Page 52 - HaMizrachi02-04( #12)2019RoshHaShanaYomKippurUSA
P. 52

The Heroes





        of Outpost 107



        by Shlomo Horwitz














               utpost   107,  code-named     and the lead truck exploded. The IDF   other forces in a  ferocious  tank
               ‘Portugal,’ was the closest   tanks joined the fray and wiped out   battle elsewhere in the Golan. The
        OIDF  outpost  to  Syria  in         the Syrian convoy.                  remaining Golani soldiers were left
        October of 1973. It was next to                                          unprotected. Their ammunition and
        Quneitra in the Golan Heights        The next morning, October 7th, the   food rations were dangerously low
        and  was  manned  by  a  platoon  of   platoon successfully repelled another   and there was no help in sight.
        Golani soldiers from Battalion 13.   Syrian attack. But the tanks were very
        The outpost consisted of a series of   low on ammunition. The outpost    And the very next day they watched
        bunkers with observation points and   was cut off and surrounded; no     one Syrian tank rise on the hill.
        gun positions. The platoon’s main    ammunition or supplies could get in.   And then another one.
        job was to observe Syrian activities   Meanwhile, at dawn on October 8th,
        on the Syrian side of the Golan.     six Syrian tanks launched an attack.   And another.
        There was a small tank company       The soldiers managed to destroy five
        nearby to aid the men in repelling   but the sixth sneaked up so close to   Three hours later there were 110
        any ground attack from Syria.        the eastern side of the outpost that   tanks facing Outpost 107.

        The  war  started  with  a powerful   the IDF tanks could no longer safely   The Golani platoon didn’t stand a
        Syrian artillery barrage. Most of the   fire on it.                      chance. “Zeh avud – all is lost!” some
        outpost’s positions were destroyed,   Yossi Zadok, a Golani corporal who   yelled in despair. “Don’t give up!”
        including their supply of drinking   had arrived  on  Yom  Kippur  itself,   said Amos.
        water. Four tanks led by Shmuel      had received some training in using
        Yachin from Battalion 74 of the 188th   a bazooka rocket launcher but hadn’t   Elimelech  radioed  Northern
        Brigade opened fire and destroyed    been known as a good shot. There    Command. “I need air support!”
        eight Syrian tanks attempting to cross   was no time to think or plan. Yossi   “Negative,” came the reply. “No
        the border. Syrian infantrymen racing   had to act fast. He quickly jumped up   planes are available.”
        toward the outpost were killed by the   and fired. A direct hit!
        Golani platoon.                                                          “Then armored support!”
                                             At 11:00 am, 15 Syrian T-62 tanks
        That night, the men spotted a        rushed at the outpost. Shmuel       “Negative. All tanks are fighting
        convoy of Syrian vehicles carrying   Yachin and his tank platoon jumped   southwest of your positions.”
        anti-aircraft   and     anti-tank    into the fray, destroying 13 of them.
        guns. Avraham Elimelech, their       Two managed to hide and tried       “Artillery support!” he shouted,
        commander, radioed a warning         to escape at nightfall. The IDF     desperate.
        to the IDF tanks. Nissim Avidan      destroyed one; the other got away.  “None available.”
        manned the heavy machine gun and
        Amos fired an illumination round to   Then came bad news: Shmuel’s       One soldier took a shell casing and
        light up the area. Nissim opened fire   tank platoon needed to support   etched the 19 names of the soldiers


    52  |
   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57