Cohen, Yosef

Yosef, son of Leah and Shlomo, was born on September 2, 1949, in Kibbutz Farod, and was the first child to be born in this kibbutz, and after graduating from elementary school in his kibbutz, he went to the Technion in Haifa, was a diligent and thirsty student, and according to his teachers, he was the first to come to the classroom. He also excelled in learning English, and only a year after he began to study, he was a class interpreter on his annual trip. He was a very friendly and active person in every circle to which he was active, He was a strong, handsome, fair-haired, brown-eyed boy whom girls loved and whom everyone nicknamed “Yossi” or “Joss.” Yosef was drafted into the IDF at the end October 1967 and assigned to the Armored Corps. After completing basic training and completing his course in Armored Corps courses and tank commanders course, he succeeded in his position and was therefore sent to officers’ course. After that, he took part in a course for armored corps officers and was assigned to an armored unit in the position of commander of the tank division and a second lieutenant. His unit was quickly recognized as an efficient, dedicated, honest, decent and capable officer, who excelled both in training and in command posts and was promoted to lieutenant. He was very proud of the Armored Corps and was attached to it. On the 20th of Tishrei, 5734 (October 16, 1973) Yossi fought at the head of his platoon in the framework of the breakthrough force that penetrated the West Bank. In the decisive battle, Yossi’s tank broke out at the head of the front forces, made way for the forces of success and entered a long, cruel and daring night battle. In this battle Yossi’s tank was hit and he was killed. He was laid to rest in the civil cemetery at Kibbutz Parod. Survived by his parents and brother. In his letter of condolence to the bereaved family he wrote: “I discovered that I had a great privilege, that Yossi was a platoon commander in my company.”