In memory and thanks...

[Mad-Dog 0]

36 years ago, yesterday, on 6 October 1973, Syria and Egypt launched a devestating surprise attack against Israel. The ISraeli forces were caught utterly unpreparedand undermanned, and lost ground in the early days of what would come to be known as the Yom Kippur War. The vast majority of the Army was on leave for the Yom Kippur holiday- the holiest day of the Jewish Calender... As a matter of fact, at the time of the attack, the Egyptian border was guarded by only a handful of soldiers. Although forces were mobilized quite quickly (most active and reserve soldiers learded of the war from their rabbis at their local synogogue services), it took the better part of a week to form solid lines of defense- at which point, against Israel's urging, Jordan had joined the war on the side of the Arab armies. Outnumbered, and fighting on three fronts, the situation for the Israelis looked grim.

 

Thanks to brave active and reserve soldiers and a "just in the nick of time airlift, after three weeks a cease fire was pushed through- and Israel had actually regaied a little bit past it's original border. It came at a high cost gowever- 2668 Israeli soldiers dead and many more wounded. Estimates place between 400-500 missing and captured. An entire generation suffered effects from various stress disorders. The casualty rate (as a percentage of population) was greater than that of the US during the ten years in Vietnam...and this was in three weeks. So that I could have the opportunity to live freely in this wonderful and beautiful nation.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those brave men and women... I poured out a drink for you tonight. True heroes...

[Ruggbutt 45]

S!

[+wilco 11]

S!

[fallenphoenix1986 603]

S!

[+Dave 2,322]

S!

[Silverbolt 104]

[Nesher 628]

<S>

 

 

[+ST0RM 145]

Having just spent the last 2 1/2 weeks in Egypt, this date was on my mind as well.

 

S!

[Badfrank 5]

A salute to the poor Souls on both sides...