Eitan Gal

Eitan, son of Nadia and Haim, was born on 6 Cheshvan 5709 (8.11.1948) in Rishon LeZion, and studied at the "Be'er" elementary school and the "Ariel" high school in his hometown.

Eitan was a good and alert student. He was a member of the Maccabi Rishon LeZion sports association and of Air Gadna, and was an outstanding athlete, mainly in swimming, and took part in various competitions and even won medals and certificates. He was also a good marksman and took part in competitions within the framework of Gadna. He had always been a lover of music, took part in the music circle at his school, and also played the trumpet in the school orchestra.

By nature Eitan was full of energy and loved life, was very sociable and popular with his friends, who saw in him a head and a leader. He always stood at the center of activity, stood out in company, and was ready to help others wholeheartedly. He was a loyal and devoted son to his parents, caring for his family and helping his brother. At the end of his high school studies he went with his father on a trip abroad.

Eitan was drafted into the IDF in mid-November 1966 and volunteered for the Armored Corps. After completing basic training he trained in a course in tank occupations and finished as an outstanding trainee, and afterwards completed a tank commanders' course and was posted to an armored unit, first as a tank gunner and afterwards as a tank NCO, and was granted the rank of Sergeant. He was an excellent gunner, and in his commander's words he was a brave, devoted and popular soldier and commander. He always carried out all the missions assigned to him efficiently and devotedly. According to his comrades-in-arms, he used to be the first to face the enemy, inspired his comrades and his subordinates even in the hardest hours of combat, and led them into battle with confidence and courage; he always took upon himself the hardest missions.

In the Six-Day War Eitan was in the force that reached the Suez Canal first, and during the battles he excelled with great skill at improvisation, being in the lead tank. In the Armored Corps he became known as an excellent gunner, and in the course of the battles he hit seven Egyptian tanks. He also took part in the battles of the War of Attrition and in the Karameh operation, and was nominated to receive a citation for excelling in the battles.

After he was discharged from regular service he took a wife and joined her at Ein Yahav, where he worked as a farmer. But after his firstborn son was born, the family moved to Beersheba and he began to work there as regional sales manager of a nationwide factory.

In the battles of the Yom Kippur War, Eitan served as a tank commander in a tank battalion that fought on the Golan Heights. He always advanced ahead of the force and was the first to identify enemy tanks and destroy them. In one of the battles he rescued two Israeli tanks that had hit mines in enemy territory, under intense artillery fire.

On 23 Tishrei 5734 (19.10.1973) his tank was hit in battle in the vicinity of the village of Umm Butna. Despite his severe wounds Eitan continued to direct his tank with hand signals, until he was evacuated to the rear and died of his wounds.

He was brought to his eternal rest in the military cemetery in Rishon LeZion.

For his fighting he was awarded the Medal of Courage (Ot HaOz) for "displaying great courage, coolness, resourcefulness and comradeship in arms." He left a wife and two children, parents and a brother. After his fall he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class.

In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family his commander wrote: "Your son was always, in time of combat, among the leading tanks in the assault, and at every moment he volunteered for various missions, such as rescuing our damaged tanks, security missions and more."

His school established in his memory a scholarship fund, to be awarded each year to two of its graduates; in the newspaper "Bamahane" an article was published about him and his heroism in battle.