Mayik, Yaakov (Mike)

Yaakov (Mike), son of Chaya and Aryeh Mayik, was born on November 8, 1919 in Bialystok, Poland. He completed elementary school and was active in the Zionist movement. In 1934, at the age of 15, he immigrated to Israel. Yaakov joined the Haganah at the beginning of the 1936-1939 riots. With the beginning of the Second World War, he enlisted in the British Air Force, served for six years in the Eighth Army and went to Italy. After a short period of working life, Yaakov served in the 7th Brigade. When the Arab Legion entered the fighting, the situation in Jerusalem deteriorated and the road to it was cut off by the legion of Latrun. The breakthrough was planned for Operation Ben-Nun A and the mission was assigned to Brigade 7. The attacking forces encountered stronger enemy forces and had to retreat. This battle took place on the fifteenth of Iyar 5708 (May 24, 1948), and on that day he died. On the 11th of Adar 5702 (28.2.1950) he was laid to rest in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.