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The Fight for the Valley of Tears

The 44th anniversary of the beginning of the Yom Kippur War is today.  On that day, 6 October 1973, Syrian armor attacked on the northern flank of Israel, crashing through the thin IDF defenses in the Golan Heights with an infantry division and more than 200 tanks.   At the end of the savage four-day fight,…

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The 44th anniversary of the beginning of the Yom Kippur War is today.  On that day, 6 October 1973, Syrian armor attacked on the northern flank of Israel, crashing through the thin IDF defenses in the Golan Heights with an infantry division and more than 200 tanks.  

At the end of the savage four-day fight, the Israeli 7th Armored Brigade counted nine operational tanks available out of the original 120.  The men had fought nearly without end for three days, with little water or food, and almost no sleep.  However, they had smashed the Syrian 7th Infantry Division, and destroyed more than 600 tanks and armored vehicles.  

Lieutenant Colonel Avigdor Kahalani, commander of the 77th Battalion of 7th Armored Brigade, recounts those grim and desperate days in his tribute book, The Heights of Courage.   The book is a must-read for anyone wanting to know more about the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the men who fought it.  

URR here.

(Added linkie)

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Responses to “The Fight for the Valley of Tears”

  1. SFC Dunlap 173d RVN

    If memory serves the Israeli’s fought the battle equipped with mostly British Chieftan tanks. Another “David and Goliath.”

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  2. ultimaratioregis

    Centurion variants, actually, but yes.

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  3. Esli

    One good thing about being stationed in Jerusalem: My current plan is to get out with my team and walk the Battle of Jerusalem (my apartment is astride the opening fight of that battle). Once that is done, we will go hit the Golan Heights.

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  4. SFC Dunlap 173d RVN

    Ya just gotta pinch yourself sometimes given the fact that they pay us to do these missions!!

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  5. Quartermaster

    I remember the start of that war very well. Courtney had just pulled out of Rota headed to NORVA for decomm, when we got the word to stand by for orders. About 6 hours later we were ordered to continue onto NORVA. I tried to follow the news as best I could from the feeds we got, but this was 1973 and such things were a bit sketchy. I didn’t find out how desperate the battles were until things were over.
    When I got to Sylvania at the beginning of ’74 the most popular book was Hal Lindsey’s “Late Great Planet Earth.” A bunch of sailors thought the end was just about upon us. I know a lot of Israelis thought so.
    Esli, I envy you. Wish I could go on a walking tour like your headed to. Particularly the Golan.

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  6. ultimaratioregis

    @Esli,
    Take pics. Lots and lots of pics. With your “how would I fight my battalion?” hat on. Por favor.

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  7. Quartermaster

    Indeed URR. That would make a great post here. I’d love to see it.

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