 Joseph Edelstein and Joseph Mekayton Bashari participated in Operation Simcha the latest stage of previous Operation Medina, The mission was to take the Arab village of Tirah located in the center of British Israel. An Iraqi force was stationed in Tirah staged multiple cannon shelling on Jewish villages in central British Israel. Joseph Edelstein and Joseph Mekayton Bashari were with a squad of the 32nd battalion of the Alexandroni brigade. The attack of the Arab village of Tirah occurred on May 30, 1948. The attack failed. They both fell. Both their bodies were not recovered. Both were pronounced and remain MIAs to date. Fig. 199: Joseph Mekayton Bashari. Date gone MIA: May 30, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 21 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 290 Fig. 200: Joseph Mekayton Bashari’s Pillow Age: 26 Born: 1922, Yemen Parents: Haviva Sayida and Shalom Mekayton Bashari. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 291 Meir ‘Mayorchik’ Fried was born on March 26, 1929 in Poland. At age 4, in 1933, his family made Aliyah. In 1948 he was drafted in the Alexandroni Brigade as a machinegun shooter. The brigade’s commander from November 1948 to November 1949 was Benc Friedman105.On December 20, 1948 Fried’s squad was on a reconnaissance mission south of Beit-Govrin, near the Arab village Hirbat Sika. The squad was discovered and attacked. Meir “Mayorchik” Fried fell. For unclear reasons, possibly lack of tradition within in the Alexandroni Brigade in its early days, Meir Mayorchik Fried’s body was never recovered. Fig. 201: Meir ‘Mayorchik’ Fried. Date gone MIA: December 20, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 18 HESHVAN 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 105 https://www.alexandroni.org/ 292 Fig. 202: Meir ‘Mayorchik’ Fried’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1929, Poland Parents: Chana and Zvi Fried. 293 Mattatyahu Matti Sukenik was born February 01, 1929 in Jerusalem. At age 18, he was drafted on December 1947 to the pre-air force unit and became a pilot. On June 04, 1948 pilot Matti Sukenik [Yadin] and pilot David Shpritcak were both on a bombing mission of Egyptian frigates in the Mediterranean, approaching Tel Aviv from the west. Their Fairchild plan was shot down. Both remain MIAs in high seas. Fig.203: Fairchild FC‐2 at the Smithsonian. Photo: Wikipedia 294 Fig. 204: Mattatyahu “Matti” Sukenik. MIA: June 04, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 26 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 295 Fig. 205: Mattatyahu “Matti” Sukenik’s old Pillow Old rank: First Lieutenant. Photo: BillionGraves.com 296 Fig.206: Mattatyahu “Matti” Sukenik’s Pillow Upgraded rank: Lieutenant Age: 19 Born: 1924, Jerusalem Parents: Hasia and Eliezer Lipa Sukenik. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 297 Aaron David Shprincak was born on March 20, 1924 in British Jerusalem. At age 23 he was drafted to the aviation unit of the PALMACH. On June 04, 1948 pilot Matti Sukenik [Yadin] and pilot David Shpritcak were together on a bombing mission over Egyptian frigates in the Mediterranean approaching Tel Aviv from the west. Their Fairchild plan was shot down. Both remain MIAs in high seas. Fig. 207: Aaron David Shprincak. Date gone MIA: June 04, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 26 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 298 Fig. 208: Aaron David Shprincak’s old Pillow Photo: BillionGraves.com 299 Fig. 209: Aaron David Shprincak’s new Pillow Age: 24 Born: 1924, Jerusalem Parents: Chana and Joseph Shprincak. His father Joseph Shprincak106 was the first Knesset Speaker. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 106 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosef_Sprinzak 300 22. June 05, 1948 Upper Galilee rd 3 MALKIA Battle. 6 MIAs 301 Samuel Arie Bernstein was born on February 13, 1929 in Haifa, British Israel. He was drafted in 1947 and thereafter graduated the HAGANAH Squad Course. On June 1948 he joined the ODED brigade headed by Uri Jaffe107. Bernstein’s platoon was placed to protect the Nebi Yosha Police fortress near Malkiya. Malkiya was an Arab Shiite village in the upper Galillee on the border between British Israel and French Lebanon. The Arab village and the fortress exchanged control few times during the battles. Bernstein and 5 more Jewish soldiers are considered MIAs following the Third Malkiya Battle. The Third Malkiya battle started on June 05, 1948. An ODED brigade platoon was controlling Malkiya as a result of the victory in the Second Malkiya battle. The platoon attacked by superior Arab forces. The Arab forces were a brigade size force consisting on a Lebanese battalion, a Syrian battalion and an ALA – Arab Liberation Army battalion. 8 Syrian plans and many Syrian armored vehicles were thrown into battle. In fact this was the one and only operation supported by the Lebanese government. The Syrians were determined to show success following their recent loss at the Kibbutz Degnia. The battle lasted from 13:30 well into the night. At midnight the Jewish forces had to retreat. Eight Jewish soldiers fell on the Third Malkiya batlle. Six of which are considered MIAs to date. 107 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99_%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%94 302 Fig. 210: Samuel Arie Bernstein. Date gone MIA: June 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 27 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 303 Fig. 211: IDF # 36888 Lieutenant Samuel Arie Bernstein’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 304 Fig. 212: IDF # 36888 Lieutenant Samuel Arie Bernstein’s Pillow Age: 19 Born: 1929, Haifa Parents: Leah and Shraga Feibish Bernstein. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 305 Isaac Glick was born in 1930 in Budapest, Hungary. In 1946 he made Aliyah to British Israel. In 1948 he enlisted to the ODED brigade. On June 05, 1948 he fell in the Third Malkiya battle. Fig. 213: Isaac Glick. Date gone MIA: June 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 27 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 306 Fig. 214: IDF # 172362 Private Isaac Glick’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 307 Fig. 215: IDF # 172362 Private Isaac Glick’s Pillow. Rank added. Age: 18 Born: 1930, Budapest, Hungary Parents: Deborah and Baruch Glick. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 308 Dov Liebowitz was born June 10, 1927 in Chush, Rumania. At age 20, he made Aliyah on September 1947. He was drafted into the ODED brigade and placed in Malkiya. Dov Liebowitz fell on June 05, 1948 in Malkiya. His body was not recovered. As of today, he remains MIA. Fig. 216: Dov Liebowitz. Date gone MIA: June 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 27 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 309 Fig. 217: IDF # 36917 Private Dov Liebowitz’s old Pillow. Photo: Billiongraves.com 310 Fig. 218: IDF # 36917 Private Dov Liebowitz’s Pillow Age: 20 Born: 1927, Rumania Parents: Rosa and Alexander Liebowitz. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 311 Samuel Moldawski was born in the USSR in 1916. His family made Aliyah on 1921. In 1948 he was drafted into the ODED brigade and stationed in the Malkiya fortress. He fell on the third Malkiya battle on July 05, 1948. His body was not recovered. Fig. 219: Samuel Moldawski. Date gone MIA: June 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 27 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 312 Fig. 220: IDF # 38253 Private Samuel Moldwski’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 313 Fig. 221: IDF # 38253 Private Samuel Moldwski’s new Pillow Rank was added. Age: 30 Born: 1916, USSR Parents: Esther and Jacob Moldawski. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 314 Dov “Duba” Fermet was born in February 10, 1931 in Haifa, British Israel. On 1948 he was drafted in the ODED brigade. Dov Fermet fell on June 05, 1948 in the third Malkiya battle. Fig. 222: Dov “Duba” Fermet. Date gone MIA: June 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 27 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 315 Fig. 223: IDF # 173159 Private Dov Fermet’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 316 Fig. 224: IDF # 173159 Private dov Fermet’s Pillow Age: 17 Born: 1932, Haifa, British Israel Parents: Bella and Isaac Fermet. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 317 Shlomo Kron was born on 1913 in Lodz, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1946. He was drafted in 1947 to a canons’ unit. He fell on the third Malkiya battle on June 05, 1948. Fig. 225: Shlomo Kron. Date gone MIA: June 05, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 27 IYAR 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 318 Fig. 226: IDF # 17462 Leutenant Shlomo Kron’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 319 Fig. 227: IDF # 17462 Leutenant Shlomo Kron’s new Pillow Age: 35 Born: 1913, Lodz, Poland Parents: Hersh Zvi Kron. Mother is not mentioned. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 320 Mordechai Chaim Hitter was born in 1929 in the town Gross-Warden in Hungary. At age 19, in 1948 he made Aliyah. He was drafted into the 11th battalion of the ODED brigade. The ODED brigade was headed by Uri Jaffe. The 11th Battalion was headed by Aviezer Friedman. Mordechai Chaim Hitter fell near Kibbutz Mishmar Hayarden on June 14, 1948. At that time the ODED brigade lacked the tradition of recovering fallen soldiers from the battlefield. Mordechai Chaim Hitter’s body was never recovered. Fig. 228: Mordechai Chaim Hitter. Date gone MIA: June 14, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 07 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 321 Fig. 229: IDF # 25433 Private Mordechai Chaim Hitter’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 322 Fig. 230: IDF # 25433 Private Mordechai Chaim Hitter’s new Pillow Age: 18 Born: 1929, Gross Varden, Hungary Parents: Zehava and Samuel David Hitter. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 323 Jacob Gushcini was born on July 1928 in Jerusalem, British Israel. In 1948 he was drafted in the ODED Brigade108. The first commander of the ODED brigade was Uri Jaffe109. Jaffe failed to stop the Syrian forces invasion. The capitulation of Mishmar Hayarden (today Kibbutz Gadot) occurred on his shift as the brigade commander responsible to defend the Upper Galile region. Thus he was forced to resign and Isaac Pundak110 stepped into the position. Syrian forces attacked Mishmar Hayarden numerous times on June 1948. The third attack on June 10, 1948 caused the entire demolition of the Kibbutz. 15 settlers and soldiers died. 39 became Prisoners of War. Jacob Gushcini fell on June 14, 1948 in the battle over Mishmar Hayarden111. His body and the bodies of others were not recovered. 108 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oded_Brigade 109 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99_%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%94 110 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzhak_Pundak 111 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishmar_HaYarden_(moshava) 324 Fig. 231: Jacob Gushcini. Date gone MIA: June 14, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 07 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 325 Fig. 232: IDF # 26196 Private Jacob Gushcini’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 326 Fig. 233: IDF # 26196 Private Jacob Gushcini’s new Pillow Age: 20 Born: 1928, Jerusalem Parents: Malka and Abraham Gushcini. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 327 Joseph Margalit was born on October 26, 1917 in Bialystok, Poland. In 1941 he arrived in British Israel. He became the vice manager of the Schweitzer Hospital in Tiberias. On June 06, 1948 he was with a GOLANI brigade unit fighting near the Arab village of Lubia, on the bulge near Karney-Hitin. He fell on June 09, 1948. His body was never recovered. Fig. 234: Joseph Margalit. Date gone MIA: June 09, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 02 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 328 Fig. 235: Joseph Margalit’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 329 Fig. 236: IDF # 173868 Private Joseph Margalit’s new Pillow Rank was added. Age: 30 Born: 1917, Bialystok, Poland Parents: Keila and Moses Margalit. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 330 Saul Holcman was born on September 18, 1922 in Bucharest, Rumania. In 1948 he made Aliyah. At age 26, on or around June 15, 1948, he was hospitalized in the Tel-Aviv SARONA Hospital. He disappeared from the hospital. Some options are: He changed his name to avoid redrafting; he died of his wounds as an anonymous man; He wandered behind enemy lines, got caught and was executed…He remains MIA to date. Fig. 237: Saul Holcman. Date gone MIA: June 15, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 08 SIVAN 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 331 Fig. 238: IDF # 73493 Private Saul Holcman’s old Pillow Photo: Billiongraves.com 332 Fig. 239: IDF # 73493 Private Saul Holcman’s new Pillow Rank was added. Age: 26 Born: 1922, Bucharest, Rumania Parents: Chana and Jacob Holcman. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 333 23. July 10, 1948 Operation Dekel 1 MIA 334 Zvi “Hershy” Ickowitz was born in 1929 in Teich-Teichova, Czechoslovakia. On WWII he survived the Auschwitz Death Camp. In 1947 he made Aliyah on the Exodus. The British deported the Exodus112 immigrants back to Europe. Zvi “Hershy” Ickowitz made his way back to British Israel on 1948 and was drafted into the 21st battalion of the Carmeli Brigade113. The Carmeli Brigade first commander was Moshe Zelicki Carmel114. As of March 28, 1948 The 21st Battalion second commander was Aaron Rabinowitz Yariv115. Zvi “Hershy” Ickowitz participated in Operation Dekel on July 07, 1948. The 21st Battalion and additional forces re-attack on the Arab village al-Birwa116, near today’s Achiood Junction. The commander of Opertion Dekel was Chaim Laskov117. The village was held by ALA forces – the Arab Liberation Army118. The attack failed. The Jewish forces retreated leaving behind 6 dead. Five of the dead were retrieved but Zvi Ickowitz remains MIA to date. 112 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Exodus 113 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmeli_Brigade 114 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshe_Carmel 115 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aharon_Yariv 116 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al‐Birwa 117 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haim_Laskov 118 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Liberation_Army 335 Fig. 240: Zvi “Hershy” Ickowitz Date gone MIA: July 10, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 03 TAMUZ 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 336 Fig. 241: IDF # 91369 Private Zvi “Hershy” Ickowitz’ Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1929, Teich-Teichova, Czechoslovakia Parents: Zisel and David Ickowitz. 337 Abraham “Bunia” Schwartz was born on April 19, 1922 in the town Morevska Ostrava in Czechoslovakia. At age 16, in 1938 he made Aliyah. On 1946 he joined the Haganah. In 1948 he was drafted to the 12th Squad [Krayot] of the 21st battalion headed by Aaron Yariv119, following the fall of Ban-Ami Pachter120 in the Yechiam Convoy121. The Carmeli Brigade122 headed by Moshe Carmel123. On July 19, 1948 he was part of the 21st battalion attacking the Arab village of Tarshiha124 in the Upper Galilee. Few soldiers fell. One of them was Abraham “Bunia” Schwartz. His body was never recovered. 119 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aharon_Yariv 120 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%91%D7%9F_%D7%A2%D7%9E%D7%99_%D7%A4%D7%9B%D7%98%D7%A8 121 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehiam_convoy 122 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%98%D7%99%D7%91%D7%AA_%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%9C%D 7%99 123 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%94_%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%9C 124 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%27alot‐Tarshiha 338 Fig. 242: Abraham “Bunia” Schwartz Date gone MIA: July 19, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 12 TAMUZ 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 339 Fig. 243: IDF # 173542 Private Abraham “Bunia” Schwartz’ Pillow Age: 26 Born: 1929, Morevska Ostrava, Czechoslovakia Parents: Hermina and Judah Zvi Schwartz. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 340 Joseph Altman was born on 1925 in Warsaw, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1946. On June 1948 he was drafted in the 23rd Battalion of the Carmeli Brigade. On October 1948, the 23rd Battalion held a position near Kibbutz Manara125 in north Israel. The ALA – Arab Liberation Army attacked Manara on October 22, 1948 and captured from the IDF the stronghold at Mt Shnan, the traditional burial grounds of Rabbi Asshi126, named by the Arabs Sheik Abed. The mountain top had strategic qualities and the fight was fierce. The small 23rd battalion squad had to retreat. A 22nd Battalion reinforcement force arrived on October 23, 1948. The Arab forces won and held on to the mountain pick. IDF forces had to abandon their armored vehicles. Few IDF soldiers fell in captivity. Two soldiers were pronounced MIAs, One body was traced at a later date. Joseph Altman was the second soldier and pronounced MIA in this battle. His body was never located. 125 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manara,_Israel 126 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rav_Ashi 341 Fig. 244: Joseph Altman Date gone MIA: October 23, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 20 TISHREY 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 342 Fig. 245: IDF # 86746 Private Joseph Altman’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 23 Born: 1925, Warsaw, Poland Parents: Luba Malca and Moses Altman. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 343 Itamar Golani was born on April 19, 1928 in the village of Beryozovo on the northern Ural Mountains in the USSR. The family made Aliyah in 1930. On November 1948 he participated in one of the first Paratroopers Courses in the IDF. His parachute did not open up during a parachuting drill over the Mediterranean. The IDF keeps the percentage of such parachuting accidents very low. It is not clear if he carried a reserve parachute at those early years the Paratroopers Course. Fig. 246: 2010. An IDF Paratroopers Squad going aboard the plane they will jump off from. Photo: Wikipedia 344 Fig. 247: Itamar Golani Date gone MIA: October 16, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 14 HESHVAN 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 345 Fig. 248: IDF # 2167 Captain Itamar Golani’s Pillow Age: 23 Born: 1928, Beryozovo, USSR. Parents: Raya and Arie Golani. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 346 Michael “Mihik” Cohen was born on October 31, 1930 in Rehovot, British Israel. In 1948 he volunteered into the 2nd PALMACH battalion in the #11 YIFTAH Brigade127 and participated in Operation Danny128. The Brigade’s commander was Mula Cohen129. Mula Cohen was the youngest brigade commander in the IDF. One July 11, 1948 the day following the capitulation of the town of Lod, he was killed by fire shot from two Arab armored vehicles. His body was not recovered. 127 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yiftach_Brigade 128 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Danny 129 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94_%D7%9B%D7%94%D7%9F 347 Fig. 249: Michael “Mihik” Cohen Date gone MIA: July 11, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 04 TAMUZ 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 348 ‫של‬ Fig. 250: IDF # 1538 Private Michael “Mihik” Cohen’ Pillow Age: 17 Born: 1930, Rehovot, British Israel Parents: Miriam and David Hacohen. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 349 Ernest Levi was born on July 18, 1912 in Vienna, Austria. On 1938 he made Aliyah to British Israel. In 1948 He enlisted in the Carmeli Brigade130. On July 18, 1948 he was driving an armored vehicle near the Arab village of Jeba (today’s Geva near Zikron-Jacob) when the vehicle hit a landmine. He helped his two injured mates but then succumbed to his own wounds. Two died, one of them was Ernest Levi His body was never recovered. Following his death, the IDF initiated Operation Shoter in which three Arab villages, Jeba included, where taken and the highway Haifa – Tel Aviv was reopened. 130 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmeli_Brigade 350 Fig. 251: Ernest Levi Date gone MIA: July 18, 1948 YAHRZEIT: 11 TAMUZ 5708 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 351 Fig. 252: IDF # 50408 Private Ernest Levi’ Pillow Age: 36 Born: 1912, Vienna, Austria Parents: Olga and Oscar Levi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 352 Moses “Moniek” Hofman was born in 1927 in Lodz, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1948. He was drafted into the PALMACH - HAREL Brigade headed by Isaac Rabin. On December 1948 – January 1949 the HAREL Brigade131 participated in Operation Horev132 to free the NEGEV region from the invading Egyptian Army. The HAREL Brigade had the task of encircling the Egyptian Army positioned in the Gaza – Raffah Strip attacking the Egyptians on their back, i.e. in direction south to north. Moses “Moniek” Hofman fell on the last leg of the operation on January 06, 1949. His death occurred during the armored vehicles battle over the strategic Raffah-El-Arish road junction. Four MIAs remain since this battle: Moses “Moniek” Hofman, Abraham Zimerman, Solomon Schwitzer and Jacob Shafiq Shafir. The question remains why in the HAREL Brigade, 4 soldiers remain MIAs to date, considering that operation HOREV resumed in 1949, practically the last operation of the War of Independence. Assuming that at that late time of the war, the IDF already embedded the principle of not leaving behind in the battlefields bodies of comrades. 131 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harel_Brigade 132 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Horev 353 Fig. 253: Moses “Moniek” Hofman Date gone MIA: January 06, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 05 TEVET 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 354 Fig. 254: IDF # 74207 Private Moses “Moniek” Hofman’s old Pillow. NO rank, NO mother’s name. Photo: BillionGraves.com 355 Fig. 255: IDF # 74207 Private Moses “Moniek” Hofman’s new Pillow Age: 21 Born: 1927, Lodz, Poland Parents: Only the father Kopel Hofman is mentioned. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 356 Abraham Zimerman was born on June 18, 1928 in Parempol, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1948. He was drafted into the PALMACH - HAREL Brigade headed by Isaac Rabin. On December 1948 – January 1949 the HAREL Brigade133 participated in Operation Horev134 to free the NEGEV region from the invading Egyptian Army. The HAREL Brigade had the task of encircling the Egyptian Army positioned in the Gaza – Raffah Strip attacking the Egyptians on their back, i.e. in direction south to north. Abraham Zimerman fell on the last leg of the operation on January 06, 1949. His death occurred during the armored vehicles battle over the strategic Raffah-El-Arish road junction. Four MIAs remain on this battle: Moses “Moniek” Hofman, Abraham Zimerman, Solomon Schwitzer and Jacob Shafiq Shafir. The question remains why in the HAREL Brigade, 4 soldiers remain MIAs to date, considering that operation HOREV resumed in 1949, practically the last operation of the War of Independence. Assuming that at that late time of the war, the IDF already embedded the principle of not leaving behind in the battlefields bodies of comrades. 133 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harel_Brigade 134 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Horev 357 Fig. 256: Abraham Zimerman Date gone MIA: January 06, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 05 TEVET 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 358 Fig. 257: IDF # 74285 Private Abraham Zimerman’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 20 Born: 1927, Perampol, Poland Parents: Esther Feiga and Joshua Zimerman. 359 Solomon Schwitzer was born on December 31, 1929 in Warsaw, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1946. He was drafted into the PALMACH - HAREL Brigade headed by Isaac Rabin. On December 1948 – January 1949 the HAREL Brigade135 participated in Operation Horev136 to free the NEGEV region from the invading Egyptian Army. The HAREL Brigade had the task of encircling the Egyptian Army positioned in the Gaza – Raffah Strip attacking the Egyptians on their back, i.e. in direction south to north. Solomon Schwitzer fell on the last leg of the operation on January 06, 1949. His death occurred during the armored vehicles battle over the strategic Raffah-El-Arish road junction. Four MIAs remain since this battle: Moses “Moniek” Hofman, Abraham Zimerman, Solomon Schwitzer and Jacob Shafiq Shafir. The question remains why in the HAREL Brigade, 4 soldiers remain MIAs to date, considering that operation HOREV resumed in 1949, practically the last operation of the War of Independence. Assuming that at that late time of the war, the IDF already embedded the principle of not leaving behind in the battlefields bodies of comrades. 135 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harel_Brigade 136 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Horev 360 Fig. 258: Solomon Schwitzer Date gone MIA: January 06, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 05 TEVET 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 361 Fig. 259: IDF # 51423 Private Solomon Schwitzer’s Pillow Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Age: 19 Born: 1927, Warsaw, Poland Parents: Batia and Zvi Schwitzer. 362 Jacob Shafiq Shafir was born in 1928 in Ostrowiec, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1945. He was drafted into the PALMACH - HAREL Brigade as an Anti-tank launcher operator. The HAREL Brigade was headed by Isaac Rabin137. On December 1948 – January 1949 the HAREL Brigade138 participated in Operation Horev139 to free the NEGEV region from the invading Egyptian Army. The HAREL Brigade had the task of encircling the Egyptian Army positioned in the Gaza – Raffah Strip attacking the Egyptians on their back, i.e. in south to north direction. Jacob Shafiq Shafir fell on the last leg of the operation on January 06, 1949. His death occurred during the armored vehicles battle over the strategic Raffah-El-Arish road junction. While he inspecting a parking lot of Egyptian armored vehicles which fell in IDF’s capacity, he was killed by an Egyptian sniper. Four MIAs remain on this battle: Moses “Moniek” Hofman, Abraham Zimerman, Solomon Schwitzer and Jacob Shafiq Shafir. The question remains why in the HAREL Brigade, 4 soldiers remain MIAs to date, considering that operation HOREV resumed in 1949, practically the last operation of the War of Independence. Assuming that at that late time of the war, the IDF already embedded the principle of not leaving behind in the battlefields bodies of comrades. 137 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzhak_Rabin 138 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harel_Brigade 139 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Horev 363 Fig. 260: Jacob Shafiq Shafir Date gone MIA: January 06, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 05 TEVET 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 364 Fig. 261: IDF # 96742 Corporal Shafiq Shafir’s Pillow Age: 19 Born: 1928, Ostrowiec, Poland Parents: Rachel and Jeroham Shafir. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 365 Arthur Gisner was born circa 1925 in Czechoslovakia. In 1948 he was drafted in the 8th “Southern NEGEV” battalion of the #12 HANEGEV Brigade. On April 20, 1949 a 3 squad force of the 8th “Southern NEGEV” battalion was placed ambushing between the Arab villages Idna and Dweima, west of the town of Hebron. The task of the ambush was to stop Arabs from penetrating back into Israel. An Arab force coming out of the village of Idna, attacked them. The ambush ran out of ammunition and had to retreat. Two of the tree squads managed to retreat. The third squad was caught on cross fire. They suffered 12 dead. 11 of the dead were recovered the next day. The last one, Arthur Gisner remains MIA. There is a 12th grave of an unknown soldier that may be attributed to Arthur Gisner but apparently did not undergo a forensic operation. Arthur Gisner was almost the last MIA of the War of Independence. The remains in the grave of the unknown should be exhumed in order to confirm his identity. 366 Fig. 262: Arthur Gisner Date gone MIA: April 20, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 21 NISAN 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 367 Fig. 263: IDF # 139514 Private Arthur Gisner’s Pillow Age: 24 Born: 1925 in Checkia. Parents: Zehava and Isaac Isaiah Gisner. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 368 The LAST, #97 MIA of the WAR OF INDEPENDENCE Jacob Bukay was born on October 26, 1930 in Damascus, Syria. He made Aliyah in 1946. He was drafted in the IDF on February 1948 Due to his knowledge in Arabic he was placed in the “Shahar” IDF Arab Squad. In 1949 he was placed with a second fellow on a mission among a group of the Arab Jordanian Legion140 POW group incarcerated in the Sarafend (Zrifin) base. The group was returned eventually to Jordan. The Jordanians found out that he was never a soldier of the Jordanian legion. Jacob Bukay was judged and executed by the Jordanians as a Jewish spy on August 02, 1949. He was interned in Amman. He is considered the last MIA in the War of Independence. Jacob Bukay remains MIA to date. His fellow in a similar job apparently made it back home safely as he is not on the MIA list. Israel and Jordan maintain a peace treaty and thus peaceful relations. In fact, the Jordanian line of kings knows well that their border on the west, the border with Israel, is their securest border of them all. If some wrong may happen to the Hashemite line of kings, their fastest safest refuge will be in… Tel Aviv. I find it hard to grasp that the Jordanians will not able to locate the grave and remains of Jacob Bukay in Amman… 140 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Legion 369 Fig. 264: Jacob Bukay Date gone MIA: August 02, 1949 YAHRZEIT: 07 AV 5709 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 370 Fig. 265: IDF # 7207 Lieutenant Jacob Bukay’s Pillow Age: 18 Born: 1930, Damascus, Syria. Parents: Adel and Mordechai Bechor Bukay. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 371 PART C: IDF MIAs 1949 – 1957 372 24. Fig. 266: Mt. Herzl Jerusalem. This chapter contains 1949 – 1957 MIAs. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 373 Joseph Egon Feldstein was born on September 29, 1929 in Vienna, Austria. At age 9, his Family made Aliyah in 1938. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on May 1948. Ophir Shipping was an Israeli ship cooperative established 1949 by ex Israeli Navy sailors. In 1949 they purchased in Denmark an old boat named Mercure and changed its name to Masada1. On its first voyage under Israeli ownership the Masada delivered fish from Iceland to Italy. Right after the Masada was intended to ship the Mediterranean route of Israel – Italy – Portugal. Enroot from Italy for the first time to the Haifa port in Israel, the Masada sunk on March 28, 1950 near Naples, Italy. Seven crew members died. A Transportation Ministry investigative team blamed Masada’s First Officer Enosh Stampper on charges of Causing Death by Negligence and he was sentenced to one year imprisonment. Apparently the Masada ship cargo contained some military components for the IDF. Private Joseph Egon Feldstein was on board the ship at the time it sunk. He became MIA. 1 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A8_(%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A4% D7%A8%D7%98%D7%99%D7%91_%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA) 374 Fig. 267: March 30, 1950. Haaretz Daily, front page, top left corner. Photo: Haaretz Daily Archive. 375 Fig. 268: Joseph Egon Feldstein MIA: March 28, 1950, Mediterranean high seas near Naples, Italy Yahrzeit: 10 Nisan 5710 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 376 Fig. 269: IDF #28236 Private Joseph Egon Feldstein’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Vienna, Austria Parents: Gizel and Arie Feldstein. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 377 Arie “Arik” Binnenfeld was born on August 24, 1932 in the town of Pekrac, Yugoslavia. The family made Aliya circa 1949. He was drafted into the IDF Navy in 1950 and placed in the Navy Atlit base. On Saturday, April 01, 1950, Arie “Arik” Binnenfeld was on guard at the Atlit base. It was the holiday of Passover, SEDER night2. Most all the other soldiers stationed in the base were at their homes for the holiday. Apparently he used the dinghy – “Hasake”3 at the guards’ disposal either to check something suspicious at sea around the base or for another reason. As he was alone in his post, nobody can really know. Arie “Arik” Binnenfeld disappeared in the Mediterranean, just west of the Atlit Base. Searches at sea near Atlit following his disappearance produced nothing. He remains MIA to date (2021). 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder 3 https://www.supconnect.com/history/hasake‐the‐israeli‐and‐arabic‐sup‐board 378 Fig. 270: Arie “Arik” Binnenfeld MIA: April 01, 1950 Yahrzeit: 14 Nisan 5710 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 379 Fig. 271: IDF #161208 Private Arie “Arik” Binnenfeld’s Pillow. Age: 18 Born: Pekrac, Yugoslavia Parents: Anna and Herman Binnenfeld. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 380 Jacob Abzac was born on July 07, 1929 in Lodz, Poland. At age 17, in 1946 he made Aliyah. In 1949 he was drafted to the IDF in the paratrooper NAHAL unit. A de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide4 Squadron 100 Air Force plane took off on December 18, 1950 from the Israeli airbase of TEL-NOF5. The Rapide was a British 8 passenger twinengine plane constructed from primitive plywood, used by the Royal Air-Force during WWII for military service as well. Fig. 272: de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide Photo: Wikipedia 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Dragon_Rapide 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tel_Nof_Airbase 381 Onboard the Rapide were one pilot and seven paratrooper NAHAL soldiers. This was a training and reconnaissance mission. The pilot was Lieutenant Meir Hofshy6, age 21. He graduated Pilot School in Bakersfield, CA. on June 1948 and had ample 2.5 years of flying experience. No second co-pilot neither a Navigator manned the plane. The 7 NAHAL soldiers were: Sapper Captain Isaac Kibowitz age 21, Sergeant David Rapoport 19, Sergeant Zvi Yatom 20, Sergeant Mordechai Arzi 24, sergeant Shlomo Yaskolka 23, Sergeant Uzi Shanenski Shaanan 19, the son of vice-commander of the PALMACH Giora Shaanan and Sergeant Jacob Abzac, 21. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean west of Kibbutz Zikim, near the border with the Egyptian controlled Gaza Strip. The plane flew close to the Gaza Strip northern border. The Egyptians opened anti-aircraft fire. One possibility is that the slow speed plane was hit by Egyptian shells another possibility is a technical malfunction. Six bodies were recovered by the Egyptians one body was recovered at sea by the NAVY. If this was a reconnaissance flight, than why the 7 paratroopers were on board? If this was a training flight, than what were they training for? The last NAHAL soldier, Sergeant Jacob Abzac remains MIA to date. 6 https://www.news1.co.il/Archive/0024‐D‐121978‐00.html 382 Fig. 273: Jacob Abzac MIA: December 18, 1950 Yahrzeit: 09 TEVET 5711 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 383 Fig. 274: IDF #163074 Sergeant Jacob Abzac’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Lodz, Poland Parents: Malca and Alter Abzac Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 384 Joseph Batzri Evers was born in 1923 in Bagdad, Iraq7. He became an attorney and member of the Zionist group Halutz in Bagdad. In 1949 he made Aliyah. In Israel he was recruited by the Mossad8 and returned to Iraq in order to convince the Iraqi Jewry to make Aliyah. In 1951 he was apprehended in Bagdad with his partners Shalom Zalah Shalom and Ephraim Latif. They were charged with treason and agitation of Iraqi citizens. Joseph Batzri Evers and Shalom Zalah Shalom were convicted and hung in Bagdad on January 19, 1952. His remains are interned in Bagdad, possibly in the Jewish Cemetery. 7 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%A3_%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%99 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad 385 Fig. 275: Joseph Batzri Evers MIA: January 19, 1952 Yahrzeit: 21 TEVET 5712 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 386 Fig. 276: IDF Captain Joseph Batzri Evers’s Pillow. Age: 26 Born: Bagdad, Iraq Parents: Georgia and Ephraim Batzri . Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 387 Shalom Zalah Shalom9 was born in 1923 in Bagdad, Iraq. He became member of the Zionist group Halutz. At age 28, in 1951 he was apprehended in Bagdad together with Joseph Batzri Evers who returned to Bagdad from Israel in order to encourage Aliyah. They were tortured and admitted performing actions against the Iraqi regime. He was hung on January 22, 1952. His remains are interned in Bagdad, possibly in the Jewish Cemetery. 9 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%A6%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%97 388 Fig. 277: Shalom Zalah Shalom MIA: January 22, 1952 Yahrzeit: 24 TEVET 5712 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 389 19 Fig. 278: Shalom Zalah Shalom’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Bagdad, Iraq Parents: Yafa Hasina and Zalah Shalom. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 390 25. 7 IDF NAVY MIAs November 23, 1952 West of Haifa 391 Jacob Broadstein was born January 08, 1932 in Tel Aviv. At age 20, in 1951, he was drafted in the IDF NAVY. The Israeli NAVY ran a course named Deck B’. At the end of the course, the apprentices would end up in a boat trip from Haifa down south to Tel-Aviv and back. Due to stormy weather the trip initiated on November 19, 1952 @ 17:30 PM instead of 08:00 AM. 15 NAVY soldiers on training in two boats left the port of Haifa westwards10. They were supposed to navigate southwards to the Tel Aviv port and back, but they erred and navigated northbound instead Fig. 279: Circa 1952. Two IDF Navy boats. Photo: Zultan Kluger, Israel’s Press agency. 10 https://www.news1.co.il/Archive/0024‐D‐122755‐00.html 392 The boat “Rebecca” under the command of First-Sergeant Ben-Ami Lewinhertz, with 8 NAVY sailors aboard ended up in Junia, Lebanon and the 8 men went on captivity. Lewinhertz was the commander of the entire drill. The boats had communication transmitters to communicate to each other but could communicate with the shore only when in vicinity to the shore. Upon leaving the Haifa port the boats encountered rough weather and never reached Tel-Aviv. The second boat “Menahem”, under the command of Corporal Jacob Broadstein, was lost in the Mediterranean and its crew of seven pronounced MIAs. The seven MIAs aboard the “Menahem” were: Corporal Jacob Broadstein, Samuel Garber, Abraham Alberson Ben-Porat, Isaac Proschowitz, Jacob Schahar, Amram Amos Sadwin Saadon and Ruben Fishel Dgani. The eight “Rebecca” boat captives were held in a Beirut prison and eventually exchanged for a Lebanese boat held by Israel. The 8 were: Ben-Ami Lewinhertz the commander, Arie Hadas, Joseph Machluf, Joseph Gerstein, Benjamin Strikowski, Nachman Spector, Jacob Cohen and Mordechai Cohen. 393 Fig. 280: Jacob Broadstein Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 394 Fig. 281: IDF # 203934 Corporal Jacob Broadstein ’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Tel Aviv Parents: Leah and Isaac Broadstein. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 395 Abraham Alberson Ben-Porat was born on March 05, 1934 in Tel Aviv. He was drafted into the IDF on September 1951 and served in the NAVY. Fig. 282: Abraham Alberson Ben-Porat Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 396 Fig. 283: IDF #217819 Corporal Abraham Alberson Ben-Porat’s Pillow. Age: 18 Born: Tel‐Aviv, British Israel Parents: Malca and Joshua Alberson Ben‐Porat. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 397 Samuel Garber was born in 1927 in the town of Brezna, Poland. At age 21, in 1948 he made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY. Fig. 284: Samuel Garber Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 398 Fig. 285: IDF #198190 Corporal Samuel Garber’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Berzana, Poland Parents: Rachel and Moshe Garber. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 399 Ruben Fishel Dgani was born on July 21, 1932 in Rostock, Germany. His family made Aliyah in 1939. He was drafted in 1951 to the IDF NAVY. Fig. 286: Ruben Fishel Dgani Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 400 Fig. 287: IDF #213327 Corporal Ruben Fishel Dgani’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Rostock, Germany Parents: Nahama and Abraham Dgani Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 401 Amram Saadon was born on May 01, 1930 in the town of Fes, Morocco. At age 20, in 1950, he made Aliyah and was drafted to the IDF NAVY. His brother Elijah Saadon fell on September 08, 1950. Fig. 288: Amram Saadon Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 402 Fig. 289: IDF #201686 Corporal Amram Saadon’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Fes, Morocco Parents: Tamar and Jacob Saadon Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 403 Isaac Proschowitz was born on October 22, 1927 in the town of Zamosc, Poland. He made Aliyah in 1949. At age 24, on January 1951 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY. Fig. 290: Isaac Proschowitz Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 404 Fig. 291: Isaac Proschowitz old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 405 Fig. 292: IDF #202110 First Private Isaac Proschowitz’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Zamosc, Poland Parents: Chana and Pinkus Proschowitz Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 406 Jacob Schahar was born on December 02, 1933 in Jerusalem, British Israel. At age 18, in 1951 he was drafted to the IDF NAVY. Fig. 293: Jacob Schahar Gone MIA: November 23, 1952 Yahrzeit: 05 KISLEV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 407 Fig. 294: Corporal Jacob Schahar’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 408 Fig. 295: IDF #207825 Corporal Jacob Schahar’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Jerusalem. Parents: Miriam and Arie Schahar Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 409 Zvulon Tomy Brown was born on April 23, 1930 in Budapest, Hungary. In 1949, at age 19, he made Aliyah. He was drafted in 1950 and graduated Officers Course within the IDF Artillery Corps. On Friday, January 23, 1953 he left his base in Beit Govrin for the weekend and was never seen since. One possibility is that he was murdered by Arabs when he walked the road leading to or from his base gate in Beit-Govrin either on Friday, January 23, 1953 or possibly on Sunday January 25, 1953. The border territory around Beit Govrin was considered no-men’s land in the 1950s. 410 Fig. 296: Zvulon Tomy Brown Gone MIA: January 23, 1953 Yahrzeit: 07 SHVAT 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 411 Fig. 297: IDF #195832 First Lieutenant Zvulon Tomy Brown’s Pillow. Age: 23 Born: Budapest, Hungary. Parents: Rene Miriam and Kalman Brown Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 412 Uriel Eshel was born on January 08, 1933 in Kibbutz MIZRAH in northern British Israel. On October 1950 he was drafted to the IDF Air-Force and became a pilot. On the night of August 06, 1953 he and his Navigator Oded Shtil were on a drill flight aboard a Mosquito bomber over the Mediterranean, west of Haifa. Fig. 298: 1941 British de Havilland Mosquito twin engine bomber. The frame was constructed mostly of wood. Photo: Wikipedia The plane disappeared. Pilot Uriel Eshel and Navigator Oded Shtil were pronounced MIAs 413 Fig. 299: Uriel Eshel Gone MIA: August 06, 1953 Yahrzeit: 25 AV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 414 Fig. 300: IDF #195753 Lieutenant Uriel Eshel’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Kibbutz Mizrah, near Afula. Parents: Anda and Zvi Eshel. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 415 Oded Shtil was born on September 21, 1932 in Karkur, British Israel. In April 1950, at 18, he was drafted to the IDF Air-Force. First he served as a plane technician thereafter as a Navigator. On the night of August 06, 1953 he and pilot Uriel Eshel were on a drill flight with a Mosquito bomber over the Mediterranean, west of Haifa. The plane disappeared. Pilot Uriel Eshel and Navigator Oded Shtil were pronounced MIAs 416 Fig. 301: Oded Shtil Gone MIA: August 06, 1953 Yahrzeit: 25 AV 5713 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 417 Fig. 302: IDF #195753 Lieutenant Oded Shtil’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Karkur, British Israel Parents: Leah and Joseph Shtil. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 418 Bezalel Bachar was born in Iderna, Turkey on May 10, 1934. At age 15, in 1949 he made Aliyah. He was drafted on April 1951 and served as a Medic. On January 11, 1954 he was on guard in the NAVY base in Caesarea. It was a stormy night. A fishing boat approached the small harbor and he went onboard to inspect it. As a result of the storm and while onboard he slipped, drowned and disappeared. His body was never recovered from the Mediterranean. 419 Fig. 303: Bezalel Bachar Gone MIA: January 11, 1954 Yahrzeit: 07 SHVAT 5714 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 420 Fig. 303a: IDF #224310 Private Bezalel Bachar’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Turkey Parents: Mazal and Issachar Bachar. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 421 Jacob Migowski Meged was born on June 28, 1934 in Moisesville, Argentina. At 19, in 1953 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in 1954 in the IDF NAHAL Brigade and stationed in Kibbutz Gonen in the Upper Galilee. On October 18, 1955 he went hunting in the fields east of the Kibbutz. The Syrians shot and injured him and then dragged him to Syrian territory and murdered him. Then they denied knowing anything about him. Following the Six Days War on June 1967, a Syrian Operations Diary was discovered in the Syrian town Kuneitra on the Golan Heights. An entry in the diary shed light on his kidnapping. According to the entry the Syrians buried him near the Position which kidnapped and murdered him. Jacob Migowski Meged remains were not recovered to date (2021). 422 Fig. 304: Jacob Migowski Meged Gone MIA: October 18, 1955 Yahrzeit: 02 Heshvan 5716 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 423 Fig. 305: IDF #307975 Private Jacob Migowski Meged’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Moisesville, Argentina Parents: Rebecca and Ephraim Migowski. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 424 Shalom Attiya was born on October 05, 1937 in the town of Algiers in Algieria. At age 12, in 1949 his family made Aliyah. He was member in a NAHAL 906 Battalion adjacent during the 1956 Sinai Operation – the Suez Crisis11to the #35 Paratroopers Brigade12 headed by Ariel Sharon. On October 31, 1956 at 16:0013, following the parachuting near the Mitla Pass14 in the Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian Meteor Bombers attacked the 4th Battalion headed by Aaron Davidi15 while moving into the Mitla Pass. There was no strategic need to overtake the pass. A small reconnaissance NAHAL force would have sufficed but Paratroopers Brigade commander Ariel Sharon16 was eager for battle. A NAHAL 906 squad headed by Judah Mitelman17 was moving in the back. A truck carrying mortar shells was driving slowly behind them. The truck exploded in a huge explosion seen and heard by all the forces around. Shalom Attiya18 was either driving the truck, in the cabin or hiding in its vicinity. No remains were left of Shalom Attiya. 11 12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratroopers_Brigade 13 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%91_%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%9C%D7%94 14 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitla_Pass 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aharon_Davidi 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Sharon 17 http://www.202.org.il/Pages/kadesh/mitle/mitle13.php 18 https://www.mako.co.il/news‐israel/local‐q2_2016/Article‐95da41aac1e9451004.htm 425 Fig. 306: October 1956, Kuntila, the Sinai Peninsula. Just before the Mitla Pass Operation. Left to right: Zvika Dahab, Armored Vehicles Squad Commander; Aaron Davidi, 4th Battalion Commander; Micha Kaposta Ben‐Ari, Patrols Commander; Chaim Nadal, Operations Officer; Yair Tel‐Zur, Intelligence Officer. Photo: Micha Kaposta Ben‐Ari’s Collection. 426 Fig. 307: Shalom Attiya Gone MIA: October 31, 1956 Yahrzeit: 26 Heshvan 5717 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 427 Fig. 308: IDF #337466 Private Shalom Attiya’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Algiers, Algeria Parents: Sarah and Kalah Attyia. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 428 Abed Symon was born on January 01, 1931 in Kirkuk, Iraq. In 1951 he made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF and served as a Signaler in the Armored Corps. Come the Sinai Operation – the Suez Crisis in 1956, Abed Symon was on reserve duty in the 37th Brigade headed by Samuel Galinka19. Colonel Samuel Galinka was hit badly on October 31, 1956 during the campaign over the AbuAgeila Egyptian fortified Compound20. Samuel Galinka died from his wounds. He was the highest ranking Israeli officer to die on this operation. Private Abed Symon was there in a 37th Brigade Armored Vehicle Squad near the brigade command. Although the 37th Brigade tanks were still behind, commander Galinka saw opportunity to attack the Umm Kutoff fortified compound with Armored Vehicles only. Abed Symon was with the staff of the Communications Armored Vehicle which absorbed a direct Egyptian shell hit or was hit by a landmine21. His remains could not be retrieved. 19 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%90%D7%9C_%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A0%D 7%A7%D7%90 20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Ageila 21 https://www.mako.co.il/news‐israel/local‐q2_2016/Article‐95da41aac1e9451004.htm 429 Fig. 309: November 01, 1956, the MITLA Pass in the Sinai Peninsula. Israeli paratroopers dig into their personal foxholes. This mass parachuting is considered the one and only combat parachuting in the history of the IDF since 1948 to date (2021). Photo: Wikipedia 430 Fig. 310: Abed Symon Gone MIA: October 31, 1956 Yahrzeit: 15 Heshvan 5716 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 431 Fig. 311: IDF #233071 Private Abed Symon’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Kirkuk, Iraq Parents: Kazana and Hay Symon. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 432 Jacob Mizrahi was born in 1922 in British Jerusalem. At age 34, on October 1956 he was drafted to the IDF Sinai Operation. He was an infantry soldier in the IDF 7th Brigade. During the battle of ABU-AGEILA22 - UMM KUTOFF Fortified Compound he was hit in his chest by a rifle bullet. The force had to withdraw due to heavy shelling. Jacob Mizrahi disappeared during the withdrawal, possibly fell and died unnoticed by his comrades. His body was not traced. 22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Ageila 433 Fig. 312: Jacob Mizrahi Gone MIA: November 01, 1956 Yahrzeit: 16 Heshvan 5716 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 434 Fig. 313: IDF #110604 Private Jacob Mizrahi’s Pillow. Age: 34 Born: Jerusalem, British Israel Parents: Mazal and Saul Mizrahi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 435 Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed was born in 1920 in the town of Majdal Shams in Syria to a Druze23 tribe. He moved in 1948 into Israel and was drafted to the IDF. He was placed in the “SILON 10” Intelligence Squad24 and his cover name was “Silon 3”. Their task was to collect intelligence in Syria. On November 28, 1956, Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed climbed a telephone pole near the village Masaade in the Syrian Golan Heights in order to connect to it a listening device. This mission became extra important due to the Sinai Operation conducted at the time on the Israeli southern border. The device contained a “self exploding from afar” mechanism. This mechanism failed and the devise blew up in Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed hands while he was up on the pole attempting to install it. He died instantly, Silon1 on the ground next to the pole was wounded, Silon3 was the only squad member left unhurt. Silon1 made the decision to carry wounded Silon3 back to Israel and had to leave behind Silon3 - Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed body remains right there and then within the Syrian territory. Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed remains MIA to date (2021). 23 24 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druze https://www.gvura.org/a345224‐%D7%A1%D7%92‐%D7%9D‐%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%93‐ %D7%A1%D7%99%D7%99%D7%93‐%D7%90%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%93‐%D7%96‐%D7%9C 436 Fig. 314: Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed Gone MIA: November 28, 1956 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 437 Fig. 315: IDF #728934 First Lieutenant Muhammad Kasem Seid Ahmed’s Pillow. Age: 36 Born: Masaade , the Golan Heights. Parents: Jamila and Kasem Seid Ahmed. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 438 Avihu “Avi” Moskowitz was born on December 09, 1936 in Tel Aviv. In 1954 he was drafted in the IDF Air Force and became a pilot. On February 08, 1957 he flew the British made Gloster METEOR25 jet fighter on a drill flight over the Mediterranean west of Haifa. Avihu “Avi” Moskowitz disappeared in the Mediterranean. Fig. 316: 1946. British made Gloster Meteor jet fighter Photo: Wikipedia 25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Meteor 439 Fig. 317: Avihu “Avi” Moskowitz Gone MIA: February 08, 1957 Yahrzeit: 07 ADAR A’ 5717 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 440 Fig. 318: IDF #304707 First Lieutenant Avihu “Avi” Moskowitz’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Tel‐Aviv, British Israel. Parents: Matilde and Zvi Moskowitz . Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 441 442 PART D: IDF MIAs 1960 – 1967 443 Yair “Irale” Hatiba was born on August 27, 1940 in Kfar-Vitkin, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF Air Force in 1958 and became a pilot. On the evening of February 15, 1960, the apprentices in Flight Course #31 were conducting solo navigation flights on an American made Harvard T-6 Texan plane1. The standard route was Tel Nof-Orr Akiva-Kaduri school up north and back south to Atlit and Tel Nof. Over each location, the apprentice had to report his location by radio. Yair Hatiba took off @ 19:05PM. At 20:03 PM he reported his last report being over the Ramat-David Air-Force base and going west. At 20:15 PM the guard in the Atlit base reported seeing a plane crash into the Mediterranean, just west of the town of Atlit. Two helicopters and another HARVARD took off from the Tel-Nof Air Force base on a search mission. The search went well into the next day but all was in vein. Yair “Irale” Hatiba and his Harvard were never discovered. Fig. 319: 1960 Israeli Air‐Force. American made Harvard T-6 Texan. Photo: Wikipedia 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_T‐6_Texan 444 Fig. 320: Yair “Irale” Hatiba MIA: February 15, 1960 Yahrzeit: 18 SHVAT 5720 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 445 Fig. 321: IDF #430833 First Lieutenant Yair “Irale” Hatiba’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Kfar‐Vitkin, British Israel. Parents: Alice and Arie Hatiba. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 446 Chaim Zarfai was born on August 18, 1932, in the town of Fes, Morocco. On 1951 he and his brother made Aliyah2 and he was drafted to the IDF as a Radio Transmitter. In 1956 he was working for the Mossad3 for the cause of Aliyah of the Moroccan Jews. On January 11, 1961 he was onboard the S.S. EGOZ4 delivering 43 immigrants from Morocco to Israel via Marseilles, France. The EGOZ sunk into the Mediterranean, north of Morocco. No one onboard survived. Chaim Zarfai’s body was not recovered. Fig. 322: Jerusalem, Mt. Herzl. The EGOZ Monument. 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliyah 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egoz_(ship) Photo: Wikipedia 447 Fig. 323: Chaim Zarfai MIA: January 11, 1961 Yahrzeit: 23 TEVET 5721 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 448 Fig. 324: Chaim Zarfati’s Pillow. Age: 28 Born: Fes, Morocco Parents: Jakot and Elisha Zarfati. Photo: Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 449 Jacob Rivkind Dvir was born on August 02, 1943 in Petah-Tikva, British Israel. He was drafted to the IDF on May 1961 into the GOLANI Brigade. In the early 1960s the Syrians conducted regularly shootings against Israeli fishermen on the north-eastern edge of the Lake of Galilee. The main Syrian fire source was the Syrian stronghold of Nukeib on the north-eastern shores of the Lake of Galilee. Along two days, March 16 and 17, 1962, the IDF conducted the Nukeib Operation in the Syrian territory in and around the village of Nukeib. The operation failed.5 8 IDF soldiers were killed, 2 MIAs and 43 wounded. The Israeli Air Force had to bomb the Israeli Armored Vehicles left behind in the Syrian territory. One MIA was found by the Syrians and exchanged for a Syrian live captive. The second MIA Jacob Rivkind Dvir was not traced. One theory is that he was accidently left behind wounded in one of the Israeli Armored Vehicles left behind and thereafter accidently bombed by the Israeli bomber which bombed the Israeli Armored Vehicles left behind. Following the June 1967 Six Days War, the Golan Heights, including the Nukeib Syrian stronghold east of the Lake of Galilee, was annexed to Israel. No Syrian records were found to indicate that Jacob Rivkind Dvir was ever in Syrian capacity, dead or alive. Following the Nukeib failed operation, a bunch of Israeli officers were awarded Citations. The planning and execution of this operation was certainly defective. Were those citations justified? Jacob Rivkind Dvir remains MIA to date. 5 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2_%D7%A1%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D 7%AA 450 Fig. 325: 1962 The Nukeib Operation. Few Armoured Vehicles were left behind in Nukeib and bombed later on. Jacob Rivkind Dvir may have been left in one of them. Photo: Wikipedia 451 Fig. 326: The Nukeib Syrian 1962 Operation Monument on the north‐east side of the Lake of Galillee. The MIA is Jacob Rivkind Dvir. Photo: Wikipedia 452 Fig. 327: Jacob Rivkind Dvir MIA: March 16, 1962 Yahrzeit: 11 ADAR B’ 5722 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 453 Fig. 328: IDF #466772 Corporal Jacob Rivkind Dvir’s Pillow Age: 19 Born: Petah-Tikva, British Israel. Parents: Leah and Abraham Rivkind Dvir. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 454 Eli Eliyahu Cohen was born on December 06, 1924 in Alexandria, Egypt. At age 33in 1957, his family made Aliyah. He was recruited into the Mossad while still in Egypt. In 1962 he was stationed by the Mossad in Damascus, Syria. He was exposed by the Syrians in January 1965 and executed on May 18, 1965 In Damascus. His body is possibly interned in the Jewish cemetery of Damascus. The Russians who practically control Syria (2021), attempt to locate his remains on behalf of Israel. Fig. 329: Eli Eliyahu Cohen MIA: May 18, 1965 Yahrzeit: 16 IYAR 5725 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 455 Fig. 330: #745701 Colonel Eli Eliyahu Cohen’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 456 Fig. 331: Eli Eliyahu Cohen Age: 40 Born: Alexandria, Egypt. Parents: Sofia and Saul Hacohen. Photo: Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 457 Gershon Gelkopf Ben-Judah was born on October 31, 1947 in Germany. At age 2 in 1949 his family made Aliyah. In 1965 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY. In 1964 Israel purchased from Great-Britain an old WWII submarine and named it the “Leviathan”. Before delivery to Israel, the “Leviathan” was undergoing renovations in a British shipyard. Due to the alert in Israel before the June 1967 Six Days War the journey of the “Leviathan” to Israel was expedited. On the night of May 26, 1967 the “Leviathan” was making its way above water in the Irish Sea between Scotland and Ireland southbound to Israel. Gershon Gelkopf Ben-Judah and Jacob Kiki Tamir were busy erasing the old submarine number on the external body of the submarine. When erased, they dismantled the scaffolding and the security cable holding them on the outside. A heavy ocean wave washed them off into the ocean and they both drowned. Jacob Kiki Tamir’s body was thrown onto an Ireland beach few weeks later. Gershon Gelkopf Ben-Judah body was never recovered. 458 Fig. 332: Gershon Gelkopf Ben-Judah MIA: May 27, 1967 Yahrzeit: 17 IYAR 5727 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 459 Fig. 333: IDF #966266 Corporal Gershon Gelkopf Ben-Judah’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Germany. Parents: Regina and Judah Gelkopf Ben-Judah. Photo: Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 460 Danny Engel Erel was born on February 14, 1945 in Tel-Aviv, British Israel. He enlisted to the IDF on August 1962 and served as a pilot in the Air-Force. On the first day of the Six Days War, June 05, 1967 he was flying the Super Mister French made on a bombing mission over the Egyptian Inshas Air Base in Ezbet Kamel, north-east of Cairo. The plane was hit with anti-aircraft fire and crushed. Pilot Danny Engel Erel was never recovered. Fig. 334: Danny Engel Erel Gone MIA: June 05, 1967 Yahrzeit: 26 IYAR 5727 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 461 Fig. 335: IDF #484001 Captain Danny Engel Erel’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Tel‐Aviv. Parents: Sarah and Pesach Engel Erel. Photo: Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 462 Alexander “Alex” Kestenbaum Armon was born on March 31, 1941 in Radom, Poland. In 1950, when he was 9 years old, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on July 1959 to the IDF Air force and became a pilot On June 05, 1967 the first day of the Six Days War he flew a Super Mister fighter from the Hatzor Airbase to a bombing mission of the Egyptian airbase KIBRIT6. He was leading 4 Super Misters with pilots Jacob Nevo Z”L, Zeva Umschwiff and Amiram Manor Z”L. Following the bombing of an Egyptian airbase tracks they destroyed 8 to10 Egyptian planes on the ground. While returning to base they intercepted a Transportation Illiushin 14. Then, in a dogfight with 2 Egyptian MIG21 Armon, and Manor were intercepted. Nevo reported that he saw Armon’s Super Mister crush 20-25 KM east of KANTARA in the Sinai. A squadron Search party following the war, headed by Commander Aaron Yalowski Shavit7, could not recover Alexander “Alex” Kestenbaum Armon remains. His body was not traced to date (2021). Fig. 336: 1958. French made Super Mister. Photo: Wikipedia 6 http://www.lodz‐israel.co.il/soldiers/kastenbaum.html 7 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%9F_%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%99%D7%98 463 Fig. 337: Alexander Alex Kestenbaum Armon Gone MIA: June 05, 1967 Yahrzeit: 26 IYAR 5727 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 464 Fig. 338: IDF #441725 Captain Alexander “Alex” Kestenbaum Armon’s Pillow. Age: 26 Born: Radom, Poland Parents: Sima and Refael Kestenbaum Armon. Photo: Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 465 Benjamun Arman Romah was born in Bizia, south France in October 27, 1942. His family made Aliyah in 1949. He was drafted in the IDF Air Force on October 1960 and became a pilot. On the fourth day of the Six Days War, June 08, 1967 he was on a bombing mission piloting the French made Mirage3. The plane was intercepted by Egyptian fighters in a dogfight, 20 KM west of Kantara in the Sinai. Benjamun Arman Romah remains were never recovered. Fig. 339: 1961. French made Mirage3 of the Royal Australian Air force. . Photo: Wikipedia 466 Fig. 340: Benjamun Arman Romah Gone MIA: June 08, 1967 Yahrzeit: 29 IYAR 5727 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 467 Fig. 341: IDF #458174 Major Benjamun Arman Romah’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Bizia, south France Parents: Sophy and Alexander Arman Romah. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 468 Abner Yehezkly was born on April 15, 1947 in Kvuzat Yavne, British Israel. On May 1965 at age 18, he was drafted to the IDF #35 Paratroopers Brigade8. On June 08, 1967, the 4th day of the Six Days War, a battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade was preparing for a night park near the Egyptian airbase of Bir Gifgafa9 in the Sinai. Abner Yehezkly disappeared right there, not to be found again. Merely two weeks before, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel-Nasser10 bragged off in the same location and in front of his Bir Gifgafa pilots about the Egyptian high capabilities against Israel. . Fig. 342: May 22, 1967. Egyptian president Nasser brags off with Egyptian pilots in the Egyptian Bir‐Gifgafa Airbase. After 2 weeks, on the 3rd day of the Six Days War this very room where this photo was taken, became Israeli controlled territory for the next 13 years. Photo: Wikipedia 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratroopers_Brigade 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bir_Gifgafa_Airfield 10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser 469 Fig. 343: Abner Yehezkly Gone MIA: June 08, 1967 Yahrzeit: 29 IYAR 5727 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 470 Fig. 344: IDF #960604 Corporal Abner Yehezkly’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Kvuzat Yavne, British Israel Parents: Leah and Solomon Yehezkly. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 471 472 PART E: IDF MIAs 1967 – 1973 473 26. October 21, 1967 16 MIAs The ‘Eilat’ Destroyer Sinking 474 Fig. 345: General Solomon Erel, IDF NAVY Commander 1966‐1968. The “Eilat” destroyer sunk by the Egyptians and the “Dakar” submarine sunk occurred on his shift. Photo: Wikipedia 475 Fig. 346: Chief of Staff 1968‐1972 Chaim Barlev. The “Eilat” destroyer sunk by the Egyptians and the “Dakar” submarine sunk occurred on his shift. Photo: Wikipedia 476 Fig.347: Moses Dayan, Minister of Defense 1967‐1974. The “Eilat” destroyer sunk by the Egyptians and the “Dakar” submarine sunk occurred on his shift. Photo: Wikipedia 477 Fig. 348: Levi Shkolnik Eshkol, Prime Minister of the Israeli government 1963 to 1969. The “Eilat” destroyer sunk by the Egyptians and the “Dakar” submarine sunk occurred on his shift. Photo: Wikipedia 478 Fig. 349: 1961. Colonel Isaac Shushan, Commander of the “Eilat” Destroyer @ the time of the Egyptian attack and sunk on 10/21/1967. Photo: Wikipedia 479 On October 21, 1967 the Commander of the ‘Eilat’ Destroyer was Colonel Isaac Shushan1. The crew consisted of 199 IDF NAVY sailors. The “Eilat” Destroyer was attacked on October 21, 1967 by Egyptian P-15 Styx Soviet made Sea to Sea missiles. Each Styx missile carried a high amount of 500 KG of TNT. The missiles were shot from Egyptian Comar 112 Soviet made Torpedo Boats. On that date the Eilat was on the Mediterranean, north of Romney, on the northern shores of the Sinai Peninsula north-east of the Egyptian Port-Said port and out of Egyptian sovereign waters. The Eilat had no defense against Styx missiles. Thus, it was gross negligence to put the slow moving Eilat destroyer as a sitting duck and direct prey to the Egyptians. Six months earlier on July 11, 1967 in a nearby location to Romney and immediately following the Six Day War the IDF NAVY destroyed two torpedo Comar 112 Egyptian boats. Now, with the Eilat sunk, six months following the great Israeli victory in the Six Days War, the losing Egyptians vividly signaled to the triumphant Israelis their serious intent to reclaim back their Sinai Peninsula. The Eilat destroyer was fully sunk. Of the 199 sailor crew, 47 lost their lives (24%). 16 of the dead (34%) remain MIAs to date. An unknown number of victims’ remains interned in a mass grave in the Haifa IDF Cemetery. 1 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%97%D7%A7_%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9F 480 Fig. 350: 1967. INS “Eilat” in better days. A former British Royal Navy Z Class destroyer. Sold by the British to Israel in 1955. Photo: Wikipedia 481 Fig. 351: Soviet made SS‐N‐2 STYX anti‐ship missile, each missile carries 500 KG of explosives. 4 such Egyptian missiles hit the Israeli “Eilat” destroyer on October 21, 1967, leaving it no chance to survive. Photo: Don S. Montgomery. 482 Judah Ben-Basat was born on June 19, 1938 in the town of Plovdiev, Bulgary. At age 11, in 1949, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on October 1957. He served as head Machinery officer on the Eilat Destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 352: Judah Ben-Basat MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 483 Fig. 353: IDF #417247 Judah Ben-Basat’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 484 Fig. 354: IDF #417247 Major Judah Ben-Basat’s new Pillow. Age: 29 Born: Plovdiev, Bulgary Parents: Rachel and Oskar Ben‐Basat. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 485 Rafael Ben-Ami was born in 1936 in Morocco. At age 14, in 1950 he made Aliyah. In 1954 he was drafted to the IDF NAVY and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 355: Rafael Ben-Ami MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 486 Fig. 356: IDF #296206 Chief First Sergeant Rafael Ben-Ami’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 487 Fig. 357: IDF #296206 Chief First Sergeant Rafael Ben-Ami’s new Pillow. Age: 31 Born: Morocco Parents: Rachel and Meir Ben‐Ami. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 488 Eliyahu “Eli” Naor was born in 1934 in Iraq. In 1935 the family made Aliyah. On July 1951 he was drafted to the IDF NAVY and served as head mechanic on the Eilat Destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 358: the family of Eliyahu “Eli” Naor permitted no picture of his on the Izkor.gov.il government site. MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 489 Fig. 359 IDF #175747 First Major Sergeant Eliyahu Naor’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 490 Fig. 360: IDF #175747 First Major Sergeant Eliyahu Naor’s new Pillow. Age: 33 Born: Iraq Parents: Rachel and Nissim Naor. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 491 Zvi “Zvika” Oren was born on August 08, 1947 in Petah-Tikva, British Israel. On November 1965 he was drafted into the IDF NAVY and served on the Eilat Destroyer. Fig. 361: Zvi “Zvika” Oren MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 492 Fig. 362: IDF #973668 Sergeant Zvi “Zvika” Oren’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 493 Fig. 363: IDF #973668 Sergeant Zvi “Zvika” Oren’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Petah-Tikva, British Israel Parents: Batia and Gershon Oren. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 494 Yigal Cohen was born on June 20, 1933 in Baku, Rumania. At age 18, he made Aliyah in 1951. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on July 1952 and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 364: Yigal Cohen MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 495 Fig. 365: IDF #243405 First Sergeant Yigal Cohen’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 496 Fig. 366: IDF #243405 Major Sergeant Yigal Cohen’s Pillow. Age: 34 Born: Baku, Rumania Parents: Esther and Moshe HaCohen. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 497 Uri Menahem was born on November 26, 1946 in Rehovot, British Israel. He was drafted in October 1964 to the IDF NAVY and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 367: Uri Menahem MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 498 Fig. 368: IDF #948838 Sergeant Uri Menahem’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 499 Fig. 369: IDF #948838 Sergeant Uri Menahem’s new Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Rehovot, British Israel Parents: Simha and Moshe Menahem. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 500 Judah Markowitz was born on January 26, 1941 in the town of Botushani, Rumania. At age 7, in 1948, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on April 1959 to the IDF NAVY and served as a mechanic on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 370: Judah Markowitz MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 501 Fig. 371: IDF #438990 Major Sergeant Judah Markowitz’s Pillow. Age: 26 Born: Botushani, Rumania Parents: Sarah and Mordechai Markowitz. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 502 Rami Raymond Navaro was born on May 21, 1947 in Cairo, Egypt. At age 10, in 1957 his family made Aliyah. On November 1965 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a mechanic on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 372: Rami Raymond Navaro MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 503 Fig. 373: IDF #973613 Sergeant Rami Raymond Navaro’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 504 Fig. 374: IDF #973613 Sergeant Rami Raymond Navaro’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Cairo, Egypt Parents: Esther and Daniel Navaro. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 505 Rahamim Clement “Rami” Saban was born on August 30, 1945 in Alexandria, Egypt. At age 12, in 1957 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on April 1963 in the IDF NAVY and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 375: Rahamim Clement “Rami” Saban MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 506 Fig. 376: IDF #492750 Sergeant Rahamim Clement “Rami” Saban’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 507 Fig. 377: IDF #492750 Sergeant Rahamim Clement “Rami” Saban’s new Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Alexandria, Egypt Parents: Rachel and Morris Saban. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 508 Chaim Segal was born on August 31, 1948 in Haifa, Israel. At age 18, On September 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 378: Chaim Segal MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 509 Fig. 379: IDF #988423 Private Chaim Segal’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 510 Fig. 380: IDF #988423 Private Chaim Segal’s new Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Haifa, Israel Parents: Veta and Ruben Segal. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 511 Zadok Salah Orkabi was born in 1947 in Yeman. At age 2, in 1949 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in May 1965 and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 381: Zadok Salah Orkabi MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 512 Fig. 382: IDF #960500 Corporal Zadok Salah Orkabi’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 513 Fig. 383: IDF #960500 Corporal Zadok Salah Orkabi’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Yeman Parents: Rachel and Manzur Orkabi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 514 Abraham Friedman was born on February 27, 1949 in Szczecin, Poland. In 1950 his family made Aliyah. On October 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as an anti aircraft gunner aboard the Eilat Destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 384: Abraham Friedman MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 515 Fig. 385: IDF #989677 Corporal Abraham Friedman old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 516 Fig. 386: IDF #989677 Corporal Abraham Friedman’s new Pillow. Age: 18 Born: Szczecin, Poland Parents: Chava and Meir Friedman. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 517 Samuel “Schmulik” Celnik was born on February 21, 1947 in Germany. His family made Aliyah in 1948. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on May 1966 and served as an engine technician aboard the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 387: Samuel “Schmulik” Celnik MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 518 Fig. 388: IDF #982160 Corporal Samuel “Schmulik” Celnik’s Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 519 Fig. 389: IDF #982160 Corporal Samuel “Schmulik” Celnik’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Germany Parents: Susana and Avigdor Celnik. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 520 Nathan Klein was born on July 01, 1947 in the town of Mscice, Poland. At age 9, his family made Aliyah in 1956. He was drafted on November 1965 to the IDF NAVY and served on the Eilat destroyer. The Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians on October 21, 1967. Fig. 380: Nathan Klein MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 521 Fig. 381: IDF #973673 Corporal Nathan Klein’s old Pillow. Photo: BilionGraves.com 522 Fig. 382: IDF #973673 Corporal Nathan Klein’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Mscice, Poland Parents: Rebecca and Abraham Klein. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 523 Arie Kalenberg was born in Kiryat-Haim, a suburb of Haifa, on April 13, 1942 in British Israel. On September 1960 he enlisted in the IDF NAVY. On October 1967 he served as a reservist aboard the Eilat destroyer in the capacity of a mechanic. Just on his 2nd day for reserve duty on October 21, 1967, the Eilat destroyer was sunk by the Egyptians. Fig. 383: Arie Kalenberg MIA: October 21, 1967 Yahrzeit: 18 TISHREY 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 524 Fig. 384: IDF #4579770 Sergeant Arie Kalenberg’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 525 Fig. 385: IDF #4579770 Sergeant Arie Kalenberg’s old Pillow. Photo: BilionGraves.org 526 Fig. 386: IDF #4579770 Sergeant Arie Kalenberg’s new Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Kiryat‐Haim, British Israel Parents: Berta and Isaac Kalenberg. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 527 George Godel was born on August 30, 1948 in Kluj, Rumania. At 11 years old, in 1959 his family made Aliyah. In September 1966 He was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served on the “Jaffa” Destroyer. He disappeared of the deck of the Jaffa destroyer deck on October 21, 1968, not to be found. Fig. 387: George Godel MIA: October 21, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TISHREY 5729 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 528 Fig. 388: IDF #988438 Sergeant George Godel’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Kluj, Rumania Parents: Erna and Carol Godel Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 529 Chaim Zvi Yeger was born on October 19, 1950 in Sigat, Rumania. His family made Aliyah in 1964. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on April 1969. He became missing under unclear circumstances as of August 13, 1969. Fig. 389: Chaim Zvi Yeger MIA: August 13, 1969 Yahrzeit: 29 AV 5729 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 530 Fig. 390: IDF #2070325 Private Chaim Zvi Yeger’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Sigat, Rumania Parents: Rachel and Jacob Yeger Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 531 27. AIR FORCE 532 Isaak “Aki” Artzi was born on January 24, 1939 in Kibbutz Degania A’. On August 1957 he was drafted in the IDF Air-Force and became a pilot. On December 01, 1967 Isaak “Aki” Artzi and navigator Elhanan Raz were operating reconnaissance flight over the Bitter Lake, just south of the Suez Canal. They flew the French made Vautour IIB (nicknamed “Small Brother”)2. The fighter was shot down by ground to air Egyptian missiles. Both the pilot and the navigator remain MIAs to date. Fig. 391: 1955. Vautour IIB in the French Air Force. Photo: Jerry Gunner 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sud_Aviation_Vautour 533 Fig. 392: Isaak “Aki” Artzi MIA: December 01, 1967 Yahrzeit: 28 Heshvan 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 534 Fig. 393: IDF #414296 Major Isaak “Aki” Artzi’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 535 Fig. 394: IDF #414296 Major Isaak “Aki” Artzi’s new Pillow. Age: 28 Born: Kibbutz Degania A’, British Israel Parents: Fania and Joel Artzi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 536 Elhanan Reisner Raz was born on December 11, 1943 in Kibbutz Beit-Shearim. He was drafted in the IDF and became an Air-Force pilot. On December 01, 1967 Isaak “Aki” Artzi and navigator Elhanan Raz were operating a reconnaissance flight over the Bitter Lake, just south of the Suez Canal. They flew the French made Vautour IIB (nicknamed “Small Brother”)3. The fighter was shot down by ground to air Egyptian missiles. Both the pilot and navigator remain MIAs to date. Fig. 395: Elhanan Reisner Raz MIA: December 01, 1967 Yahrzeit: 28 Heshvan 5728 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sud_Aviation_Vautour Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 537 Fig. 396: IDF #484365 Captain Elhanan Reisner Raz’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 538 Fig. 397: IDF #484365 Captain Elhanan Reisner Raz’s new Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Kibbutz Beit‐Shearim, British Israel Parents: Bluma and Ephraim Reisner Raz. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 539 Hagay Ronen was born on May19, 1938 in Kibbutz Naan, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF on July 1956 and became a pilot. On September 09, 1969 he was on a bombing mission over Egypt. His Skyhawk fighter was hit by ground to air anti aircraft Egyptian fire and sunk into the Suez Bay. Fig. 398: Hagay Hacohen Ronen MIA: September 09, 1969 Yahrzeit: 26 ELUL 5729 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 540 Fig. 399: IDF #344598 Major Hagay Hacohen Ronen’s Pillow. Age: 31 Born: Kibbutz Naan, British Israel Parents: Bilha and Ruben Hacohen Ronen Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 541 Aaron Noam “Ami” Arnon was born on October 10, 1950 in Haifa, Israel. He was drafted on October 1968 in the IDF Air Force and served as a pilot. On June 23, 1972 he was killed when two Phantom fighters collided during a drill flight over the Mediterranean west of Ashdod. His Navigator ejected on time and survived. Fig. 400: Aaron Noam “Ami” Arnon MIA: June 23, 1972 Yahrzeit: 11 TAMUZ 5732 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 542 Fig. 401: IDF #2059622 Lieutenant Aaron Noam “Ami” Arnon’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Haifa, Israel Parents: Chava and Pinkus Arnon Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 543 PART F: 544 28. January 30, 1968 Sinking of the DAKAR Submarine. 69 Victims 545 January 25, 1968. The Dakar submarine was in the Mediterranean, enroot from England to Israel. The submarine sunk 485 KM west of the Haifa port. The sunken body of the submarine lies 3 KM in depth. All 69 Israeli NAVY sailors aboard perished4. A year after the Dakar disappearance, on February 1969, the tail emergency Orange colored buoy of the Dakar landed on the Han-Yunes beach. The full body remains of the Dakar were located in 1999, 31 frustrating years after it sunk. The Dakar was a British made submarine series T named HMS TOTEM. 55 submarines series T were constructed by the British. Israel bought from Britain 3 Model T submarines: Dakar (British name Totem), Leviathan (British name Turpin) and Dolphin (British name Truncheon). The Dakar carried onboard 11 officers (Medical Doctor included), 3 Major First Sergeants and 55 non-commissioned sailors. That’s a ratio of 1 officer or Major First Sergeant for each 4 Sailors. Such high ratio of officers may have been caused due to the will of the NAVY Commander at that time General Solomon Erel to bestow submarining experience hours on as many officers as possible. The Dakar sunk was investigated by the best world experts but a solid conclusion for the sinking was not reached. The plausible established reason is: “A technical malfunction which caused the loss of human control”. The technical malfunction may have been caused due to a sudden need, possibly the appearance of a close by on water vessel, to fast transform the submarine from over water float mode to underwater sinking mode. A human error caused by the sudden mode shift may have been involved in the process. Puzzlements: 1. The name and nationality of such a possible overwater passing vessel was not disclosed. 2. The nature of the possible human error made by the Dakar staff was not disclosed. 3. The identity of the possible Dakar staffers, who might have erred, was not disclosed. 4. No organic remains were found for no one of the 69 victims. Was it due to the 3 KM depth? 4 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%98%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9C%D 7%9C%D7%AA_%D7%93%D7%A7%D7%A8 546 The last moments of each of the 69 men aboard the Dakar must have been harsh. Each one either suffocated due to oxygen shortage or drowned of Mediterranean waters gushing through the Dakar broken fuselage. Two conclusions made by the IDF NAVY: NAVY vessels like submarines and destroyers had too large quantities of staff concentrated onboard in such a single location. An effort must be made to: A. Reduce the number of staff members onboard each vessel. B. Transform the IDF NAVY into small staff boats. Fig. 402: January 09, 1968. The INS Dakar one of the last photos, leaving the British port of Portsmouth enroot to Israel. Photo: IDF Spokesman 547 Fig. 403: Circa January 20, 1968. On the western Mediterranean high Seas. A. U.S. Reconnaissance plane took what seems to be the very last photo of the DAKAR Submarine before it sunk. Photo: Wikipedia 548 Fig. 404: Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. The Dakar Z‐77 Submarine Memorial. 69 Israeli Navy sailors lost their lives at high seas and remain MIAs. Following is the list of the 69 Dakar victims: Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 549 39 years old reporter Eran Shorer (1929-1971) was aboard the Dakar submarine when it left Portsmouth, England on January 09, 1968. He was a reporter working for Israel’s National Radio “Kol Israel”. When the Dakar stopped in Gibraltar on January 15, 1968 for refueling and for a short land vacation for the crew, reporter Eran Shorer left the Dakar and returned to Israel via air. Being the only survivor from the Dakar trip he was grief stricken and pre-occupied to his last day with the fact that only he survived. He wrote the Hebrew book “Six Days aboard the Dakar” (Tel-Aviv, Am Hasefer, 1969). Three years following the sunk of the DAKAR, at the age of 56, Eran Shorer died of Cancer, on May 30, 1971 while on a mission in Atlanta, th Georgia. Eran Shorer may as well be considered the 70 victim of the DAKAR. Fig. 405: 1970. Reporter Eran Shorer. Photo: Wikipedia 550 Jacob Raanan, the Commander of the Dakar when it sunk, was born on May 22, 1934 in Vienna, Austria. At age 5, in 1939, his family made Aliyah to British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on July 1951 and went through Sailor Commanders and Diver Courses. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, with 69 victims in all, of which 20% were the 11 officers and the 3 Major First Sergeants. Fig. 406: Jacob Raanan, the Dakar Submarine Commander MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il, Wikipedia 551 Fig. 407: IDF #175750 Major Jacob Raanan’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia. 552 Fig. 408: IDF #175750 Major Jacob Raanan’s new Pillow. Age: 34 Born: Vienna, Austria Parents: Stela and Avigdor Raanan. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 553 Abraham “Bumi” Barkay was born on January 06, 1937 in Rumania. At 11 years old in 1948, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF on August 1957 and became a NAVY officer. He was the sub-commander of the DAKAR. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 409: Abraham “Bumi” Barkay MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 554 Fig. 410: IDF #414672 Major Abraham “Bumi” Barkay’s Pillow. Age: 31 Born: Rumania Parents: Rachel and Moses Barkay Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 555 Fig. 411: January 09, 1968. Sub‐Commander of the DAKAR Abraham “Bumi” Barkay salutes Commander Jacob Raanan coming officially aboard. Photo: NAVY Museum, Haifa Israel. 556 Solomon “Chup” Opocinski Ofek was born on March 23, 1933 in Warsaw, Poland. His family made Aliya to British Israel on the very same year, 1933. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on July 1952 and served as a radio technician and electrician officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 412: Solomon “Chup” Opocinski Ofek MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 557 Fig. 413: IDF #245729 Captain Solomon “Chup” Opocinski Ofek’s Pillow. Age: 35 Born: Warsaw, Poland. Parents: Batia and Zvi Opocinski Ofek. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 558 Zvi “Miki” Harivan Har-Even was born on June 29, 1946 in Bucharest, Rumania. At age 4, in 1950 his family made Aliyah. On October 1964 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diving officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims. Fig. 414: Zvi “Miki” Harivan Har-Even MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 559 Fig. 415: IDF #948534 Lieutenant Zvi “Miki” Harivan Har-Even’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Bucharest, Rumania Parents: Silvia and Aurel Harivan Har‐Even Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 560 Joseph “Joe” Sikorel Lahav was born on October 17, 1942 in Alexandria, Egypt. At age 15, in 1957, his family made Aliyah. On August 1961 he was drafted to the IDF NAVY and served as a Board Officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 416: Joseph “Joe” Sikorel Lahav MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 561 Fig. 417: IDF #470379 Lieutenant Joseph “Joe” Sikorel Lahav’s Pillow. Age: 26 Born: Alexandria, Egypt Parents: Leah and Albert Sikorel Lahav Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 562 Shabi Jacob Polarewitz Maor was born on April 25, 1939 in Kovna, Lithuania. On June 1965 his family managed to make Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF on June 1966, went to Medical School and served as the Medical Doctor for the submarine crew. Dr. Maor was not an integral part of the staff and joined the trip as a guest. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 418: Shabi Jacob Polarewitz Maor MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 563 Fig. 419: IDF #982396 Lieutenant M.D. Shabi Jacob Polarewitz Maor’s Pillow. Age: 29 Born: Kovna, Lithuania Parents: Ella and Ezekiel Polarewitz Maor Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 564 Benjamin “Benny” Waserman Maymon was born on September 05, 1926 in Libau, Latvia. At age 9, in 1935, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in 1948 to the IDF NAVY and served as a Radio & Radar Engineer officer following his graduation as an Electrical Engineer from the Haifa Technion. He was not an integral part of the staff and merely joined the trip in order to check a new Radar devise named “TAVLIT”. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 420: Benjamin “Benny” Waserman Maymon MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 565 Fig. 421: IDF #31466 Major Benjamin “Benny” Waserman Maymon’s Pillow. Age: 42 Born: Libau, Latvia Parents: Bella and Nathan Waserman Maymon Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 566 Gideon Halevi Segal was born on March 29, 1944 in Kibbutz Nir-Am. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on October 1961 and became a Torpedo Officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 422: Gideon Halevi Segal MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 567 Fig. 423: IDF #471246 Lieutenant Gideon Segal’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Kibbutz Nir-Am Parents: Chana and Elijah Halevi Segal Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 568 Ruben Shnaper Snapir was born on July 05, 1946 in Vienna, Austria. At age 3, in 1949, his family made Aliyah. On October 1964 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Navigation Officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 424: Ruben Shnaper Snapir MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 569 Fig. 425: IDF #948557 Lieutenant Ruben Shnaper Snapir’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Vienna, Austria Parents: Tova and Samuel Shnaper Snapir Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 570 Arie Feingold Paz was born on December 17, 1945 in Novosibirsk in the USSR. At age 3, in 1948, his family made Aliyah. On August 1964 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diving Officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 426: Arie Feingold Paz MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 571 Fig. 427: IDF #947838 Lieutenant Arie Feingold Paz’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Novosibirsk in the USSR Parents: Zelda and Simha Feingold Paz Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 572 Ran Shimon was born on 1934 in Bulgaria. At age 14, his family made Aliyah. On August 1952 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diesel Mechanic Officer. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 428: Ran Shimon MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 573 Fig. 429: IDF #246533 Captain Ran Shimon’s Pillow. Age: 34 Born: Bulgaria Parents: Miriam and Symon Shimon Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 574 Azriel Dunios Dror was born in 1935 on the Mediterranean Isle of Rhodes, then under Italian control. At age 4, in 1939 the family made Aliyah to British Israel. He was drafted on October 1952 in the IDF NAVY as a mechanic and later on as diver Major First Sergeant. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 430: Azriel Dunios Dror MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 575 Fig. 431: IDF #262838 Major First Sergeant Azriel Dunios Dror’s Pillow. Age: 33 Born: Isle of Rhodes (then under Italian control). Parents: Sarah and Elijah Dunios Dror Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 576 Zvi Teitler Tal was born on April 09, 1931 in Bukovina, Rumania. At age 13 in 1944 he made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF in 1948. In 1957 he moved to the NAVY and served as Diver Major First Sergeant. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims. Fig. 432: Zvi Teitler Tal MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 577 Fig. 433: IDF #91399 Major First Sergeant Zvi Teitler Tal’s Pillow. Age: 37 Born: Bukovina, Rumania Parents: Hinda and Symon Keler Zohar Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 578 Nissim Cohen was born on January 24, 1935 in Haifa, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on January 1952 and served as a Machinist Major First Sergeant. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 434: Nissim Cohen MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 579 Fig. 435: IDF #229150 Major First Sergeant Nissim Cohen’s Pillow. Age: 33 Born: Haifa, British Israel Parents: Matilda and Judah Hacohen Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 580 Aaron “Duga” Aaron was born in 1946 in Bagdad, Iraq. At age 5 in 1951, his family made Aliyah. He enlisted into the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a submarine mechanic. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 436: Aaron “Duga” Aaron MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 581 Fig. 437: IDF #984702 Corporal Aaron “Duga” Aaron’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.com 582 Fig. 438: IDF #984702 Corporal Aaron “Duga” Aaron’s new Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Iraq Parents: Tufha and Isaac Aaron. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 583 Moses Engel Erel was born on September 21, 1947 in Breslau, Poland. At age 3 in 1950, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on September 1965 to the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 439: Moses Engel Erel MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 584 Fig. 440: IDF #967825 Sereant Moses Engel Erel’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Warsaw, Poland Parents: Hela and Judah Engel Erel. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 585 Abraham Bozana Baz was born on May 25, 1947 in Tunis, Tunisia. At age 8, in 1955 his family made Aliyah. On October 1964 he enlisted in the IDF NAVY and served as s radio technician and diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 441: Abraham Bozana Baz MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 586 Fig. 442: IDF #948861 Sergeant Abraham Bozana Baz’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Tunis, Tunisia Parents: Gabi and Joseph Bozana Baz. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 587 Eliezer Brzezinski Ben-Zvi was born on 1949 in Tel-Aviv, Israel. At age 17, in September 1966 he was drafted to the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 443: Eliezer Brzezinski Ben-Zvi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 588 Fig. 444: IDF #988372 Corporal Eliezer Brzezinski Ben-Zvi’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Tel‐Aviv, Israel Parents: Deborah and Zvi Ben‐Zvi. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 589 David Yadlowker Ben-Shalom was born on April 26, 1947 in Wilna then in the USSR. At age 13, in 1960, his family made Aliyah. On August 1965 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver and mechanic. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 445: David Yadlowker Ben-Shalom MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 590 Fig. 446: IDF #964755 Sergeant David Yadlowker Ben-Shalom’s old Pillow. Wrong secular death date. Photo: BillionGraves.com 591 Fig. 447: IDF #964755 Sergeant David Yadlowker Ben-Shalom’s new Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Wilna, the USSR Parents: Bluma and Ezekiel Ben‐Shalom. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 592 Joseph Haim Swissa Almog was born in Rabat, Morocco on August 20, 1948. At age 6, in 1954 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a mechanic and diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. In the year 20005 following the discovery of the Dakar main body in 3 KM depth in the Mediterranean, 485 KM west of Haifa, a unique finding was discovered: the Ceremonial Uniforms6 belonging to Corporal Joseph Haim Swissa Almog. The uniforms are displayed in the NAVY museum in Haifa. Fig. 448: Joseph Haim Swissa Almog MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 5 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%98%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9C%D 7%9C%D7%AA_%D7%93%D7%A7%D7%A8 6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces_insignia#Uniforms 593 Fig. 449: 2000. Joseph Haim Swissa Almog’s IDF Ceremonial Uniforms found in a mint condition preserved bag 32 years after the DAKAR sunk. Photo: Wikipedia 594 Fig. 450: IDF #9867965 Corporal Joseph Haim Swissa Almog’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Rabat, Morocco Parents: Dalia and Abraham Swissa Almog. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 595 Chaim Reichberger Bar-Zeb was born on February 06, 1947 in Germany. When he was one year old, in 1948, his family made Aliyah. On November 1965 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 451: Chaim Reichberger Bar-Zeb MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 596 Fig. 452: IDF #969709 Sergeant Chaim Reichberger Bar-Zeb’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Germany Parents: Rachel and Moses Reichberger Bar-Zeb Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 597 Joseph “Yossi” Barnea was born on October 23, 1947 in Kiryat-Bialik, British Israel. On November 1965 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 453: Joseph “Yossi” Barnea MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 598 Fig. 454: IDF #971769 Sergeant Joseph “Yossi” Barnea’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Kiryat-Bialik, British Israel Parents: Hadasa and Moses Barnea Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 599 Michael “Miki” Hefner Gal was born on July 01, 1948 in Jerusalem, Israel. He was drafted in the IDF on July 1966. He served as a submarine diver and electrician. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 455: Michael “Miki” Hefner Gal MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 600 Fig. 456: IDF #982902 Corporal Michael “Miki” Hefner Gal’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Jerusalem, Israel Parents: Judith and Jacob Hefner Gal Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 601 Ruben Gelman Gal was born in 1946 in Argentina. At age 17, in 1963 he made Aliyah. In August 1964 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 457: Ruben Gelman Gal MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 602 Fig. 458: IDF #946073 Sergeant Ruben Gelman Gal’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Argentina Parents: Chana Fani and Abraham Isaac Gelman Gal Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 603 Moses Gadish was born on April 13, 1948 in Kibbutz Yagur. On August 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a submarine diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 459: Moses Gadish MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 604 Fig. 460: IDF #985478 Corporal Moses Gadish’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Kibbutz Yagur Parents: Tirza and Joseph Gadish Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 605 Judah Gilula Galili was born on March 09, 1947 in the town of Sues in Tunisia. At age 9, in 1956, his family made Aliyah. In August 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a cook and diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 461: Judah Gilula Galili MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 606 Fig. 462: IDF #986753 Corporal Judah Gilula Galili’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Sues, Tunisia Parents: Hnina Ninet and Symon Gilula Galili Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 607 Joseph Debi was born January 04, 1948 in Bagdad, Iraq. At age 3, in 1951 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on November 1965 and served as a Submarine Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 463: Joseph Debi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 608 Fig. 464: IDF #969947 Sergeant Joseph Debi’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Bagdad, Iraq Parents: Gladis and David Debi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 609 Menachem Dgani was born on December 09, 1947 in Budapest, Hungary. At age 10, in 1957 his family made Aliyah. On November 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 465: Menachem Dgani MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 610 Fig. 466: IDF #2012769 Corporal Menachem Dgani’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Budapest, Hungary. Parents: Ilana and Shraga Dgani Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 611 Nimrod Drori was born on September 10, 1948 in Kibbutz Hulata. On July 1966 he was drafted to the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 467: Nimrod Drori MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 612 Fig. 468: IDF #982837 Corporal Nimrod Drori’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Kibbutz Hulata Parents: Dina and Bezalel Drori Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 613 Michael Dahan Hadar was born in 1944 in Safi, Morocco. At age 6, in 1950 the family made Aliyah. He was drafted on May 1962 in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 469: Michael Dahan Hadar MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 614 Fig. 470: IDF #479022 Major Sergeant Michael Dahan Hadar’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Safi, Morocco Parents: Esther and Joseph Dahan Hadar Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 615 Solomon Viderman Vardi was born on October 17, 1947 in Rumania. At age 11, in 1958 his family made Aliyah. On November 1965 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 471: Solomon Viderman Vardi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 616 Fig. 472: IDF #969768 Corporal Solomon Viderman Vardi’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Rumania Parents: Zanet and Mordechai Viderman Vardi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 617 Zvi Goldstein Zehavi was born on May 11, 1947 in the town of Torkomoresce, Rumania. At age 13, on 1960 his family made Aliyah. On August 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 473: Zvi Goldstein Zehavi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 618 Fig. 474: IDF #986960 Corporal Zvi Goldstein Zehavi’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Torkomoresce, Rumania Parents: Rozelia and Alexander Goldstein Zehavi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 619 Joseph Keler Zohar was born on May 14, 1946 in the USSR. At age 2, in 1948 his family made Aliyah. On August 1966, he was drafted to the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 475: Joseph Keler Zohar MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 620 Fig. 476: IDF #985453 Corporal Joseph Keler Zohar’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: USSR Parents: Genia and Eliezer Keler Zohar Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 621 Mordechai Tarashi was born on April 26, 1947 in Amra, Iraq. At age 4, in 1951 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on September 1965 and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 477: Mordechai Tarashi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 622 Fig. 478: IDF #967844 First Sergeant Mordechai Tarashi’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Amra, Iraq Parents: Julet and Abraham Tarashi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 623 Isaiah Yohay was born in 1949 in Istanbul, Turkey. His family made Aliyah on the same year. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on November 1965 and served as a Diver and Signalman. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 479: Isaiah Yohay MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 624 Fig. 460: IDF #972033 Corporal Isaiah Yohay’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Istanbul, Turkey Parents: Clara and Solomon Yohay Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 625 David Yana Yanay was born on November 29, 1949 on the immigrant ship “Pan York”7 just west of Haifa. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY in October 1966 and served as a Radioman and Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 461: David Yana Yanay MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 7 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%9D 626 Fig. 462: IDF #989664 Corporal David Yana Yanay’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: West of Haifa, Israel Parents: Esther and Moses Yana Yanay Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 627 Meir Yarom was born on October 18, 1948 in the Jewish Refugee-Camps near Nicosia, Cyprus. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 463: Meir Yarom MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 628 Fig. 464: IDF #986618 Corporal Meir Yarom’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Nicosia, Cyprus Parents: Rachel and Moses Yana Yarom Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 629 Israel Weinstein Carmi was born on July 20, 1946 in Cairo, Egypt. At age 11, in 1957 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on August 1965 and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 465: Israel Weinstein Carmi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 630 Fig. 466: IDF #965246 Corporal Israel Weinstein Carmi’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Egypt Parents: Silvia and David Weinstein Carmi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 631 Oded Madmon was born in 1947 in Zikron-Jacob, British Israel. He enlisted in the IDF NAVY on November 1964 and served as a Diver and Machinist. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 467: Oded Madmon MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 632 Fig. 468: IDF #952219 Sergeant Oded Madmon’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Zikron-Jacob, British Israel Parents: Zipora and Jacob Madmon Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 633 Ezekiel Mizrahi was born on December 31, 1942 in Petah-Tikva, British Israel. He was drafted on October 1960 to the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. He was not aboard the Dakar when it left Portsmouth, England. He stayed behind as his wife who needed medical treatment. He joined the Dakar when the Dakar stopped briefly in Gibraltar. This sealed his faith together with the rest of the Dakar crew. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 469: Ezekiel Mizrahi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 634 Fig. 470: IDF #458241 First Sergeant Ezekiel Mizrahi’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Petah-Tikva, British Israel Parents: Simha and David Mizrahi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 635 Jacob Mizrahi was born on 1947 in Egypt. At age 10, his family made Aliya. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1966. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 471: Jacob Mizrahi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 636 Fig. 472: IDF #987322 Corporal Jacob Mizrahi’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Egypt Parents: Miriam and Meir Mizrahi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 637 Dan Manes Manor was born on February 24, 1944 in Bucharest, Rumania. At 6 years old, in 1950, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1962 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 473: Dan Manes Manor MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 638 Fig. 474: IDF #483809 Major Lieutenant Dan Manes Manor’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Bucharest, Rumania Parents: Tova and Berale Manes Manor Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 639 Joseph “Yossi” Wolberg Netzer was born on March 28, 1947 in Riga, then part of the USSR. At age 10, in 1957 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on January 1967 in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 475: Joseph “Yossi” Wolberg Netzer MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 640 Fig. 476: IDF #973358 Corporal Dan Joseph “Yossi” Wolberg Netzer’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Riga, then part of the USSR Parents: Genia and Haim Wolberg Netze Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 641 Menachem Nargos Narkis was born on 1948 in Iraq. His family made Aliyah on the same year. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 477: Menachem Nargos Narkis MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 642 Fig. 478: IDF #986480 Corporal Menachem Nargos Narkis’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Iraq Parents: Simha and Judah Nargos Narkis Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 643 Meir Safran was born on September 28, 1948 in The Jewish Refugee Camps erected by the Brits near Nicosia, Cyprus. His family arrived in Israel on the same year. He was drafted on August 1966 in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 479: Meir Safran MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 644 Fig. 480: IDF #978608 Corporal Meir Safran’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Cyprus Parents: Ethy and Joseph Safran Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 645 Isaac Markowitz Ogen was born on March 12, 1948 in France. At age 3, in 1951 his family made Aliyah. On August 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 481: Isaac Markowitz Ogen MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 646 Fig. 482: IDF #985100 Corporal Isaac Markowitz Ogen’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: France Parents: Anna and Carol Markowitz Ogen Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 647 Bezalel Ozeri was born on January 03, 1948 in Raanana, British Israel, half a year before Israel’s independance. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on November 1965 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 483: Bezalel Ozeri MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 648 Fig. 484: IDF #972382 Corporal Bezalel Ozeri’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Raanana,British Israel Parents: Esther and Abraham Ozeri Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 649 Abraham Atari was born in 1939 in the town of Amran, Yemen. At age 10, in 1949 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on August 1958 in the IDF NAVY and served as a cook diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 485: Abraham Atari MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 650 Fig. 486: IDF #430047 Major Sergeant Abraham Atari’s Pillow. Age: 29 Born: Amran, Yemen Parents: Orah and Shalom Atari Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 651 Amnon Paz was born on February 23, 1948 in Tel Aviv’ 3 months before Israel’s independance. He was drafted on January 1967 in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver and radar technician. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 487: Amnon Paz MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 652 Fig. 488: IDF #2014619 Corporal Amnon Paz’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Tel‐Aviv Parents: Ruth and Gad Paz Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 653 Zvi Dov Pomeranc Paz was born on November 11, 1947 in Waldenburg, Poland. At age 3, in 1950, his family made Aliyah. On August 1966 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 489: Zvi Dov Pomeranc Paz MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il It seems that Izkor.gov.il carries by error the surname Pomera instead of Pomeranc. 654 Fig. 490: IDF #985534 Corporal Zvi Dov Pomeranc Paz’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Waldenburg, Poland Parents: Tova and Zeb Pomeranc Paz Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 655 Zvi Pereg was born on September 05, 1944 in Kibbutz Ein-Harod. On August 1963 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 491: Zvi Pereg MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 656 Fig. 492: IDF #498229 Major Sergeant Zvi Pereg’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Kibbutz Ein-Harod. Parents: Atara and Nahman Pereg Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 657 Joseph “Jojo” Farhi was born on November 14, 1947 in Cairo, Egypt. At age 2, in 1949, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF on November 1965 NAVY and served as a Diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 493: Joseph “Jojo” Farhi MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 658 Fig. 494: IDF #971693 Sergeant Joseph “Jojo” Farhi’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Cairo, Egypt Parents: Lucie and Elijah Farhi Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 659 Eli Kadosh was born on 1948 in Morocco. At age 7, in 1955, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on June 1967 in the IDF NAVY and served as a mechanic diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 495: Eli Kadosh MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 660 Fig. 496: IDF #986067 Corporal Eli Kadosh’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Morocco Parents: Simha and Isaac Kadosh Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 661 Benjamin Zeb Kalvari Kol was born on August 04, 1945 in Haifa, British Israel. He was drafted on October 1963 to the Nahal Bridage and then in the IDF NAVY and served as an electrician. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 497: Benjamin Zeb Kalvari Kol MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 662 Fig. 498: IDF #931049 Major Sergeant Benjamin Zeb Kalvari Kol’s Pillow. Age: 23 Born: Haifa, British Israel Parents: Miriam and Samuel Kalvari Kol Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 663 Abraham “Avi” Ron was born on August 15, 1948 in Bayreuth, Germany. When one year old, in 1949, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 499: Abraham “Avi” Ron MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 664 Fig. 500: IDF #986641 Corporal Benjamin Abraham “Avi” Ron’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Bayreuth, Germany Parents: Leah and Chaim Ron Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 665 Amnon Hacohen Ringwald Ron was born January 07, 1943 in Kibbutz Kfar-Rupin, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1961and served as a radio operator. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 501: Amnon Hacohen Ringwald Ron MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 666 Fig. 502: IDF #470074 Major Sergeant Amnon Hacohen Ringwald Ron’s Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Kibbutz Kfar-Rupin, British Israel Parents: Ruth and David Hacohen Ringwald Ron Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 667 Jacob Shukron Ron was born on July 24, 1941 in the town of Specs, Tunisia. At age 15, in 1956, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1962 and served as a mechanic diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 503: Jacob Shukron Ron MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 668 Fig. 504: IDF #482415 Major Sergeant Jacob Shukron Ron’s Pillow. Age: 27 Born: Specs, Tunisia Parents: Regina and Moses Shukron Ron Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 669 Judah “Yidel” Stein Ronen was born on October 10, 1946 in Bostrica, Rumania. At age 12, in 1958, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in 1964 in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 505: Judah “Yidel” Stein Ronen MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 670 Fig. 506: IDF #938833 First Sergeant Judah “Yidel” Stein Ronen’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Bostroca, Rumania Parents: Hilda and Baruch Stein Ronen Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 671 Jacob Waknin Ronen was born on 1948 in Marrakesh, Morocco. At age 8, in 1956, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 507: Jacob Waknin Ronen MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 672 Fig. 508: IDF #983904 Corporal Jacob Waknin Ronen’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Marrakesh, Morocco Parents: Leah and Moses Hilda Waknin Ronen Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 673 Refael Fadida Refaeli was born on September 1938 in Meknes, Morocco. At age 8, in 1946, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on February 1957. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 509: Refael Fadida Refaeli MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 674 Fig. 510: IDF #407654 Major Sergeant Refael Fadida Refaeli’s Pillow. Age: 29 Born: Meknes, Morocco Parents: Simha and Isaac Refaeli Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 675 Abraham Shachar was born on June 20, 1945 in Haifa, British Israel. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY in August 1963 and served as a locksmith. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 511: Abraham Shachar MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 676 Fig. 512: IDF #498111 First Sergeant Abraham Shachar’s Pillow. Age: 23 Born: Haifa, British Israel Parents: Ilana and Jacob Shachar Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 677 Joseph “Yossi” Friedman Shalev was born on January 28, 1948 in Tel-Aviv, British Israel. He was drafted on November 1965 in the IDF NAVY as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 513: Joseph “Yossi” Friedman Shalev MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 678 Fig. 514: IDF #972872 Sergeant Joseph “Yossi” Friedman Shalev’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Tel‐Aviv, British Israel Parents: Ziporah and Chaim Friedman Shalev Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 679 Chaim Shneorson Shani was born on April 08, 1949 in Kiryat-Ata, Israel. In 1967 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver electrician. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 515: Chaim Shneorson Shani MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 680 Fig. 516: IDF #2014646 Corporal Chaim Shneorson Shani’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Kiryat-Ata, British Israel Parents: Bella and Pinkus Shneorson Shan Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 681 Yuval Samueli was born on April 20, 1948 in Tel-Aviv, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on July 1966 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 517: Yuval Samueli MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 682 Fig. 518: IDF #982773 Corporal Yuval Samueli’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Tel‐Aviv, British Israel Parents: Esther and Abraham Samueli Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 683 Alexander Kendel Sharoni was born on July 19, 1948 in Regin, Rumania. At age 3, on 1951 his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on August 1966 to the IDF NAVY. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 519: Alexander Kendel Sharoni MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 684 Fig. 520: IDF #984977 Corporal Alexander Kendel Sharoni’s Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Regin, Rumania Parents: Clara and Chaim Armon Kendel Sharoni Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 685 Eliezer “Luzi” Sharoni was born on September 19, 1947 in Moshav Beit-Shearim, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on August 1966 and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 521: Eliezer “Luzi” Sharoni MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 686 Fig. 522: IDF #985821 Corporal Eliezer “Luzi” Sharoni’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Moshav Beit-Shearim, British Israel Parents: Judith and Michael Sharoni Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 687 Ezikiel Sason was born on February 22, 1946 in Bagdad, Iraq. At age 8, in 1954, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted on August 1964 in the IDF NAVY and served as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 523: Ezikiel Sason MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 688 Fig. 524: IDF #964883 Corporal Ezikiel Sason’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Bagdad, Iraq Parents: Selma and Nuri Sason Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 689 Benjamin Menahem Zvi Mendel Shaked was born on January 05, 1947 in Maria, Rumania. On November 1964 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY as a diver and electrician. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 525: Benjamin Menahem Zvi Mendel Shaked MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 690 Fig. 526: IDF #952811 Corporal Benjamin Menahem Zvi Mendel Shaked’s Pillow. Age: 21 Born: Maria, Rumania Parents: Henia and Ephraim Mendel Shaked Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 691 Amnon Kaplan Tamir was born on July 19, 1944 in Atlit, British Israel. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on August 1962 as a diver. On January 30, 1968 he sunk aboard the Dakar submarine, 69 victims in all. Fig. 527: Amnon Kaplan Tamir MIA: January 30, 1968 Yahrzeit: 29 TEVET 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 692 Fig. 528: IDF #481994 First Sergeant Amnon Kaplan Tamir’s Pillow. Age: 24 Born: Atlit, British Israel Parents: Susana and Moses Kaplan Tamir Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 693 PART G: 1968-1973 694 29. March 21, 1968 The Karameh Operation Fig. 529: March 21, 1968. The Karameh Operation. Front left to right: Chief of Staff General Chaim Barlev, PM Levi Eshkol and Chief of Central Command General Uzi Narkis. The Karameh Operation failed. Photo: Wikipedia 695 Israel Erlichman was born on May 01, 1948 in Rio-de-Janero, Brazil. At age 10, in 1958, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted in the IDF Armored Vehicles Corps in August 1966 and served as a Tank Commander in the 7th Brigade8. On March 21, 1968, The IDF conducted the Karameh Operation9 against Palestinian organizations bases in Jordan, north of the Dead Sea. The operation conducted by the 7th Brigade headed by Samuel Gorodish Gonen10 was a failure: 34 dead soldiers, 161 wounded, 2 MIAs. 4 tanks, 2 Armored Vehicles and 3 tracks were left behind in Jordan. 2 planes: Oragan and Mirage 3 were lost. The body of Israel Erlichman remained in one of the Israeli tanks left behind. The two 7th Brigade battalions participating were headed by Abraham Rotem11 and Aaron Peled12. An additional armored battalion was the #268th Battalion of the 60th Brigade, headed by Tuvia Raviv13. Although the Karameh Operation was a failure, Abraham Rotem, Aaron Peled and others were awarded citations for it. Israel learned the hard way that such operations do not weaken the Palestinian organizations, under contrary, it strengthens them. 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Armored_Brigade_(Israel) 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Karameh 10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shmuel_Gonen 11 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%94%D7%9D_%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%9D 12 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%9F_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%93 13 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%98%D7%95%D7%91%D7%99%D7%94_%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%91 696 Fig. 530: Israel Erlichman MIA: March 21, 1968 Yahrzeit: 21 ADAR 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 697 Fig. 531: IDF #987166 Sergeant Israel Erlichman’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Rio-de-Janero, Brazil Parents: Sima and Jonah Erlichman Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 698 Moses Takac was born on May 17, 1947 in Haifa, British Israel. On May 1967 he was drafted in the IDF Armored Corps and served as a Tank Commander. On March 21, 1968 he fell east of the River Jordan in the Karameh Operation. His body remained within an Israeli tank left behind in Jordan. His body was never recovered from the Jordanians. Fig. 532: Moses Takac MIA: March 21, 1968 Yahrzeit: 21 ADAR 5728 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 699 Fig. 533: IDF #2026913 Sergeant Moses Takac’s old Pillow. Photo: BillionGraves.org 700 Fig. 534: IDF #2026913 Sergeant Moses Takac’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Haifa, British Israel Parents: Chaia and Lipa Takac Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 701 702 PART H: 1973 – 2014 703 30. The YomKippur War Fig. 535: October 1973. A Bridge over the Suez Canal built by the IDF. An Israeli tank crosses east to west into Africa. Photo: Wikipedia 704 Fig. 536: October 1973 Yom‐Kippur War MIAs. Kiryat‐Saul Military Cemetery, Tel‐Aviv. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 705 Fig.537: October 1973 Yom‐Kippur War MIAs. Mt. Herzl Military Cemetery, Jerusalem. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 706 Fig. 538: Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Yom‐Kippur War Plots Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 Fig. 539: Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Yom‐Kippur War Plots Section Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 707 31. The Eltagar Tank Enigma 708 Fig. 540: Kiryat‐Ono, Israel. The Eltagar Tank Memorial Photo: Wikipedia 709 Meiron Eltagar was born on August 21, 1951 in Ramat-Gan, son to the writer Zeb Eltagar. He was the commander of Company L of the 9th Battalion, 14th Brigade. On Saturday October 06, 1973, the first day of the Yom-Kippur War he was on the ‘Meiron Eltagar’ Tank. 4 men staffed the tank: Captain Meiron Eltagar, Private Dan Gilat, Corporal Chaim Muzafi and First Sergeant Janku Keler. The 4 men disappeared while rushing to help strongholds attacked by the invading Egyptian Army in the northern Suez Canal front, south of Kantara, 3 KM south of Stronghold Lachzanit and 3 KM north of Stronghold Drora. The four men remain MIAs to date. He received post mortem the Chief of Staff Citation. Fig. 541: Meiron Eltagar MIA: October 06, 1973 Yahrzeit: 10 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 710 Fig. 542: IDF #2119993 Captain Meiron Eltagar’s Memorial, Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. (I could not trace his “Pillow”) Age: 22 Born: Ramat‐Gan, Israel Parents: Tehila and Zeb Eltagar. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 711 Dan Gilat was born on July 08, 1954 in New-York, NY. On October 1972 he was drafted to the IDF Armored Corps and served as a tank gunner in Company L of the 9th Battalion, 14th Brigade. On Saturday October 06, 1973, the first day of the Yom-Kippur War he was on the Meiron Eltagar Tank. 4 men staffed the tank: Captain Meiron Eltagar, Private Dan Gilat, Corporal Chaim Muzafi and First Sergeant Janku Keler. The tank men disappeared while rushing to help strongholds attacked by the invading Egyptian Army in the northern Suez Canal front, south of Kantara, 3 KM south of Stronghold Lachzanit and 3 KM north of Stronghold Drora. All four men remain MIAs to date. Fig. 543: Dan Gilat MIA: October 06, 1973 Yahrzeit: 10 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 712 Fig.544: IDF Corporal Dan Gilat’s Pillow Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Age: 19 Born: New‐York, NY. Parents: Ada and Samuel Gilat. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 713 Chaim Muzafi was born on October 05, 1954 in Tel Aviv. He was drafted to the IDF on October 1972 and served as a Patton tank driver in Company L of the 9th Battalion, 14th Brigade. On Saturday October 06, 1973, the first day of the Yom-Kippur War he was on the Meiron Eltagar Tank. 4 men staffed the tank: Captain Meiron Eltagar, Private Dan Gilat, Corporal Chaim Muzafi and First Sergeant Janku Keler. The tank men disappeared while rushing to help strongholds attacked by the invading Egyptian Army in the northern Suez Canal front, south of Kantara, 3 KM south of Stronghold Lachzanit and 3 KM north of Stronghold Drora. All four men remain MIAs to date. Fig. 545: Chaim Muzafi MIA: October 06, 1973 Yahrzeit: 10 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 714 Fig. 546: Haim Muzafi’s old pillow Age: 19 Born: Tel‐Aviv. Parents: Clara and Nissim Muzafi. Photo: Billiongraves.com 715 Fig. 547: IDF #2169704 Corporal Chaim Muzafi’s new Pillow. Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 716 Janku Keler was born in April 02, 1953 in Rumania. At age 9, in 1962, his family made Aliyah. He was drafted to the IDF on May 1971 to the Armed Forces and served as a Loader/ Radio Operator on a Patton tank in Company L of the 9th Battalion, 14th Brigade. On Saturday October 06, 1973, the first day of the Yom-Kippur War he was on the Meiron Eltagar Tank. 4 men staffed the tank: Captain Meiron Eltagar, Private Dan Gilat, Corporal Chaim Muzafi and First Sergeant Janku Keler. The tank men disappeared while rushing to help strongholds attacked by the invading Egyptian Army in the northern Suez Canal front, south of Kantara, 3 KM south of Stronghold Lachzanit and 3 KM north of Stronghold Drora. All four men remain MIAs to date. Fig. 548: Janku Keler MIA: October 06, 1973 Yahrzeit: 10 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 717 Fig. 549: IDF #2133229 First Sergeant Janku Keler’s Pillow. Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 718 Fig. 550: IDF #2133229 First Sergeant Janku Keler’s Pillow. Kiryat‐Saul Military Cemetery. Tel Aviv Age: 21 Born: Rumania Parents: Rebecca and Hershko Keler. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 719 32. The Ben-Dror Tank Enigma 720 Symon Ben-Dror was born on May 30, 1951 in Sde-Nehemia, Israel. On October 1971 He was drafted to the IDF Armored Corps and went through Officers Course. On October 06, 1973 he was commanding a tank in the southern Suez Canal front, in the Bitter Lake Region between the strongholds Botzer and Lituf. Symon Ben-Dror was killed as reason of a direct hit. Two of the four men on the tank remain MIAs; First Lieutenant Symon Ben-Dror and hand wounded Corporal Zeb Peer. The third soldier made it back eastwards into IDF lines and the fourth soldier body was retrieved. Fig. 551: Symon Ben-Dror MIA: October 06, 1973 Yahrzeit: 10 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 721 Fig. 552: IDF First Lieutenant Symon Ben-Dror’s Pillow, Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Age: 22 Born: Sde-Nehemia, Israel Parents: Shulamit and Aaron Ben‐Dror. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 722 Zeb “Zevile” Peer was born on March 15, 1954 in Givataim, Israel. On February 1973 he was drafted in the IDF Armored corps and served as a Tank Gunner. On October 06, 1973 he was on a tank in the southern Suez Canal front, in the Bitter Lake Region between the strongholds Botzer and Lituf. Two of the four men on the tank remain MIAs; First Lieutenant Symon Ben-Dror and hand wounded Corporal Zeb Peer. The third soldier made it back eastwards into IDF lines and the fourth soldier body was retrieved. Fig. 553: Zeb “Zevile” Peer MIA: October 06, 1973 Yahrzeit: 10 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 723 Fig. 554: IDF #2179497 Corporal Zeb “Zevile” Peer’s Pillow. Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 724 Fig. 555: IDF #2179497 Corporal Zeb “Zevile” Peer’s Pillow. Kiryat‐Saul Cemetery. Tel‐Aviv Age: 19 Born: Givataim, Israel Parents: Rebecca and Mordechai Peer. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 725 33. Air-Force 726 Simon Asch was born on May 05, 1930 in Shànghǎi, China. At age 20, in 1959, his family made Aliyah. On April 1951 he was drafted in the IDF Air Force and became a pilot. On October 07, 1973, the second day of the Yom-Kippur War he flew a Skyhawk fighter over the central front of the Suez Canal about 10 KM north of the Tasah-Ismailia road. His Skyhawk was hit by a Soviet made SAM missile and crushed. His body was never recovered. Fig. 557: Simon Asch MIA: October 07, 1973 Yahrzeit: 11 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 727 Fig. 558: IDF #205562 Major Simon Asch’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 728 Fig. 559: IDF #205562 Major Simon Asch’s new Pillow. Age: 43 Born: Shànghǎi, China Parents: Gutia and Hirsh Asch. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 729 Arlozor “Zorik” Lev was born on September 17, 1933 in Kfar Bilu, British Israel. He was named after Zionist leader Chaim Arlozorov1 who was murdered on the same year. He was drafted in the IDF on September 1951 and became a pilot and the Ramat-David Base2 Commander. On the 4th day of the Yom-Kippur War he was on a bombing mission over the Port-Said area in four 110 Squadron Skyhawk fighters headed by Abraham Vilan. Upon resuming his mission, his Skyhawk was hit by a SAM missile and crushed in the Mediterranean north of the Budapest Stronghold3. Arlozor “Zorik” Lev and Armored corps General Albert Mendler4 were the two highest ranking Israeli generals to fall in the Yom-Kippur War. Arlozor “Zorik” Lev remains were not recovered. 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haim_Arlosoroff 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramat_David_Airbase 3 4 https://www.mako.co.il/pzm‐magazine/Article‐2982755922ed931006.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Mandler 730 Fig. 560: Arlozor “Zorik” Lev MIA: October 09, 1973 Yahrzeit: 13 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 731 Fig. 561: IDF #216916 General Arlozor “Zorik” Lev’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 732 Fig. 562: IDF #216916 General Arlozor “Zorik” Lev’s new Pillow. Age: 40 Born: Kfar Bilu, British Israel Parents: Leah and Nehemiah Lev. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 733 Gad Samok was born on April 04, 1942 in Limerick, Czechoslovakia. He made Aliyah in 1956. On August 1962 he was drafted in the IDF Air-force and became a pilot. On October 17, 1973, the 11th day of the Yom-Kippur War, pilot Gad Samok and navigator Baruch “Ari” Golan were in their Phantom fighter on a bombing mission over an Egyptian SAM missiles battery south to Crocodile Lake – Lake Timsah5 east to the Nile River Delta. A SAM missile hit their Phantom and they crushed. Gad Samok and Baruch “Ari” Golan were seen parachuting but their bodies were never recovered. Gad Samok received post mortem the Chief of Staff Citation. 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Timsah 734 Fig. 563: Gad Samok MIA: October 17, 1973 Yahrzeit: 21 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 735 Fig. 564: IDF #483072 Major Gad Samok’s Pillow. Age: 32 Born: Limerick, Czechoslovakia Parents: Frieda and Heinrich Chaim Samok. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 736 Baruch “Ari” Golan was born on July 11, 1951 in Rehovot, Israel. Two years earlier, in 1949, the family made Aliyah from Argentina. He was drafted to the IDF Air-Force on November 1969 and served as a Navigator. On October 17, 1973, the 11th day of the Yom-Kippur War, Pilot Gad Samok and Navigator Baruch “Ari” Golan were in their Phantom fighter on a bombing mission over an Egyptian SAM missiles battery south to Crocodile Lake – Lake Timsah6 east to the Nile River Delta. A SAM missile hit their Phantom and they crushed. They were seen parachuting but their bodies were never recovered. Fig. 564: Baruch “Ari” Golan MIA: October 17, 1973 Yahrzeit: 21 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Timsah 737 Fig. 566: IDF #2084477 Captain Baruch “Ari” Golan’s Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Rehovot, Israel Parents: Susana and Dov Golan. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 738 Ury Parnas was born on December 10, 1948 in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was drafted to the IDF Air-Force on April 1968 and served as a combat pilot. On November 06, 1973 he was piloting a NESHER fighter7 on a drill flight over the Mediterranean, west of Ashkelon. The jet went out of control and Ury Parnas had to eject over the Mediterranean. He could not be traced. Fig. 567: 1970s. Israeli made NESHER fighter. Photo: Wikipedia 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAI_Nesher 739 Fig. 568: Ury Parnas MIA: October 29, 1973 Yahrzeit: 03 HESHVAN 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 740 Fig.569: IDF #2046448 Captain Ury Parnas’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 741 Fig. 570: IDF #2046448 Captain Ury Parnas’s new Pillow. Age: 25 Born: Tel Aviv Parents: Esther and Abraham Parnas. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 742 33. NAVY 743 Oded Amir was born on May 01, 1950 in Kibbutz Gesher Haziv. He was drafted in November 1968 to the IDF NAVY COMMANDO Flotilla 138. On October 17, 1973 The NAVY Flotilla 13 divers headed by Colonel Saul Ziv9 raided the Egyptian port of the town Port Said, (Operation LADY10). They attached Leech Mines to Egyptian Navy vessels. 4 Egyptian Navy vessels were sunk. The squad of Oded Amir and Eli Kimhy did not return to the meeting point, possibly hit by the many Depth Bombs thrown in by the Egyptian forces11. Efforts to recover them were made under fire, but to no avail. Both were pronounced MIAs. They both were awarded Post Mortem the Bravery Citation. 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shayetet_13 9 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9C_%D7%96%D7%99%D7%95 10 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2_%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99 11 https://www.mako.co.il/pzm‐magazine/Article‐2982755922ed931006.htm 744 Fig. 571: Oded Amir MIA: October 17, 1973 Yahrzeit: 21 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 745 Fig. 572: IDF #2062331 Captain Oded Amir’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 746 Fig. 573: IDF #2062331 Captain Oded Amir’s new Pillow. Age: 23 Born: Kibbutz Gesher Haziv Parents: Geula and Samuel Amir. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 747 Eli Kimhy was born on December 08, 1951, in Acre, Israel. He was drafted to the IDF NAVY on April 1970 and served in the IDF NAVY COMMANDO Flotilla 13. On October 17, 1973 The NAVY Flotilla 13 divers headed by Colonel Saul Ziv12 raided the Egyptian port of the town Port Said, (Operation LADY13). They attached Leech Mines to Egyptian Navy vessels. 4 Egyptian Navy vessels were sunk. The squad of Oded Amir and Eli Kimhy did not return to the meeting point, possibly hit by the many Depth Bombs thrown in by the Egyptian forces14. Efforts to recover them were made under fire, but to no avail. Both were pronounced MIAs. They both were awarded Post Mortem the Bravery Citation. Fig. 574: Eli Kimhy MIA: October 17, 1973 Yahrzeit: 21 TISHREY 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 12 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9C_%D7%96%D7%99%D7%95 13 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2_%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99 14 https://www.mako.co.il/pzm‐magazine/Article‐2982755922ed931006.htm 748 Fig. 575: IDF Major Sergeant Eli Kimhy’s Pillow. Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. Age: 22 Born: Acre, Israel Parents: Victoria and Dov Kimhy. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 749 34. Armored Corps 750 Zeb Rotchik was born in 1945 in the USSR. At age 12, in 1957, his family made Aliyah and lived in Netania. He was drafted to the IDF Armored Corps in 1963. On the 5th day of the Yom-Kippur War, October 10, 1973, he disappeared enroot to his reserve unit on the Golan Heights, possibly captured and killed by Syrian front units. Fig. 576: No picture available for Zeb Rotchik MIA: October 10, 1973 Yahrzeit: 14 TISHREY 5734 751 Fig. 577: IDF #497621 Private Zeb Rotchik’s Pillow. Age: 28 Born: USSR Parents: Ilana and Elijah Rotchik Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 752 Joseph Ben-Ezra was born on 1941 in Bagdad, Iraq. At age 9, in 1950, his mother and him made Aliyah. On August 1959 he was drafted in the IDF Engineering Corps and served as a sapper. On October 29, 1973 9 Israeli soldiers were killed by a sea mine which exploded when being dismantled in the Small Bitter Lake, west of the Suez Canal. 7 of the victims were identified, 2 of the victims reservists Joseph Ben-Ezra and Joseph Hazan could not be traced. They were pronounced MIAs. Fig. 578: Joseph Ben-Ezra MIA: October 29, 1973 Yahrzeit: 03 HESHVAN 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 753 Fig. 579: IDF #443720 First Sergeant Joseph Ben-Ezra’s Pillow. Age: 32 Born: Bagdad, Iraq. Parents: Mazal and Ezra Ben‐Ezra. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 754 Joseph Hazan was born on 1936 in Tamarshat, Morocco. He was drafted to the IDF Canonry on February 1959 and served as a trailer driver. On October 29, 1973 9 Israeli soldiers were killed by a sea mine which exploded when being dismantled in the Small Bitter Lake, west of the Suez Canal. 7 of the victims were identified, 2 of the victims reservists Joseph Ben-Ezra and Joseph Hazan could not be traced. They were pronounced MIAs. Fig. 580: Joseph Hazan MIA: October 29, 1973 Yahrzeit: 03 HESHVAN 5734 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 755 Fig. 581: IDF #437881 First Sergeant Joseph Hazan’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 756 Fig. 582: IDF #437881 First Sergeant Joseph Hazan’s new Pillow. Age: 37 Born: Tamarshat, Morocco. Parents: Mima and Isaac Hazan. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 757 PART I: 1975 – 2014 758 35. NAVY 759 Jedidiah Isaac was born on 1957 in India. At age 5, in 1962, his family made Aliyah. In 1975 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY and served on the Landing Craft “Bat Sheba”, the only ever landing craft in the Israeli NAVY, which was in service during the years 1969 – 1995. On the night of August 18, 1976, when crossing the Straights of Tiran15, Jedidiah Isaac ALONE was ordered to check on the “Bat Sheba” engines. He disappeared off board the “Bat Sheba” not to be found again, presumably fell off board and lost at high seas. As a twist of faith that Jedidiah Isaac’s mother name was… “Bat-Sheba”. The “Bat-Sheba” went out of service in 1995. The Israeli NAVY had no other Landing Crafts since (2021). Fig. 583: IDF NAVY only Landing Aircraft “Bat‐Sheba”. Served between the years 1969‐1995 Photo: Wikipedia 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straits_of_Tiran 760 Fig. 584: Jedidiah Isaac MIA: August 18, 1976 Yahrzeit: 22 AV 5736 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 761 Fig. 585: IDF #2263440 Corporal Jedidiah Isaac’s Pillow. Age: 19 Born: India Parents: Bat‐Sheba and Menahem Isaac. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover ©2021 762 Amiel “Ami” Shenon was born on March 24, 1955 in Haifa. He was drafted in the IDF NAVY on October 1973 and served as a diver in Commando Flotilla 13. On October 04, 1975 he vacationed in the Marsa Barka Bay in the Sinai. He disappeared while diving in the bay waters. His body was not traced. Fig.586: Amiel “Ami” Shenon MIA: October 04, 1975 Yahrzeit: 29 TISHREY 5736 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 763 Fig. 587: IDF #2194289 First Sergeant Amiel “Ami” Shenon’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 764 Fig. 588: IDF #2194289 First Sergeant Amiel “Ami” Shenon’s new Pillow. Age: 20 Born: Haifa Parents: Ruth and Walther Shenon. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 765 36. Air-Force 766 Dan “Danny” Weiss was born on May 09, 1958 in Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek. On October 1976 he was drafted in the IDF Air-Force and served as a pilot. On January 20, 1981, while in drill flights over the Mediterranean west of the Haifa bay, two Phantom fighters collided. Dan “Danny” Weiss vanished in high seas. Fig. 589: Dan “Danny” Weiss MIA: January 20, 1981 Yahrzeit: 15 SHVAT 5741 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 767 Fig. 590: Unique IDF #2300000 Major Dan “Danny” Weiss’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 768 Fig. 591: Unique IDF #2300000 Major Dan “Danny” Weiss’s new Pillow. Age: 22 Born: Kibbutz Mishmar-Haemek Parents: Carla and Otto Weiss. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 769 Amiram Klachman Kal was born on September 20, 1947 in Tel-Aviv, British Israel. He was drafted in the IDF Air-Force in 1965. In 1969 he became a pilot. He worked for the Israeli Aircraft Industries in the capacity of Experiment Pilot for new models. On July 10, 1981 he was on reserve duty flying the experimental KFIR fighter over the Mediterranean west of Ashdod. The KFIR engine went dead and Amiram Klachman Kal had to abandon the plane. His parachute did not open and he remained adjacent to the plane sit. He sunk into the sea. His body was not traced. Fig. 592: Amiram Klachman Kal MIA: July 10, 1981 Yahrzeit: 08 TAMUZ 5741 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 770 Fig. 593: IDF #220028 Major Amiram Klachman Kal’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 771 Fig.594: Unique IDF #220028 Major Amiram Klachman Kal’s new Pillow. Age: 34 Born: Tel-Aviv, British Israel Parents: Miriam and Joshua Klachman Kal Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021. 772 37. June 11, 1982 The Sultan Yacoub Battle 773 Fig. 595: First Lebanon War June 06 – September 29, 1982 Photo: Wikipedia 774 Zvi “Zvika” Feldman was born on December 29, 1956 in Tel-Aviv. He was drafted in 1974 to the IDF Armored Corps. On the First Lebanon War16 he was on reserve duty with the 362nd Battalion of the 90th Division and served as an artillery loader in the tank in which Hezi Shay served as the Commander and Zachariah Baumel served as the driver. On June 11, 1982 their tank participated in the Sultan Yacoub battle17 against the Syrian Army. The battle is considered an failure. Zvi “Zvika” Feldman was pronounced dead18 but later changed to MIA. Fig. 596: Zvi “Zvika” Feldman MIA: June 11, 1982 Yahrzeit: 20 SIVAN 5742 Photo: Wikipedia 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Lebanon_War 17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sultan_Yacoub 18 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A6%D7%91%D7%99_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%9E%D7%9F 775 IDF Major Sergeant Zvi “Zvika” Feldman. Age: 25 Born: Tel-Aviv Parents: Pnina and Abraham Feldman 776 Judah Jekutiel Katz was born on July 18, 1959 in Ramat-Gan. He was drafted in the IDF Armored Corps in 1977 and served as a tank gunner. On the First Lebanon War19 he was on reserve duty with the 362nd Battalion of the 90th Division in a tank commanded by Lieutenant Zohar Lifchitz. On June 11, 1982 their tank participated in the Sultan Yacoub battle20 against the Syrian Army. The battle is considered an IDF loss. Judah Jekutiel Katz was pronounced dead21 but later on his status changed to MIA. Fig. 597: Judah Jekutiel Katz MIA: June 11, 1982 Yahrzeit: 20 SIVAN 5742 Photo: Wikipedia 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Lebanon_War 20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sultan_Yacoub 21 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A6%D7%91%D7%99_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%9E%D7%9F 777 IDF Major Sergeant Judah Jekutiel Katz Age: 23 Born: Ramat‐Gan, Israel Parents: Sarah and Joseph Katz 778 38. NAVY Ofer Solomon was born on December 03, 1964 in Kiryat-Shmona, Israel. He was drafted in the IDF on August 1983 and served in the NAVY as a gunsmith on a DABUR class patrol boat22. On January 05, 1984 the DABUR was in the Mediterranean west of Gaza. A drill was conducted lowering a rubber dinghy from the DABUR into the water. A fun game race was then conducted between the boat and the dinghy23. Ofer Solomon fell off the dinghy into the Mediterranean. The dinghy operator jumped after him for rescue but could not locate him. Seems like a case of death by negligence. 22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabur‐class_patrol_boat 23 https://www.mako.co.il/pzm‐magazine/Article‐2982755922ed931006.htm 779 Fig. 598: 1970s Israeli Dabur Class Patrol boat. American/ Israeli made. Photo: Wikipedia 780 Fig. 599: Ofer Solomon MIA: January 05, 1984 Yahrzeit: 01 SHVAT 5744 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il 781 Fig. 600: IDF #3773216 Private Ofer Solomon’s old Pillow. Photo: Wikipedia 782 Fig. 601: IDF #3773216 Private Ofer Solomon’s new Pillow. Age: 19 Born: Kiryat-Shmona, Israel Parents: Diana and Nissim Solomon. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 783 39. Air-Force Ron Arad was born on May 05, 1958 in Magdiel-Hod Hasharon, Israel. He was drafted in 1976 to the IDF Air-Force and served as a navigator of the 69th Squadron of Phantom fighters. On October 16, 1986 he flew his Phantom on a bombing mission over the town of Sidon in Lebanon. One of the bombs onboard exploded in the vicinity of the plane. The two pilots had to abandon. Pilot Yishay Aviram was rescued. Navigator Ron Arad fell captive with the Amal Shiite Organization. One intelligence report claims he died circa 1996 in Lebanon of a stub he sustained in his shoulder. Other reports claim he remains captive in Iran or Lebanon. An opportunity to exchange him with terrorists was missed. A Syrian general was abducted and interrogated in 2021 but with no results. 784 Fig. 602: Ron Arad MIA: October 16, 1986 Yahrzeit: 13 TISHREY 5747 Photo: Wikipedia IDF Colonel Ron Arad Age: 28 when gone MIA Born: Magdiel-Hod Hasharon, Israel. Parents: Batia and Dov Arad. 785 Eran Grabia was born on February 20, 1973 in Kibbutz Gan-Shmuel. On March 1992 he was drafted in the IDF NAVY, underwent Officers Sailor Course and served as a Navy Reconnaissance flying Officer. On September 16, 1996 a DOLPHIN helicopter was on a drill flight over the Mediterranean west of the town of Naharia delivering men between two boats. The Dolphine helicopter fell in the water. The bodies of the pilots Colonel Ben-Zion Bahar and Captain Sela Shahak were recovered. The body of Eran Grabia was not recovered24. The Dolphin helicopter line went out of service few years thereafter. Fig. 603: Eran Grabia MIA: September 16, 1996 Yahrzeit: 13 TISHREY 5747 24 Photo: MIA families, Izkor.gov.il https://www.mako.co.il/pzm‐magazine/Article‐2982755922ed931006.htm 786 Fig. 604: IDF #5076733 Captain Eran Grabia Age: 23 Born: Kibbutz Gan-Shmuel Parents: Ilana and Gabriel Grabia. Photo: Meir Halevi Gover © 2021 787 PART H: POST LEBANON WARs 788 Guy Hever25 was born on May 30, 1977 in Tel Aviv. On 1995 he was drafted in the IDF Gunnery Corps Thunder (Haraam) Battalion. He left his base on the Golan Heights on August 17, 1977 and disappeared. On disappearance day he carried his personal weapon, a GALIL Assault rifle26. His black beret was discovered in 2005. There were assumptions that he is kept in Syria or that he committed suicide due to a conflict with his commanding officer27. He remains MIA to date. Fig. 605: Guy Hever MIA: August 17, 1977 Yahrzeit: 14 AV 5757 Photo: Wikipedia 25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Hever 26 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Galil 27 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%92%D7%99%D7%90_%D7%97%D7%91%D7%A8 789 IDF Private Guy Hever Age: 20 Born: Tel Aviv Parents: Rina and Ethan Hever. 790 40. Operation ‘Protective Edge’ ‘TZUK-EITAN’ 791 Oron Saul28 was born on December 27, 1993 in Poriya, near Tiberius, Israel. He was drafted in 2013 to the IDF GOLANI Brigade29, 13th Battalion Reconnaissance Platoon. On July 20, 2014 during Operation Protective Edge [TZUK-EITAN]30 conducted in the Gaza Strip, and after he was seriously wounded in his M-113 Armored Vehicle in the Sajaiya quarter of Gaza City, he was abducted and killed by the HAMAS31. He is presumed dead at high certainty. The HAMAS holds his remains (2021). His M-113 Armored Vehicle was not installed with the available then Trophy Active protection System32. The operation failed. Fig. 606: Oron Saul MIA: July 20, 2014 Yahrzeit: 22 TAMUZ 5784 Photo: Wikipedia 28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_ransoming_of_Oron_Shaul 29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golani_Brigade 30 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Gaza_War 31 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas 32 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophy_(countermeasure) 792 IDF First Sergeant Oron Saul Age: 21 Born: Poriya, near Tiberius Parents: Zehava and Herzl Saul. 793 Hadar Goldin was born on February 18, 1991 in Ashchar, south of Carmiel in the Galilee, Northern Israel. He was drafted 2011 in the IDF and served in the Reconnaissance Squad of the GIVATI brigade. He was possibly killed by the HAMAS on August 01, 2014 during Operation Protective Edge [TZUK-EITAN]33 conducted in the Gaza Strip. The HAMAS abducted him possibly while he was still alive. Hadar Goldin remains MIA to date (2021). Fig. 607: Hadar Goldin MIA: August 01, 2014 Yahrzeit: 05 AV 5784 33 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Gaza_War Photo: Wikipedia 794 Fig. 608: IDF #7497098 Lieutenant Hadar Goldin’s Pillow in the Kfar‐Saba Military Cemetery. Age: 23 Born: Ashchar, Israel Parents: Leah Hedva and Simha Goldin. Photo: Adiral 795 796 INDEX A Aaron, Abigdor, Afgin Horin, Aaron "Duga" Isaiah Ezra Agi, Al‐Abdala, Al‐Abdala, Al‐Abdala, Albogen, Almog Swissa, Altman, Amir, Amir, Arad, Arava, Argov, Arman Romach, Armon Kestenbaum, Arnon, Aroasti, Artzi, Arzi, Asch, Asshi, Atari, Attyia, Attyia, Attyiya, Attyiya, Avidan, Aviram, Avzac, Moses "Mussa" Ahmed Nimer Matra Nimer Fajwel Paul Joseph Chaim Joseph Oded Shalom Ron Samuel Sasha Benjamin "Benny" Alexander "Alex" Aaron Noam "Ami" Abraham Isaac "Aki" Mordechai Symon (Rabbi) Abraham Isaac Jamila Nissim Moses Shalom Symon Yishay Jacob 14 214 14 169 14 14 52 52 227 14 14 14 14 14 14 32 14 14 14 14 14 381 14 339 14 66 66 14 14 118 783 14 580 581 582 64 158 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 170 273 274 50 592 339 743 275 783 239 593 340 744 276 784 240 594 341 745 746 747 277 465 462 541 282 532 466 467 463 464 542 283 533 534 535 536 241 726 727 728 649 650 62 64 65 424 426 427 121 138 66 380 381 382 383 797 B Bahar, Bal, Baram, Barkay, Barlev, Barnea, Bar‐Zeb Reichberger, Baumel, Baz Bazana, Bazri Avers, Bechar, Beck, Behar, Behar, Beker, Ben Ali, Ben‐Ami, Ben‐Basat, Ben‐David, Ben‐Dror, Ben‐Ezra, Ben‐Gurion, Benjamin Rabinowitz, Ben‐Judah Gelkopf, Ben‐Porat Alberson, Ben‐Saul, Ben‐Shalom Yadlovker, Benziman, Ben‐Zvi Bzezinsky, Beret, Berman, Bernstein, Betelheim, Bielski, Binnenfeld, Bozana Baz, Brachman, Brahms Braha, Braun, Braun, Ben‐Zion Arie Louis Abraham Abraham "Bumi" Chaim Joseph "Yossi" Chaim Zachariah Abraham Joseph Bezalel Hasan Baruch Mordechai "Max" Abraham (sheik) Refael Judah Gideon Symon Joseph David Elhanan Gershon Abraham Aaron "Aruna" 785 280 62 15 475 15 15 774 585 15 15 113 15 68 227 120 15 15 64 15 15 180 214 15 15 15 David Moses Eliezer Eliezer Moses Jezi Marian Samuel Arie Jacob Ladislav (Partizans) Arie Arik Abraham Moses Jacob Joshua Zvulon Tomi 15 214 15 109 15 15 15 210 15 15 36 15 109 16 553 554 555 694 597 598 595 596 586 384 385 386 418 419 420 68 69 70 71 485 486 482 483 484 487 720 721 722 752 753 754 212 457 458 459 392 395 396 92 93 94 95 589 590 591 587 588 86 87 88 89 127 300 301 302 303 226 227 228 229 377 378 379 260 261 262 409 410 411 798 Braverman, Broder, Brodstein, Bukay, Buta, Joseph Dov 'Berale' Jacob Jacob Shalom 109 16 205 206 234 16 391 392 393 394 16 367 368 369 214 Moses Solomon Israel Samuel 'Shmulik' Jacob Moedechai Eliyahu "Eli" Igal Michael 'Michik' Mula Nissim Pinkus Allan Gordon 333 37 16 16 392 392 16 16 16 345 16 16 63 Zvika Amos "Ami" Aaron Meirke Moses Joseph Menachem Ruben Fishel Raymond "Lofti" Azriel Nimrod Jacob 425 16 424 138 91 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 C Carmel Zelicki, Carmel, Carmi Weinman, Celnik, Cohen, Cohen, Cohen, Cohen, Cohen, Cohen, Cohen, Cohen, Cunningham, 336 256 629 630 517 518 519 454 455 456 494 495 496 345 346 347 578 579 201 202 D Dahab, Danieli, Davidi, Davidson, Dayan, Debi, Dgani, Dgani, Dodge, Dror Dunios, Drori, Dvir Rivkind, 127 135 136 137 425 476 607 609 392 256 574 611 449 608 610 399 400 257 258 259 575 612 450 451 452 453 799 E Edelstein Efrati Rosenkranc, Eftati, Eisenberg, El‐Heib, El‐Heib, El‐Heib, Eltagar, Eltagar, Engel Erel, Engel Erel, Enkstein Andrius, Erel, Erlichman, Eshel, Eshkol Shkolnik Even Epstein, Joseph Ruth Ilana Benjamin "Yurek" Chader Dib Maryam Meiron Zeb Dan "Danny" Moses Stanley Solomon Israel Uriel Levi Dan 16 109 109 16 56 17 56 17 709 17 583 17 474 17 17 477 126 Abraham Joseph "Jojo" Zvi "Zvika" Joseph Egon Dov "Duba" Moses Israel 'Srulik' Joel Meir "Mayorchik" Ury Abraham Aviezer Benc Pesach Arie 214 20 17 17 17 109 17 214 17 64 17 319 290 227 285 286 287 242 243 53 54 55 708 709 710 711 713 716 460 461 584 263 265 266 268 695 696 697 412 413 414 415 694 181 F Falk, Farhi, Feldman, Feldstein, Fermat, Formanski, Frank, Frieber, Fried, Fried, Friedman, Friedman, Friedman, Fux, 56 657 774 373 313 658 775 375 376 314 315 189 190 290 291 514 515 516 800 G Gadish, Gal Gelman, Gal Hefner, Galbish, Galili Gilula, Galinka, Gaon, Garber, Gavish, Gavrialidas, Gaybook, Gerstein, Gilat, Gisner, Glick, Glickzam, Glubb, Godel, Golan, Golani, Goldberg, Goldin, Golumb, Gonen Gorodish, Goren, Gotlieb, Gouri, Gover Halevi Moses Ruben Michael "Miki" Elhanan Judah Samuel Joseph Samuel Joseph Samuel "Sammy" Jacob Joseph Dan Arthur Isaac "Aki" Israel Karl John Bagot George Baruch "Ari" Itamar Meir Hadar Dov Samuel Jacob "Zaki" Judah Haim Meir 17 17 17 227 17 428 109 17 214 17 214 392 17 17 17 17 217 18 18 18 227 18 18 695 18 18 32 41 111 154 194 219 251 281 312 344 389 453 496 526 561 603 604 601 602 599 600 605 606 392 397 392 398 247 248 249 250 709 364 304 227 711 365 305 230 712 713 716 366 306 231 232 527 528 733 736 737 342 343 344 793 794 180 184 185 113 114 115 116 127 118 120 121 122 123 124 127 44 116 157 196 221 253 283 315 347 405 456 499 528 563 49 124 161 200 225 255 287 318 350 408 459 501 530 565 52 131 165 202 229 259 289 321 354 414 461 504 535 567 56 134 174 204 230 262 291 325 357 417 464 507 538 571 60 137 178 206 237 266 295 328 360 423 470 510 540 573 66 141 185 209 241 269 297 331 366 427 484 513 542 575 95 145 188 211 243 272 303 335 369 431 487 516 552 577 100 148 190 211 246 274 306 338 372 445 490 519 557 582 105 151 192 216 249 279 309 341 386 447 491 522 559 594 801 Grabia, Grabowitz, Grienberg, Gushcini, Eran Fajwel Abraham Jacob 598 721 753 18 227 214 18 600 723 756 785 602 704 705 706 710 712 714 717 728 732 735 737 741 746 748 751 761 764 768 771 782 786 786 Michael Arie Joseph Solomon Aaron David Gideon Zvi "Miki" Kaid Naif Yair Irale Joseph Guy Samuel Judah Adolf Mordechai Chaim Joseph Moses "Moniek" Meir Saul Leah Menachem Samuel Chaim Abed al‐Qadir al‐ 18 392 214 214 214 109 18 18 18 18 18 109 18 107 18 18 18 381 18 41 18 41 214 92 613 614 Zvi "Hershi" Jedidiah Gad Michel al‐ Edward 18 333 334 335 18 759 760 761 227 126 214 322 323 324 325 H Hadar Dahan, Hadas, Haimoff, Hakim, Halperin, Hamer, Har‐Even Harivan, Hason, Hatiba, Hazan, Hever, Hildesheim, Hiller, Hitler, Hitter, Hobashi, Hofman, Hofshy, Holcman, Honen, Honen, Honen, Hoover, Hoseyni, 558 76 443 752 788 559 77 78 79 444 445 754 755 756 789 213 193 319 149 351 214 215 216 320 321 151 152 352 353 354 355 358 361 329 330 331 36 39 40 I Ickowitz, Isaac, Isoler, Issa, Izak, 41 802 J Jacobi, Jaffe, Nehemiah Ury 18 127 171 172 173 174 319 322 Eli Arie Chaim Mordechai 'Motke' Rachel Simha Micha Jehiel Michael Martin Louis 'Tom' Judah Ephraim Meir Yanku Isaac "Isaacale" Isaac Elay Judah Levi Amiram Israel Meir Nathan Zultan Arie joseph Zeb Benjamin Bentz Amos Solomon Symon Asher 18 19 43 19 3 214 425 19 19 19 214 214 19 19 381 19 19 19 227 19 391 214 109 19 37 19 214 227 K Kadosh, Kalenberg, Kalman, Kalman, Kalman, Kaminer, Kaposta Ben‐Ari, Karsel, Katenburg, Katz, Kazaz, Kazaz, Keler, Kendler, Kibowitz, Kimhy, Kipur, Klachman Kal Klein, Klein, Kluger, Kocer, Kohan, Kol Kalvari, Krasnocki, Kron, Kuchman, Kurc, 659 660 523 524 525 526 44 36 42 43 44 44 203 204 142 143 144 145 776 777 709 711 713 716 717 718 127 176 177 178 743 747 748 138 139 140 141 769 770 771 520 521 522 661 662 316 317 318 803 L Lahav Sikorel, Laner, Laskov, Latif, Leizer, Lev, Levi Yanay, Levi, Levi, Levi, Levinger, Lewinhertz, Liebowitz, Lifschitz, Lifschitz, Livingstone, Joseph "Joe" Dan Ernest Chaim Ephraim Naftali Arlozor "Zorik" Absalom Eliyahu Ernest Ezikiel Menachem Ben‐Ami Dov Mordechai Zohar David Ginter 19 107 333 384 227 19 19 227 19 214 109 392 19 227 776 19 Joseph Oded Solomon Dan Amiram Zeb Shabi Jacob Joseph Judah Israel Golda Joseph Uri Albert Israel Jacob Alexander Ezra Judah David 392 19 227 19 462 214 19 20 20 217 63 20 20 729 20 20 214 109 424 20 560 561 729 730 731 732 271 272 348 349 350 307 308 309 107 108 109 110 111 M Machluf, Madmon, Malc, Manor Manes, Manor, Mansbac, Maor Polerewitz, Margalit, Markowitz, Maykel, Meir, Mekayton Bashari, Menachem, Mendler, Michal, Migovski Meged Minc, Mincer, Mitelman, Mizrahi, 631 632 637 638 562 326 500 218 563 327 328 501 219 224 285 288 289 497 498 499 421 422 423 64 158 159 160 161 168 169 804 Mizrahi, Mizrahi, Mizrahi, Mizrahi, Mizrahi, Mizrahi, Moldawski, Monbaz, Moreno, Moshe, Moshkowitz, Mundlak, Muzafi, Mymon Waserman, Ezikiel Jacob Meir Menachem "Nahmo" Pirhiya Shalom Samuel Judah Leib Armoza Zacharia Yihje Avihu "Avi" Moses Chaim Benjamin "Benny" 20 20 20 20 49 214 20 227 109 20 20 214 20 20 Chaim Eliezer Moses Eliyahu "Eli" Menachem Uzi Gamal Abdel Michael Ezra Rami Raymond Jacob Joseph "Yossi" Nachman David 425 214 227 20 20 694 468 214 20 20 462 20 227 109 Isaac Solomon "Chup" Zvi "Zvika" Zadok Salah Amiram Bezalel 20 20 20 20 109 20 633 634 49 432 433 434 635 636 247 250 251 46 47 48 49 310 311 312 149 150 152 153 154 438 439 440 709 711 713 714 715 716 564 565 N Nadal, Naftashvili, Namdar, Naor, Narkis Nargos, Narkis, Nasser, Nathan, Nattal, Navaro, Nevo, Nezer Wolberg, Nudelman, Nusbaum, 488 489 490 641 642 73 74 75 502 503 504 639 640 O Ogen Markowitz, Opochinski Ofek, Oren, Orkabi, Overfirst, Ozeri, 645 556 491 511 646 557 492 493 512 513 647 648 805 P Pachter, Parnas, Paz Feingold, Paz Pomeranc, Paz, Peer, Peled, Penso, Pereg, Peri Prolov, Perlstein, Pichet, Pinkasov, Pitel, Pony, Presler, Proschowitz, Pundak, Ben‐Ami Uri Arie "Arik" Zvi Dov Amnon Zeb "Zebale" Aaron Joseph Zvi Jacob Kurt Leonard Elmer Benjamin Ruben 'Debka' Meir Abraham Isaac Isaac 336 21 21 21 21 21 695 21 21 126 227 263 214 21 214 21 21 322 738 570 653 651 720 739 740 741 571 654 652 722 723 724 247 250 252 253 655 656 127 267 197 198 191 192 392 403 404 405 Q Qawuqji, Fawzi al‐ 46 107 R Raanan, Rabin, Rapoport, Raviv, Reiner, Reizner Raz, Rephaeli Fadida, Robinson, Ron Hacoen Ringwald Ron Shukron, Ron, Ronen Hacohen, Ronen Stein, Ronen Waknin, Jacob Isaac Bezalel Tuvia Hillel Elhanan Rephael Bruno Amnon Jacob Avi Abraham Hagay Judah Jacob 21 36 214 695 21 21 21 227 21 21 21 21 21 21 550 551 552 555 97 351 355 361 193 194 532 536 537 538 673 674 665 667 663 539 669 671 666 668 664 540 670 672 806 Rosenbaum, Rosenblum, Rosenfeld, Rosenfeld, Rotcik, Rotem, Rubinstein, Rusak, Eliyahu Zvi Aaron David Zalman Zigmond Zeb Abrahaam Isaac Menachem 109 21 214 21 21 695 22 97 Amram Amos Elijah Rahamim Clement "Rami" Isaac Meir Ashba Hasan Mohammed Hasan Symon "Sam" Yuval Gad Saul Nahum Ezikiel Oron Mohammed Kasm Joel Abraham "Bunia" Solomon Chaim Gideon Abraham Uzi Giora Abraham Jacob Meir Sela Benjamin "Benny" Zvi Joseph "Yossi" Shalom David David 22 392 401 402 401 218 224 225 146 147 148 750 751 244 245 246 S Saadon Sadwin, Saadon, Saban, Sade Landoberg, Safran, Salem, Salem, Salem, Samargad, Samueli, Samuk, Sapir, Sarig, Sason, Saul, Sayed Ahmed, Schticler, Schwartz, Scweitzer, Segal, Segal, Sendik, Shaanan Shanenski Shaanan, Shacar, Shacar, Shachmon, Shahak, Shaked Mendel, Shalev Friedman, Shalom Zalah, Shalom, Shaltiel, 22 107 22 60 60 22 22 22 22 37 260 22 22 22 214 22 22 22 22 22 381 381 22 392 22 785 22 22 23 214 91 505 506 507 643 644 57 58 59 60 280 281 681 682 733 734 735 736 687 688 791 792 435 436 437 336 351 508 566 217 337 355 509 567 218 338 358 359 360 361 510 220 221 224 675 676 406 407 408 278 279 689 690 677 678 384 387 388 389 275 807 Shani Shneorson, Shanon, Shapir Shafik, Shapir, Sharon, Sharoni Kendel, Sharoni, Shavit Yalowski, Shay, Sheffer, Shemesh, Shiloach, Shneidmeser, Shorer, Shprinzak, Shtil, Shuami Shulerer, Shushan, Shusterman, Singer Hacohen, Snapir Shnaper, Sobol, Solbermacher, Solomon, Spector, Stampper, Stern, Stern, Stern, Stoler, Stoler, Stravshinski, Strikowski, Sugarman, Sukenik [Yadin], Symon, Symon, Chaim Amiel "Ami" Jacob Baruch Ariel "Arik" Alexander Eliezer "Luzi" Aaron Hezi Libka David Moses "Mussa" Isaac Eran Aaron David Oded Ozer Joseph Judah Isaac Isaac Judah Ruben Pinkus Abraham Ofer Nachman Enosh Dan Moses Max Zvi Herman Judah Solomon Samuel Nbenjamin Dov Sidney Ben Mattatyahu Abed Ran 23 23 23 37 424 23 23 462 774 244 64 64 109 549 23 23 227 23 478 109 23 23 23 214 23 392 373 23 227 23 210 23 109 392 23 23 23 21 679 680 762 763 764 351 355 358 361 362 363 683 684 685 686 292 296 297 298 412 415 416 417 254 255 479 186 187 188 568 569 234 235 236 237 778 780 781 782 195 196 207 208 209 210 211 263 292 428 572 267 268 269 293 294 295 296 430 431 573 808 T Tabenkin, Tabilla, Takac, Tal Teitler, Tamir Kaplan Tarashi, Tel‐Zur, Treblinski BenTov, Treister, Joseph Abraham Moses Zvi Amnon Mordechai Yair Moshe Nehemiah 97 214 23 23 23 23 425 23 227 Zeva 462 Solomon Abraham 23 615 616 729 Samuel Zvi Moses Bertold "Bert" Dan "Danny" ID2300000 Chaim Isaac Robert Lester 'Bob' Israel Isaac Zvi 23 126 127 129 130 131 214 214 24 127 132 133 134 698 576 691 621 97 699 700 577 692 622 98 99 100 U Umschwiff, V Vardy Viderman, Vilan, W Wachtfogel, Wansman, Wansover, Waserberg, Weiss, Weitzman, Werber, Wikman, Wirzer, Wolkostavski Cemri, 24 766 767 768 193 214 24 155 156 157 227 24 218 222 223 224 809 Y Yacoub, Yagnatinski, Yanay Yana, Yariv Rabinowitz, Yarom, Yaskolka, Yeger, Yehezkely, Yohay, (sultan) Amiram David Aaron Meir Solomon Chaim Zvi Abner Isaiah 774 24 24 333 24 381 24 24 24 Zvi Chaim Zvi Giora Zvi Abraham Saul Uri Joseph Jacob Obbadia 97 22 24 76 227 24 747 37 24 24 24 776 199 200 625 626 336 627 628 529 530 468 469 470 623 624 Z Zamir, Zarfati, Zehavy Goldstein, Zeid, Zeif, Zimerman, Ziv, Zlatin, Zohar Keler, Zrihen, Zrubavel, 446 447 448 617 618 351 355 356 357 358 361 619 620 102 103 104 105 81 82 83 84 810 Books by Meir Halevi Gover: Book of Levi YIZKOR to Jewish Konstantynow Podlaski From the 1st Jerusalem Temple Levites to PM Netanyahu Thessaloniki Lost Jewish Cemetery Ordinary Jews YIZKOR to Jewish Dlugosiodlo, Poland Jewish Malta Yok? The Tabuk Blueprints The Radzyner Rebbe Dynasty 1840-2005 Gover’s Directory of 20,020 Jewish Surnames Zwykli Zydzi (Polish) ‫( מצעד איוולת שיפוטית‬Hebrew) ‫( יהודים רגילים‬Hebrew) ‫( כוח ישקה‬Hebrew) ‫( שרטוטי טאבוק‬Hebrew) ‫( מי היה המרגל אלי מזרחי‬Hebrew) ‫משפחה יהודיים‬-‫ שמות‬20,020 ‫( אלפון‬Hebrew) (‫ מאיר הלוי גובר‬:‫ בבירקנאו מאת משה גרברז )עברית‬8 ‫שריד צריף‬ (Hebrew) The Carnelian Israeli Nukes over Cairo and Damascus This is the Second Edition of Meir Halevi Gover’s album about the IDF and the MOSSAD MIAs; Missing in Action soldiers in defense of ISRAEL during the years 1947 to 2021. ISBN 978-965-92760-9-7 Digital Edition Cost-Free https://buffalo.academia.edu/MeirGGover