Survive and Tell (cont.)

After the Six Day War, we shortened the courses and determined that each basic, advanced and sergeant's course would last for a period of 4 weeks. This framework assisted the planning and progress of the classes to and from the school. H.Q. began talking about transferring the antiaircraft officers and soldiers from the Artillery to the Air Force.

Most of the officers, in fact all of them, were in favor of the transfer. I was amongst the very few who objected. I had both emotional and relevant reasons for my objection, being that I had served as a gunner since the War Of Independence. I made every effort to prevent the transfer to the Air Force, even though we would receive innovative weaponry at the Air Force. Another good reason in favor of the transfer to the Air Force was the attitude of the Artillery Corps towards the antiaircraft over the years, as if we were inferior to their favorite Field Artillery.

The relevant reasons for my objection to the transfer to the Air Force were based on the difference in operations, conditions and morale. The antiaircraft soldiers had the most terrible conditions compared to other soldiers at the air force bases where they were stationed but, because they wore the black beret of the gunners, their friends outside of the base considered them fighters and their validation was from the artillery and not the Air Force. Wearing the Air Force uniform was not enough for me, even though they were allowed to wear a unique badge with a red background and beret.

In spite of my objection and that of Abrasha Granot, but mostly in view of the Chief of the Artillery Corps, Baruch Baruchin's weak stand on the matter, the antiaircraft soldiers and officers were transferred to the Air Force and received new air force uniforms. I didn't like to be an artillery officer in the air force. I had nothing against serving in the air force at any other position, which by some coincidence and fortune I achieved in the end.

Advanced course in Italy

In 1969 I traveled to Italy, together with 3 young technicians, in order to study a radar target simulator called SURO, which we acquired for better training and exercising our radar operators. The course was in Rome at the Contraves Italiana Company. This company is a subsidiary of the Swiss company that developed the RADAR used in our antiaircraft array. It was a well-earned break after many years hard work. This was my first visit to Rome and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and historic sites. At the weekends we traveled around the country. We visited the Tivoli Gardens and spent one weekend in Florence where one of the technicians had family.

The trip to Pompeii was very emotional because we met a Jewish family from France who had very nice, polite children. Even though we met by chance, we became very friendly. Even today I am not sure why we became so emotional and, when I look at the pictures, I am so moved.

The Military Attaché organized a trip for me to the antiaircraft school in Sabaudia, not far from Latina, the city that Mussolini built from scratch as a fascist model city. In order to allow us to travel to Florence, he organized a visit to the Galileo Company, a well-known weapons manufacturer. One of the technicians with us had family in Florence, we visited them and, according to the family's recommendation, toured the tourist attractions - a little museum, a little shopping, a little sculpture and long walks around the market and along the famous bridge Ponte Vecchio.

We were not tourists who followed planned routes, but we were able to absorb the ambience of this beautiful city and we were left with a taste for more.

Inbal was born

Inbal was born on September 16 ^th 1969 at the Tel HaShomer Hospital. Anat and Ofra, my two elder daughters, are both very different from each other, and so is Inbal. The three of them are unalike, but we dearly love each one of them. We were already experienced in parenthood and everything went smoothly (and I didn't suffer any pain this time either). Anat and Ofra were both ecstatic with their new sister. Ofra took over the task of looking after her because she loved her sister very much. Inbal was born a few months after my mother's death and that is why we called her Inbal Hayah. We had 4 rooms at our apartment in Kiron, Rivka's lounge, Rivka's bedroom, Rivka's kitchen and the children's room, shared by Anat and Ofra. Up till then, I also had a room that I had craved for years. When Inbal arrived, I again was left without a room, without my own little corner, in my own home.

Maybe this is the reason I took refuge in my work, spent many hours at the office where I had my own room, albeit for a short time, but where I was king. Who knows? Inbal was a beautiful blond, just like Anat. My driver and secretary loved her very much and were just as excited as I was about her. At that time, I was very busy with the antiaircraft school.

Rushed trip to Germany

I received a message from Israel requesting that I join my old friend Arieh Kedar, who was part of the purchasing contingent in Paris, to attend a study tour at one of the Philips factories in Germany. We agreed to meet at Paris Airport.

I did not inform anyone that I had a high fever. I just kept drinking liquids. The German airhostess noticed that I had a raging temperature and gave me anything I requested, non-stop drinks. From our hotel in Bremen, we were taken to the "Electro Special" plant. The Marketing Engineer, a man in his forties, drove a luxurious Mercedes at a speed I was not used to. The view was impressive and, in spite of the speed, I managed to observe the unfair division of wealth and beauty, the trees, the greenery and the water that was granted to the Germans who had mercilessly slaughtered most of the European Jews, including an entire generation of children.

After we had been on the road for about an hour, we reached the factory where we were shown a range of RADAR equipment that could be used as radar warning system by the antiaircraft battalions. This was the first time I had stepped on German soil. Many years had passed since the war had ended, Israel received "reparation payments" and in 1962 we received from the Germans the weapons that I actually operated and taught how to use.

Everyone in Israel was so impressed with the Volkswagen Beetle car and I asked myself how we could forgive them for what they had done to us, the Jews. In some ways I saw the fever I was suffering with as an omen from God. The omen helped me to get through my quick trip. My colleague, Arieh Kedar, was born in Czechoslovakia but he and his close family emigrated to Palestine and, thus, avoided being massacred. The truth is that we didn't talk about it and I do not know what he really felt, knowing my suffering and that of our people. Whatever, I did not enjoy this trip and I was happy for that.

In the evening, after we had rested at the hotel, the Marketing Engineer picked us up and took us to dinner. We again went on a long trip, but this time he drove at a reasonable speed, or perhaps I had become used to his driving. The restaurant was in an area full of trees in a building that was once a flourmill. In view of my acquaintance with flourmills that my family had owned, I was able to identify the artifacts from the mill that adorned the restaurant. This could have been a very enjoyable evening for an ordinary and healthy person, but for me, especially because of my high fever, it was torture, in spite of the efforts of my hosts, who went out of their way to make our evening pleasant.

This was a sad evening, full of memories of the past, of what the Germans had done to our people and how they so elegantly shook off the failure of war and exited as victors, developed and became a financial superpower. We did not purchase their RADAR, even though the Dutch company, Philips, owned their company.

On the way back, again via Paris, I visited my sister and brother-in-law. Arieh, whose car was waiting for him at the car park, drove me to my sister, where I stayed for the weekend.

I returned to Rome to finish the course after I had been absent for a week. We stayed at the Pensione Dan Hotel in Rome in Buonacompagnia Street. This was a very central street on the corner of the prestigious Via Veneto Street. We stayed at the hotel for about 40 days and met many visitors who came and went, amongst them an Israeli envoy and his family who were stationed in England, who were on their way to visit their family in Israel and his two daughters, both of whom were to be drafted.

The owner of the hotel, an Israeli who had served in the marine commando, was very nice and friendly. He made sure we had a good time every evening. We usually went to the youth clubs. Even though I never usually went to dance parties in Israel, I danced in Rome as I had never danced in all my life. For me, the time I spent in Rome was a relief after a period of long, hard work and pressure. This trip was definitely timely. I remember Rome as rose-colored continuous assortment of pleasure. It was in Rome that I listened to the live broadcast of the landing on the moon. After 40 days in Rome, I left for a week's vacation to London. I had not been to London since 1955. I spent the week with friends, the Rose family, whom I had met in Israel but who lived in London. This time, 14 years later, I saw London in a different light and fell in love with it. During the first visit, London felt hostile, unapproachable and strange. This time I felt more at home. I saw shows, the hit at that time was the musical "Hair", and I enjoyed them very much. I even dared to venture outside of London.

Return to The School from Italy

When I returned to the Battalion, I felt that they had breathed a sigh of relief when I had left. My new deputy, Ronia Lapid, who replaced Amos Arad, had been an officer in the Heavy Antiaircraft 883 ^rd Battalion.

Ronia had left the army with the rank of Lieutenant, had worked at "Merkavim", returned to the IDF and studied at university. He had many different jobs, but excelled as Chief of Manpower Department 2 in the Head Adjutancy.

Moshe Tamir recommended him as my deputy to which I agreed on condition that he would take an antiaircraft officers course in order to become reacquainted with the equipment and operations after so many years. Ronia was very different from my previous assistants. He was an exemplary deputy and complemented me in the tasks I did not undertake, or did not want to deal with.

The officers and soldiers at the school liked him very much because of his easy manner. In a team comprising of commander and deputy, one must be pleasant and the other tough. It is desirable that the deputy be the tough one and the commander the nicer of the two.

In life, and especially in the army, this is difficult to predetermine and appoint officers accordingly. About two years later, Ronia left the school, as Amos had done, and received his own battalion. He was replaced by Major Shabtai Maestro, another candidate I had to, perhaps, prepare for promotion.

The school was, amongst others, a temporary reservoir for commanders and unquestionably used as a school for commanders. With regard to Ronia, what is interesting is that I really enjoyed working with him, but never saw him as an independent commander of a large unit. Apparently I was wrong about him because he completed his military service as the commander of antiaircraft forces with the rank of Brigadier General, a job and rank that I never achieved.

With the Mayor of the adopting city, Herzlia

General Rabi Shlomo Goren at an official visit at the AAA School

Celebrating promotion of officers
and their appointment to higher positions
To my left Rivka and Mrs Arad my deputy's spouse

Graduation of officers course
On my left: Maj.Gen.Moti Hod IAF Commander.
On my right BGen. Baruch Baruchin, Chief of the Artillery

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