Ben-Shmuel, Uri (Avish)

Was born in Nahariya on March 20, 1953. Ori began his studies at the Weizman Elementary School in Nahariya, where he moved to Kibbutz Sarid, where he continued his high school studies. He volunteered for the IAF and took an aviation course. He completed his flying course during the Yom Kippur War and was assigned to serve in a helicopter squadron. After a period of service as a helicopter pilot, Uri was called to serve as a flight instructor at the flight school. He saw his calling as an educator of generations of pilots, and his great dream was to command the flying squadron. At one point, when he found out that he was too young to take command of the squadron, Uri left the army and went to the Steinberg boarding school for gifted children in Kfar Saba. When Uri arrived at the boarding school, he did not reveal to the apprentices his military past. He hid the fact that he was a pilot, because he wanted the children to treat him as he was, and not to appreciate him for being a pilot. Uri joined the school for a month. He even wanted to finance his own agriculture and the rent for his stay at the boarding school. The director of the boarding school, who was very impressed with Uri’s character and ability, reported to the supervisors in these words: “Uri began his work in the group of six, instead of the guide Tal Armon, who left his work and invested great efforts and hours of work. Because it is rare, in these days of cynicism and loss of values, to see an IDF officer taking such a vacation from the IDF. ” Indeed, Uri was known for his special affection for children. He treated the children of a fallen pilot, and all the children of the base were known as “his children.” As a child, Uri played with many instruments: the clarinet, the xylophone, and the trumpets. When Uri was in the army, he knew a boy from Be’er Sheva who wanted to play the trumpet, but his family did not have the means to purchase a trumpet. Uri volunteered his trumpet and gave it as a gift to the boy. After three months of vacation, Uri was called back to the IDF and received command of the training squadron, and his friend, David Orly, writes in his letter to the family of Avish: “… I received wings I’m still flying and I’m doing my reserve duty at the flight school, where I also met Avish. I served with many commanders in the school, but your son was, in my estimation, a commander and a man of a better rank than any of the commanders I knew. He was an exceptional soldier and officer, and his influence as commander was felt shortly after his arrival at school. ” When the Peace for Galilee war broke out, Uri was summoned to his helicopter squadron. He went to Lebanon for rescue missions, and was awarded a commendation from the IAF commander. In a letter of condolences to the family, the commander of his unit wrote: “As his commander in the short period before the war and as a member of the pilots’ team during the war … I learned to appreciate his high operational ability, his willingness to volunteer for the difficult missions and risk taking wounded soldiers from the front. This is difficult, and he did it with courage and wisdom. ” On the 28th of Sivan 5762 (16.6.1982), during an operational flight near Lake Karun, Uri fell and was brought to eternal rest in the military cemetery in Nahariya. He left behind his parents and brother. In the letter of consolation sent by an older pilot to Uri’s parents, he wrote: “I do my volunteer service because I have already passed the age of 55. This summer I thought: It’s enough to stop, but for one reason I decided to continue for another year and the reason is – Your son And now … he fell. “