This
week twenty-five years ago, I was born a second time!
First of
all I must say I’m writing everything from memory, these events happened
twenty-five years ago. It’s very possible that there are a few minor
errors, but this is how I recollect what happened.
When the
"Peace for the Galil” war started, or as it was called then Operation
Peace for Galilee, we were in Yeshiva in Kiryat Arba between our two stints in
the army. A while before that, the Yeshiva went to demonstrate in
Yamit for a few months, and several months later the war broke out. When
the war started we were very tense, not knowing if or when we will be called up
for reserves. If I'm not mistaken, the first group of our guys were
called up a few days before us. I was not called up in the first
group, rather it was about three weeks after the war broke out. I think
we were called up either the day of, or the day before the first cease-fire.
When we
boarded the buses near the Yeshiva, I remember Rav Lior getting on to the bus
and saying half-jokingly, “If they’ll want to evacuate you from there (from
Lebanon), don’t agree, and go onto the rooftops, because that is also part of
the Promised Land (just as we did in Yamit a few weeks beforehand).
Anyway,
we were called up to the reserves, and they divided us between the different
battalions to replace injured soldiers of other tank crews to go out on
maneuvers, because you cannot leave a tank empty without a crew.
I
remember that when we were on the bus to enter Lebanon, there wasn’t enough
room on the bus, and they looked for “volunteers” to get off the bus and not
enter Lebanon. It took a long time to find volunteers, and one of
the people who left was our Rasap” (Staff Sergeant) in Julis (tank school)
that none of us liked, and he “volunteered” not to enter Lebanon.
When we
entered Lebanon, I remember the initial shock of seeing corpses along the
entire stretch of the road, in all different positions, some looked like they
were doubled over in pain, some were half buried, and also suddenly you would
see a hand sticking out of the ground, etc
The unit
we joined was Gedud 430, Chativa 500, that was located in Ein Zachalta. . We
came as two tank crews. My tank crew consisted of myself as the Gunner,
Mordechai Friedman was the Loader, and Chaim Ochana was the Driver. The
second tank crew had guys from Yeshivah Har Etzion, and they were Rami Mizrachi
Z”L HY”D, and two others whose names I don’t remember. Rami
Mizrachi learned with me in Or Etzion High School, and in 12th Grade
he even sat next to me in the Beit Medrash
We
stayed in Ein Zachalta for about three weeks, going from tank to tank,
replacing crews that went out on leave.
Ein Zachalta
is a beautiful place! It is a village nestled amidst huge trees.
Elderly men would sit there for hours removing the pine nuts from pinecones, so
that there were piles of nuts and piles of pinecones all over.
Due to
the bombings in the area, there were anti-personnel mines scattered around, and
we had to be very careful as we took each step, to make sure we wouldn’t lose
any of our feet by accidentally stepping on one of them. Therefore, even
“relieving ourselves” by the bushes involved danger.
In the
center of the village there was a freezing waterfall fed by melted snow.
Near the falls was a closed restaurant that looked like it used to be
operational in better days, and there was also a scorched Syrian tank with
burnt corpses still inside. Quite a chilling sight.
We used
to shower in that waterfall, but the water was so ice-cold that our base
commander (מג"ד) had a heart attack as
he went to bathe there, and he was replaced by his deputy, the סמג"ד.
One of
the unit commanders was the son of Berlin,that we knew from Ramat Eshkol.
Our two
groups of Hesder guys used to sit for hours passing the time. We would
eat the army K-rations, and if we would find “Luf” (Spam-like stuff)
that was made of chicken or Glatt Kosher meat, we would save it for Rami z”l,
because he very meticulous in his level of Kashrut even in times like these.
During
the day before the battle we were suddenly gathered together, and we thought we
were going out to war. I remember Rami waving to me from his tank (the
tank of the סמג"ד) and shouting “Good Luck
Leximon!” (that’s my nickname)
That was
the last time I saw him.
We were
again gathered the night before the battle and were told that our mission was
to continue until the Beirut-Damascus highway, and take control of that
important cross-road. During the night, the Artillery unit would
bomb the Syrian bases controlling that road, and we would proceed with our
tanks at dawn. That entire night we heard the shelling, and we
nervously awaited our pre-dawn mission.
We
started advancing to our target while it was still dark, and at the first rays
of light our tank commander Koby Velber (the סמ"פ )
showed me through the canon’s gunsights the places that we were going to take
control over. He told me to try to locate any bushes, caves, or any place
that might be used to ambush us, and fire into those places with the
tank’s parallel machine gun.
.
That is
how we progressed. Both Koby & I shot bullets into those areas with
machine guns, with our tank’s cannon ready to fire, but before we even had a
chance to use the cannon – suddenly – BOOM!
Our
entire tank shook, a terrifying bang, and thick black smoke filled the tank.
We were
in shock, what had happened?
As the
smoke slowly began to disperse, we realized that we were hit by a missile!
The
Syrians had in fact ambushed us. They understood logically that we were
planning to enter that area, since they were under mortar attack the entire
night, and therefore prepared their ambush. (Later on we found out that
we were hit by a Sagger Missile).
As the
smoke cleared a bit, I looked around me and saw Koby (the סמ"פ)
trying to lift himself up on the tank, falling down, lifting himself up again,
and again falling down. I saw that he was injured in his stomach, and
also saw Mordechai Friedman’s heavily bleeding face. He was full of
shrapnel and his cheek was torn.
Our tank
was now stopped. Chaim Ochana exited from the driver’s hatch, and either
he or Friedman pulled Kobi from on top, while I helped from the bottom to lay
Kobi on the turret.
Just
then the company commander’s tank (מ"פ) stopped next to us, and
we transferred the injured Kobi to it. The מ"פ
then told me to immediately get back into the driver’s seat and drive the tank
out of its battle position . Realize that during this whole time we were
being fired at with bullets and missiles.
I went
into the driver’s seat and Mordechai Friedman tried to guide me out of that
battle zone, as I couldn’t see anything myself through the driver’s
sights. We lost all communications in the tank after that blast,
and the only means of communicating with each other was by
shouting. Mordechai was also trying to navigate without his
glasses, which got blown away when he were hit.
As we
were trying to get out of the line of fire, I stopped often, looking back into
the turret to try to figure out which direction to proceed. I
suddenly saw that the turret was on fire, and screamed to Mordechai to put it
out before all of our ammunition exploded! He finally understood
what I was screaming about, and was able to extinguish the fire with his
personal fire extinguisher. Once again the fire flared up,
and again he was able to extinguish it.
We
somehow were able to reverse course and stopped at the bottom of the
hill. Mordechai then told me that we almost flipped over several
times!
We left
the tank without our weapons and found cover behind some rocks, while bullets
and explosions were all around us. Chaim Ochana joined us, and
somehow we were spotted by a group of infantry soldiers who gathered us in
their APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) (נגמ"ש) and took us to the rear
line’s field hospital (תאג"ד)
We were
treated there by a medical team. Mordechai was full of shrapnel and
had a torn cheek, and just then I started feeling back pain. As
soon as I told the medic about my pain, they immediately cut off all my clothes
(leaving me in my underwear), and saw that I had some shrapnel in my back.
As they
were laying me on a stretcher I saw Chaim Ochana, and I remembered that he
transferred Kobi from the tank. I asked how Kobi was, and was told
that he was killed! He said that he put Kobi on the ground
and went back to our tank to see how we were doing. Suddenly the
tank that Kobi was laying next to went into reverse (he didn’t tell me it was
my tank that did it – but I immediately understood), and the tank rolled over
Kobi! I held my head, realizing right away that it was I who did
it.
I couldn’t
have known he was there, and I didn’t have any other choice. Even
Mordechai who guided me did not see him, under the pressures and conditions we
were facing, but I don’t wish it upon anybody to feel what I was feeling then.
I was
transferred to a second & third evacuation center, each place I went I
asked how Kobi is, and each time they told me that he was OK and was evacuated.
From
there I was flown by helicopter to Rambam Hospital (in Haifa), and that was
actually a pleasant experience! On my flight there were several
soldiers with more severe injuries than mine, and I was able to sit by a window
to see the view. We flew south over the ocean, and landed at the
hospital.
We were
met at the landing site by nurses, and I remember one of the female nurses
commenting to me how pretty my underwear was – as that was all I was wearing.
In the
hospital I went thru a series of test and x-rays, and they did see shrapnel in
my back. The doctors decided to leave them alone, and either the
body will reject them or not, but as long as they were not causing any harm it
would be better not to touch them.
I also
asked about Kobi in the hospital, and was told that he arrived and that he was
OK. I could not understand how that was possible!
It was
only later on that we found out what happened. We indeed did run
him over with the tank, however he was safely in between the two treads
and was not at all injured from the tank! Infantry soldiers found
him and were able to evacuate him too.
They
gave us a phone to call home, and when I reached my mother I calmly told her
that I’m OK and I am in Israel. “What, are you on your way home”,
she asked? “Not exactly”, I answered (at least she first heard that
I was OK), “I am in Rambam, I have a slight injury, not serious, I am OK”.
Understandably,
in a few hours my parents were by my side. I remember that my father
brought me the Tefillin that I asked for, and it was the first opportunity that
day to put them on.
The
following day the doctor released me to a recuperation center (#3) in Haifa,
and my parents, who returned that following morning, took me there.
The doctor there gave me another checkup and told me that I can be released that
same day and go home if I would like. Of course I did!
I recall
that during that period, every low noise would make me jump! I
would also wake up in fright when hearing noise. I would also get
frightened whenever I would notice anything red – even out of the corner of my
eye! It was not until I would realize that it was not blood, rather
something simple like a field of red flowers, that I would begin to relax
again.
Every
day on the radio, they would announce that day’s or the previous day’s casualties,
and when their funerals will take place. I remember awakening from a nap
and hearing that Ram Mizrahi from Yerushalayim was killed that day, and his
funeral would be in the Har Herzl Military cemetery. I was in
shock! We were just together a day or two ago! Even though I
was injured, I traveled to Yerushalayim that day to be at his funeral.
After
two or three weeks, I was sent to the “Bakum”, (the central base where you are
drafted from), and was asked what I would like to do at this point.
Without thinking twice, I said that I want to return to my base in
Lebanon. I think they were in shock, as they couldn’t believe that
I would want to go back! Most people that arrived there were either
injured soldiers or active duty shirkers, and very few people volunteered to
return to their bases!
I was
given new gear, a kitbag full of new personal supplies (as everything I had
remained in the tank), and off I went back to my unit who was now near the
village of בחמדון.
I
remember looking for Chaim Ochana when I got to the base, and found out that
just then he went to clean out the damaged tank of Rami Mizrachi
z”l. When he returned, he told me that he found Rami’s Kippah clip,
and he was quite shaken up!
Nevertheless,
we were very happy to meet each other again! Chaim told me that
when we were evacuated, he remained behind, and he felt bad that he did not
also get injured! He felt very alone, and it was a difficult time
for him.
As far
as I remember, on that day that they towed Rami’s damaged tank back to our
base, and I really wanted to go inside to see what it looked like.
My heart was pounding, and I was afraid of all the memories that would return,
but I knew that if I don’t, I will never be able to overcome my fears.
I went up, and I never felt my heart pound so hard! The smells of
the burnt tank were still powerful, and the memories flooded back!
I saw the two penetrating holes in the turret (I was told they were from RPG
missiles), and imagined how my friend Rami was killed by these
missiles! It wasn’t easy to be there, but I knew I had to overcome
my fears, and I’m glad I did it.
We
stayed in בחמדון
a few more weeks, and the food got a bit better! We finally got a
better variety than the K-rations that we had up until then.
At night
we would move the tanks up to their firing positions with a shell ready in its’
cannon, one tank would have the Syrian command in its crosshairs, and another
tank would have the Syrian soldier’s barracks in its crosshairs.
That is how we spent the night, ready to attack as soon as we were given the
command.
I
remember Rav Lior coming to our base, he put on his son’s uniform and
hitchhiked to Lebanon to visit his students. He said that if his students
were in Lebanon then he belongs there too. I very much admired him
for that – I don’t remember any other Rav doing that.
After a
few more weeks in בחמדון we (the Yeshiva guys) were released and we returned to
Yeshiva. If I’m not mistaken, we spent between 2-3 months in the
army during the war.
Upon our
return, our crew, which consisted of myself, Friedman and Ochana, went to visit
our fellow crew member Kobi Velber who was still
hospitalized. We bought him a book called Emunot, wrote him
an inscription, and went in to vist.
He was
laying in bed half dead! He suffered burns on his face and on his
entire body, plus a few broken ribs and liver damage. We asked him,
“Kobi, how are you?”
He then
said something I will never forget. He said, “Believe me that all
this will pass, but I’ll never forget the tank rolling over me!”
So, as I
wrote in the beginning of this memoir, this week – 25 years ago, I got my life
back for a second time! On Rosh Chodesh Tamuz my tank was hit, and
on that day I celebrate my second birthday, as I could have easily suffered the
same fate as my friend Rami z”l, but I was privileged to continue to live!
