The Yom Kippur War

This Yom Kippur (on Sunday, Sept 24) is the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. When Israelis were interrupted in their synagogues and fasts by familiar sirens (not really heard since 1967) announcing Arab attacks: this time in the Sinai Desert on the south by the Egyptians and in the north on the Golan Heights by Syria.

The Israel Defense Force was taken by surprise and things went badly for the first four days, with territory lost and front line troops taking heavy casualties. U.S. airlifted shipments of ammunition and equipment on the fourth day enabled the IDF to go on a full-scale offensive. But Israel had mobilized two armored divisions of mainly M-48 and M-60 tanks in less than 24 hours.

The IDF gradually turned the Syrian advance into a rout to within 35 kilometers of their capital of Damascus. The Egyptians were likewise compelled to retreat close to their capital of Cairo. And then we got the Arab Oil Embargo which turned our economy upside down and lots of diplo back-and-forthing which I won’t bore you with.

My favorite story from the war is that of Zvika Greengold, a 21-year-old captain (or lieutenant depending on the source) who commanded a Centurion tank on the Golan, one of only eight soldiers of the war awarded the Medal of Valor, Israel’s Medal of Honor.  He fought off the advance of a Syrian tank brigade with his single Centurion, which he dubbed on the radio as Zivka Force, until help arrived.