Oko, Assaf

Assaf, the youngest son of Bluma and Eliahu, was born on March 24, 1952, Kibbutz Kfar Giladi. He was well integrated with the children and his peers and attended the local school and the regional high school in Kfar Blum. Assaf was very interested in the animal world, ever since he was a little boy and used to accompany his father who worked in the cowshed. This interest grew over the years, and reached its peak, with an unreserved dedication to the “Wildlife Park” project on the kibbutz. In the 12th grade he was chosen as the subject of “The Language of the Rocky Rocks” and in this work, which required great patience and caution when monitoring the way of life of the suspicious animals, Assaf was found to be fully capable and able to persevere. He worked in the orchards, but did not abandon his preparations to take the matriculation exams, despite the fact that his work was very difficult. He was a wonderful son to his parents, he took care of them and always thought about them Assaf was drafted into the IDF in early November 1970 and volunteered for the IAF. After spending several months as a pilot, he was transferred to the Armored Corps. In this corps he underwent various professional courses and was eventually appointed commander of a tank. During his service he was a devoted soldier and a model commander and was loved by all. Because of his long service in the front lines, he was awarded the “Operational Service Award”. At the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War, Assaf was added as a tank commander to a reconnaissance unit in the reserve division of the Dan Lerner Division. His staff were reserve soldiers who were older than him and throughout the fighting he took care of them and made them as easy as possible. After five consecutive days of fighting, full of heroism and bravery ;, on the day of 16 Tishrei 5734 (October 11, 1973), his tank was hit by a missile fired by the Syrians. Although he himself was not hurt at all and managed to get out of the tank safe and sound, Assaf returned to the tank and tried to extract the gun from him. In the course of his action, he was mortally wounded. He was laid to rest in the civil cemetery in Kfar Giladi. Survived by his parents, sister and brothers. After his death he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Assaf fell as a hero a few days before his discharge from the regular service and with the release certificate he was supposed to receive upon his release, his commander wrote: “His behavior was very good, he was a good and disciplined soldier who performs his duties in a good and efficient manner.” In a letter of condolence he wrote to the family, his commander said: “Assaf was courageous and cold-hearted in the face of the Syrian enemy.” His parents and his friends published a booklet in his memory with the words of friends and friends about his character and his way of fighting and falling in battle.