Katz, Aharon-Asher
Son of Rachel-Malka and Meshulam-Issachar was born on 19.9.1927 in the city of Lopatin, Poland. In 1933 he immigrated to Israel with the family that settled in Haifa. For eight years he was one of the best students in the Netzach Israel school and later completed a course in commercial subjects at the BaMaleh High School. In his youth, he was active in the “Bnei Akiva” organization and Mashavgar joined the Hapoel Hamizrahi organization. Worked in secretarial positions in various places, and his ambition to work in the bank was realized in the autumn of 1946 when he was accepted to work at the Haifa branch of the Palestine Industrial Bank, where he devoted himself to his work and succeeded in it until he reached the rank of assistant bookkeeper. The Bank’s management evaluated his service and when the draft order was published, he appealed to the recruitment committee in order to be released on account of his interests, because his work was essential to the bank, but he failed his employer’s efforts in his letter to the recruitment bureau, Wind was waiting every day for an answer to the appeal. At the end of his wish, on February 1, 1948, he set out for training and later for combat service in the Palmach’s Yiftah Brigade. Participated in battles in the Lower and Upper Galilee. In preparation for the first truce, the Yiftah Brigade was demoted to the central region and took part in the fighting in the Latrun area. At the end of the first truce, the brigade participated in the “Dani” operation and on July 17-18, 1948, towards the beginning of the second truce, the “Haemek” Battalion seized Shilat and controlled the eastern part of the Korikor ridge to threaten the wing of the legion in Latrun. In the morning it became clear that the Legion force was holding the western part of the ridge. The enemy attacked the force in the outpost from two directions with the aid of armored vehicles, and that was forced to withdraw. In the harsh retreat in an open area under crossfire, many of the fighters fell. This battle fell on the 11th of Tammuz 5708 (18.7.1948). On the 11th of Adar 5702 (28.2.1950) he was put to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
