Ran, Meir

Son of Yehezkel and Ruth. He was born on 10 June 1946 in Kibbutz Yagur and completed his studies in the elementary school and in the later classes in the kibbutz, where he was a great student, Who was in the ninth grade and was sent to a course for instructors, he was a very sociable boy, “fiddled with electronics” and when he worked on tractors he installed a hat with a headset and a connection to the transistor, so as not to miss the songs. And organized the mechanization of the industry before volunteering for a third year of service to strengthen Kibbutz Yad Hannah. Air was drafted mid-November 1965, and volunteered with two of his group, the Air Force – to become a pilot. It was a kind of family tradition, since his older brother was a pilot and commander of the flight school. Ran did not want to enjoy his brother’s name. He decided he had to be good, to be like everyone else, and if possible, to be better. After finishing the pilot course with excellent grades, he stayed at school – this time as a guide. His apprentices loved him very much because they knew he would fight for them and do his best to make it through the difficult course. He would return with his apprentice from the flight and analyze analytically every detail of the apprentice’s activities and emphasize what should be improved and where to correct. He knew when to give a compliment, when to encourage and when to press and demand more. He was an outstanding pilot and a member of the aerobatics team of the base. After two years of compulsory service he decided to tie his fate in the air force and join the career army. He went from strength to strength, and on November 21, 1972, a Syrian MiG-21 dropped an air battle. On February 9, 1973, Captain Meir was killed in the military section of the cemetery in Kibbutz Yagur, leaving his wife and two children, and his commander wrote in a letter of condolence to the family: “Ran, besides being one of the best pilots in the corps, Love us all as a person. His constant cheerfulness, his kindness and his being a good boy in every sense – gave him the name of one of the first rank. At the flight school he was a course commander, a regular pilot in the aerobatic team, and one of the pillars of the instructors. Beyond his cheerfulness and kindness, he was able to surprise us with seriousness, discretion and an old attitude. “After his fall, the kibbutz published a pamphlet in his memory, which included the words of kibbutz members, comrades in arms, memoirs and farewells.