Survive and Tell (cont.)

L to R: Shalom, Mother Haya, father Nachman,
sister in law Pnina, brother David

I returned to the base and we spent nearly two months preparing for the biggest maneuver that had taken place up to that time, in which the armor division operated versus the ground infantry. The aim was to prove, and did in fact prove, that the armor division was not just auxiliary weaponry, as believed, but rather offensive weaponry, utilizing movement, fire and surprise.

The months of training and preparing for the maneuver passed very quickly. There was a great deal of activity in the daytime and much work at night. In spite of the difficulties, I enjoyed every minute. As the Intelligence Officer of the Artillery Group, I was allotted much flying time. The maneuver took place in the Gat-Galon region and I flew from the Falujah runway, which is today Plugot. My pilot was a veteran and experienced ex Yugoslavian officer and IDF volunteer called Koss. He instructed me on the duties of an Intelligence Officer.

During the evenings, when we were not busy organizing tactical drills, etc., we held sing-a-longs. The most popular songs were Russian WWII army songs. We sat in groups and held singing competitions to see who sung better and who louder and, above all, who sung consistently. There were not very many girls, but there were enough to grant diversity to the singing and a competitive atmosphere to the events.

Between drills, I became very good friends with an HF radio operator from Menahamia. She tried to persuade me to join her family's farm after my army service. I made it clear to her that I had decided to devote my life to the army but, had I not made this choice, I would have surely chosen to become an agriculturist. She was disappointed but we remained friends for many months, even after the maneuver had concluded.

It was during the time we were preparing for the maneuver between the "blues" and the "greens" that, for the first time, ice cream lollies were being sold in Israel. They were called "Artik" and became a great hit. We all devoured the quality ice cream and were amazed at the unique, clean and aesthetic packaging.

The maneuver was over. I requested to return to the Haifa area, because my instructing duties at the base had been completed.

My request was approved and I traveled north, again in the back of a lorry, together with a number of other officers that had just been commissioned. This time we landed up at the camp of the 402^nd battalion in Jalameh.

Returning to the 881st Battalion, Commandant of the Battery

One of the graduates who came with me to Jalameh was Gedalia Kleinstein, (Rami Kleinstein's father). He was due to report with me in the morning to the 881 ^st Battalion. Gedalia was short, had already lost most of his hair and had a loud yet soft voice. He had been on a course in the Navy and had practically completed it, but then got into trouble – apparently he spoke his mind to someone of higher rank, was dismissed and transferred to the artillery corps. We quickly became very good friends and he asked to stay with me wherever I was stationed.

I was acquainted with everyone at the 881^st Battalion, except the new Battalion Deputy Commander, Captain Joseph Straus. The veterans told him lots of stories about me and prepared him for the meeting with me. He definitely seemed to know a lot about me during our first meeting. The Battalion Commandant was still Uzi Orshanski, whose truck I had practically destroyed. Because I still had privileges in the battalion, I was given the great honor of sharing a room with the Battalion Deputy Commandant who traveled to his home in Naharia every day so, in actual fact, the room was entirely mine.

Joseph Straus was a new immigrant from Holland who had served for many years in the army in the antiaircraft division. He had served in the army prior to the Second World War, wanted to make a career of it but, with the invasion of the Nazis, was placed in a prisoners of war camp. It was only after the end of the war that he returned to active duty, was sent to Indonesia, to the Dutch colonies in the Far East and was promoted to the rank of Major. Within a short space of time, I had the impression that he was ambitious and wanted eagerly to become the battalion Commander

Standing:
Lt. Shalom Eitan, Major Uzi Orshansky,
and Capt. Joseph Strauss
Kneeling:
Other officers of the 881 Battalion.

Captain Straus informed me that I was going to receive a battery that had recently been established and he felt that, finally, it was going to receive a worthy commandant. I asked him to appoint Gedalia as my deputy and he had no objection.

That very same evening, a meeting was held between the officers and Captain Straus who was, in fact, acting Battalion Commandant because the Battalion Commandant was busy preparing for squadron operational drills, which were to take place within the smallest operational framework. The issues of hygiene and the unit's funds were on the agenda. Captain Straus explained the importance of order, cleanliness and personal hygiene and said that the officers should set an example in all areas. I agreed with him. I even agreed when he continued to talk about the need for economizing. But, at the end of his lecture, he asked for suggestions on how to spend the unit's funds that had increased due to the extended operations of the Shekem (military canteen service). I suggested that we act according to his proposals for economizing and save the money.

He did not like this and thought that I was provoking him. He expressed anger during the break and upon leaving the room. When I returned to the room that I shared with him, I saw Captain Straus polishing his shoes on the bed, on the blankets and sheets. I remarked that this was contradictory to his words regarding hygiene and I again received an angry, if not furious, glare. In one evening I had "caught him out" twice for being inconsistent. In spite of the hostile beginning, we became very good friends and I feel that we both admired each other. At least I had great respect towards him as a person as a commander and his professional skills, as an AA artillery officer.

He really was a good commandant, an excellent officer and a genuine antiaircraft artilleryman. Straus changed his name to "Tirosh", became Battalion Commandant and later the commander and highest-ranking AA officer. – or, as it was called, " Katsin Tamach Alef " – a title to which he really was worthy.

The Battalion Commandant, Uzi Orshanski, did not want the soldiers – the operational battery – to either be in or hold their exercises within the Battalion' enclosure. So I took the Battery for a prolonged period of exercise to "Tantura" (Dor), and Atlit.

Never before had an antiaircraft unit undergone exercises in Atlit. During the exercise, Joseph Rosenthal, who was once my Sergeant in the HQ Battery, met Erica, who later became his wife and they have two wonderful sons. She lived in the Atlit "Maabarah" (transit camp) and was particularly beautiful (She was Beauty Queen of "Bat-Galim" a famous Haifa swimming pool).

During the period of time that I spent with the Battery in Tantura, the IDF underwent a period of cutbacks. Some of the permanent army officers were obliged to leave the army. Morale was low. The purpose of the army's actions was not clear. The economical state of the country was very bad. Efforts were still being made to absorb the immigrants and create places of work in order to ensure them a source of income.

Commander of the new recruits

Upon our battery's return to the base, after many months in the training range, I was ordered to instruct army recruits. I had never done this beforehand and I wanted to at least train one set of recruits. For this purpose, I chose one young officer, a graduate of Officer's Training Center no. 1, called Baruch Keren-Zur from a family of agriculturists from the Krayot near Haifa. Baruch was an officer who loved to work and he was conscientious. He seemed to be the kind of educator who definitely believed in setting a personal example.

He really was the kind of officer I admired. I gave him a lot of freedom and in spite of the fact that I was a lieutenant and he was a second lieutenant, I trusted him completely. I only involved myself when it was absolutely necessary, such as for planning drills, choosing firing ranges, routing and, of course, for explanatory or disciplinary purposes.

Demonstrating training achievements

Baruch had full responsibility for training both individuals and classes. We chose a training range for the recruits that was adjacent to Shefar-Am, in a sparse olive grove. (While writing this section, a new neighborhood is being established there called "Mitspeh Adi". My youngest daughter, Inbal and her husband, Sharon, are building their home there).

During the day, I supervised the instruction and organization and during the evenings I traveled to the "Beit Ha-Malach" in order to study for the "preliminary exams". I began studying at the "Dugmah" school in Tel-Aviv. It was my sister who persuaded me to study; she wrote whole sections in her letters about the importance of studying. She sent me my certificate from the "Cultura" High School so that I could carry on where I had left off. Even though the studies where interesting, I was not that enthusiastic at the beginning, but later on I made every effort to study.

I lacked knowledge in many spheres and, in order to quickly correct this, I purchased little booklets on the subject of psychology, philosophy, astronomy and many other words that I did not know the meaning of. I did not become an expert from these books but they gave me a glimpse into each sphere.

I learnt basic geology and geography of Israel's past and, at night, I read intensively, first in Romanian and then in Hebrew.

Even thought I spoke fluent Hebrew, my vocabulary was limited. I tried to speak in the same fashion as my Battalion Commandant, who had a good command of the language – so much so that I was envious. His handwriting was calligraphic and I tried to copy him, but it was very difficult and I often failed.

On one Saturday night, I wanted to eloquently deliver the Sabbath prayer but, instead of saying "Le Kinuah Ha-Seudah" (the final course), I said for "Le Kinuah Ha-Keiva" (the "stomach" course), which, of course, caused my recruits to burst into laughter. I did not understand the mistake until Baruch Keren-Zur, my faithful deputy, explained where I had gone wrong.

Because of my desire to speak "intelligent Hebrew" to my soldiers, I became very nervous before every group discussion. This uncomfortable situation, talking in front of a large crowd, accompanied me for a long time. My salvation came from an unexpected source during a seminar of officers of the northern command at the "Armon" cinema in Haifa. Moshe Dayan, one of the most famous persons in Israel and commandant of the northern command, got on the stage and in front over 500 officers of all ranks, gave a long and convincing speech in simple Hebrew. I understood everything he said and was deeply impressed by his words, but even more impressed by his clarity of thought, which he expressed in plainly spoken Hebrew.

I decided, there and then, that if it was OK for Moshe Dayan to speak plain Hebrew, then it was definitely all right for Lieutenant Shalom Eitan (Fichman). From then on, I slowly overcame my fear of speaking in public, as long as I dealt with topics that I am familiar with and understand.

The training period of the recruits ended. Baruch and I were informed that it had been very successful and that, for the first time, the recruits had been treated humanely, even thought the training was hard and professional.

There was a young, blond man in this graduation class who was granted the title of "Outstanding Recruit" and a great future was predicted for him in view of his great talents – Shlomo Goodelevitch, later Shlomo Gal, who was later awarded the Decoration for Valor for his actions as a artilleryman in Kalkilyah, definitely something that was rare in those days.

  "Survive and Tell"     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 11 Jun 2005 by LA