Dotan (Dimant), David

David, son of Rachel and Jacob, was born on August 25, 1947, in Haifa, where he studied at the “Reali Haivri” elementary school in his hometown, and then went on to high school in the same institution. (As they liked to call him his family and friends), he passed through Mount Carmel, where his spirit was shaped and his character was built, and David was a boy of energy and love of life. He was very active in the company, both inside and outside his school, and although he did not like the framework of the Reali School and had criticism about the way he studied there, Twelve years of study, the last four of which were in the real trend, and during his studies he was also active in the Gadna club in his city. He devoted much of his spare time to preparing activities and training. He successfully completed a course for Gadna commanders and then, thanks to his great success in training, was also sent to a course for departmental commanders, and completed this course successfully and returned to his Gadna Club as one of the senior instructors. As part of the activities, he organized field trips, which he loved most. He took every opportunity to participate in field races of all kinds, in various places around the country. Dudu also liked to take pictures and took his camera to all the different places he came on his many trips and photograph. He had a special pleasure in his hobbies – collecting stamps and music. These hobbies shut him up for long periods of time and then he would be free of all his activities and absorbed in them. Before completing his studies, he decided to join the IDF, but after completing his first year of studies at the Technion’s Faculty of Mathematics, David enlisted in the IDF in early September 1966 and was assigned to the Armored Corps. After completing several months of service as a pilot, he was able to undergo an eye examination, which was required of volunteers for the pilot, and was accepted as an apprentice in an Air Force pilot course. In March 1968 he completed the course and was assigned as a pilot in a squadron of Skyhawk aircraft. Dudu volunteered to serve in the framework of the career service until May 1972. During this period he served first as a combat pilot and was later appointed as a pilot at the flight school. In 1969 he married Dorit, his girlfriend. In 1970 their son Dror was born, and in 1973, two months before the war broke out, their daughter was born in Denmark. During his service, Dudu began his studies at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Be’er Sheva. After his discharge from the IDF, Dudu continued his studies at the Technion in Haifa, and at the same time worked for a building contractor company with his father, and during the Yom Kippur War, Dudu participated in the battles on both fronts as a Skyhawk pilot on October 9, 1973. An anti-aircraft missile fired by the Syrians and his uncle was killed. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Haifa. Survived by a wife, son and daughter, parents and sister. After his fall, he was promoted to captain.