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NOVEMBER 18, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Forgotten Her es
A Walk Down Memory Lane By Avi Heiligman
M
any people have a passion for learning about military history and the ways warfare evolved through the ages. Generals and other heroes are often talked about in history class, but the vast majority of soldiers, sailors, marines, servicemen and servicewomen are overlooked. For over a Moe Berg decade, this column sought out the stories of many of these forgotten heroes. In fact, this is the 500th article of “Forgotten Heroes,” and in that vein, I would like to share some the favorite heroes that I have covered in the past. The first three “Forgotten Heroes” articles were all based on one man who refused to join the military. In recent years, the Moe Zvika Greengold, left, with Lt. Col. Aryeh Berg story has been told, Berger, commander of the 74th Armored but there are many parts to Battalion his spying career that are rarely told. the people. Berg was born to RusOn his way to another important sian Jewish immigrant parents in assignment in Switzerland, Berg Manhattan and had a passion for stopped in Florence, Italy. Dressed both baseball and academics. He played baseball in the majors for as a German officer speaking a speseveral years, all while becoming a cific dialect of German and garnerlawyer. At the start of World War II, ing salutes from German soldiers, he joined the OSS (precursor to the he walked around the Galileo munitions factory taking mental notes CIA). which he passed on to his superiors. Moe’s first big assignment was After hearing a lecture from the top to evaluate the political situation in German scientist, Moe came to the Yugoslavia. Berg met with leaders of conclusion that the Nazis were not both parties and sent back his report close to building an atomic bomb. to William Donovan. Moe informed This crucial piece of intelligence was the OSS chief that the Communist partisans under Marshal Tito were immediately forwarded to the U.S. stronger in force than the loyalists president who then sent his regards to the catcher. to the king and had the backing of
were greatly relieved. Little did they realize that it was a three-tank formation that was coming to assist in beat-up tanks. Soon it was just Zvika and his crew left fighting. He shot at a silhouette of a tank, and it burst into flames and then destroyed three more in succession. Zvika played cat-andJacob Farj Rafael Jacob with Indian Prime mouse with an advancing Minister Narendra Modi Syrian column, ducking behind natural boundaries as well as shot-up tanks. He destroyed several more tanks and moved to the slopes where only the gun and the turret of the tank were visible, thus making him a very small target. After an hour, the Syrians retreated, and his kill figure reached double digits. Things got tougher at Lydia Litvyak that point, as more Israeli tanks tried to join his force but were ambushed. Then, Zvika’s own tank was hit, and his driver was killed. Zvika Greengold was a 21-yearDespite his wounds, Zvika got into old tank lieutenant on reserve when the Arabs launched a surprise attack another tank and kept on fighting. Even though the Syrians had at the start of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. He quickly put on his uni- the upper hand at this point in the battle, they stopped advancing and form and hitchhiked to the northern front in the Golan Heights. Most of the Israelis were finally able to bring up more reinforcements. Zvika was the tanks in the Golan were badly damaged, and only a few were in any sent to a hospital to recover from his shape to continue fighting. When wounds and was given the Medal of he arrived on the battlefield, Zvi- Valor for his actions during the battle. ka got in one of the tanks that was still running and led another two Jacob Farj Rafael Jacob was tanks into battle. By 9 PM, he went to join the Barak Brigade – the sec- born in 1923 in British-controlled ond-in-command called him “Zvi- India and served in the British Army during World War II. He gradka Force.” Other tank crews heard that Zvika Force was coming and uated from officer school and, while
