Medal of Valor

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עיטור הגבורה

Medal of Valor
Awarded by Israel Defense Forces
Type military decoration
Eligibility Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces
Awarded for Heroism
Status Currently awarded
Statistics
Established 1973
For other medals of the same name, see Medal of Valor (disambiguation).

The Medal of Valor (O't Ha'gvora, Hebrew: עיטור הגבורה) is the highest Israeli Military decoration.

The medal was established in 1970 by the Knesset in an act of law and was also awarded for actions prior to 1970.

Recipients of the medal receive several privileges such as tax reduction and invitation to official state ceremonies. They are titled "Hero of Israel".

To this day, 40 medals have been awarded: 12 during the Independence War, 5 during the Sinai War, 12 during the Six-Day War, 8 during the Yom Kippur War and 3 others awarded on other occasions. The first 12 recipients also won the Hero of Israel decoration.

[edit] Design

The medal was designed by Dan Reisinger. It is shaped as a Star of David.

A sword and olive branch decorate the left side while the reverse is plain.

The medal is attached to a yellow ribbon, a reference to the yellow star that Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust. Two time recipients of the medal attach a small medal-shaped clasp to the ribbon.

The medal is minted by the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation. It is made of 25 gram silver/935 and the clasp is chrome plated.

[edit] Recipients

Name Rank Conflict Place of action Date of action Reason for receiving medal
Yair Racheli Private War of Independence Near Shefa-'Amr 19 Jan 1948 Destroyed an enemy position
Emmanuel Landau Private War of Independence Kiryat Motzkin 17 Mar 1948 Captured an enemy supply truck
Abraham Avigdorov Private War of Independence Kiryat Motzkin 17 Mar 1948 Destroyed two enemy Bren machine gun positions
Zerubavel Horowitz Second Lieutenant War of Independence Road to Jerusalem 27 Mar 1948 Covered the retreat of his comrades from an enemy attack
Yizhar Armoni Private War of Independence Nabi Yusha 20 Apr 1948 Covered the retreat of his comrades and evacuation of wounded soldiers
Emil Brig Sergeant War of Independence Kibbutz Gesher area 14 May 1948 Destroyed a bridge and thus preventing the enemy from advancing
Zvi Zibel Airman War of Independence Ben Shemen 25 Jun 1948 Delivered supplies to the besieged Ben Shemen while under heavy enemy fire
Ben-Zion Leitner Private First Class War of Independence Iraq Suedan 19 Oct 1948 Destroyed enemy bunkers
Ron Feller Sergeant War of Independence Kartiya 19 Jul 1948 Destroyed an enemy tank
Yohai Ben-Nun Captain War of Independence Mediterranean Sea 22 Oct 1948 Sunk the Egyptian Navy flag ship
Siman-Tov Ganeh Private War of Independence Iraq Suedan 19 Nov 1948 Covered the retreat of his comrades
Arieh Atzmoni Master Sergeant War of Independence Rafah 4 Nov 1948 Rescued a cannon from enemy hands
Yacov Mizrachi Private Kuntila 28 Oct 1955 Displayed great courage in charging the enemy
Pinchas Noy Lieutenant Qalqilyah 10 Oct 1956 Charged on enemy positions and killing nine enemy soldiers
Uzi Bar-Zur Corporal Sinai War Sinai 26 Oct-5 Nov 1956 Rescued wounded soldiers while being under fire
Dan Ziv Second Lieutenant Sinai War Sinai 1 Nov 1956 Rescued wounded soldiers while being under fire
Yehuda Ken-Dror Private Sinai War Sinai 1 Nov 1956 Located enemy positions while being under heavy enemy fire
Shlomo Nitzani Sergeant Sinai War Sinai 26 Oct-5 Nov 1956 Rescued wounded soldiers and destroyed enemy positions while being under heavy enemy fire
Zvi Ofer Major Nukaiv 16 Mar 1962 Charged against enemy positions
Moshe Drimmer Private Six-Day War Golan Heights 9 Jun 1967 Covered the retreat of his comrades
Daniel Wordon Captain Six-Day War El-Arish 7 Jun 1967 Covered the rescue of wounded soldiers
Uri Weisler Lieutenant Six-Day War Rafah 5 Jun 1967 Continued to engage the enemy while injured
Shaul Vardi Sergeant Six-Day War Golan Heights 9 Jun 1967 Continued to engage the enemy while injured
Moshe Tal Lieutenant Six-Day War Gaza Strip 5 Jun 1967 Commanded a force Half-tracks
Yosef Lapper Sergeant Six-Day War Khan Younis 5 Jun 1967 Fought for eight hours alone with his tank
Eitan Neveh Private Six-Day War Jerusalem 6 Jun 1967 Covered his forces in the Battle of the Ammunition Hill
Beni Inbar Staff Sergeant Six-Day War Rafah 5 Jun 1967 Destroyed eight tanks
Mordechai Friedman Lieutenant Six-Day War Jerusalem 6 Jun 1967 Destroyed an enemy position
Gad Refen Lieutenant Six-Day War West Bank 6 Jun 1967 Commanded the conquest of an enemy position near Jenin
David Shirazi Private Six-Day War Golan Heights 9 Jun 1967 Charged an enemy position
Natanel Horovitz Lieutenant Six-Day War Golan Heights 9 Jun 1967 Charged an enemy position
Ami Ayalon Lieutenant War of Attrition Green Island 19 Jul 1969 Heroic action during Operation Bulmus 6
Oded Amir Captain Yom Kippur War Port Said 6-24 Oct 1973 Commanded a force which damaged 3 enemy ships in Port Said harbour
Gideon Giladi Major Yom Kippur War Egypt 15 Oct 1973 Commanded an armour battle
Zvika Greengold Captain Yom Kippur War Golan Heights 6 Oct 1973 Stopped an enemy armour column
Moshe Levi Sergeant Yom Kippur War Sinai 15 Oct 1973 Destroyed an enemy position
Yuval Neria Captain Yom Kippur War Sinai 6-18 Oct 1973 Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles
Shlomo Arman Second Lieutenant Yom Kippur War Sinai 6-8 Oct 1973 Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles
Asa Kadmoni Major Yom Kippur War Sinai 17 Oct 1973 Fought a large enemy force while being surrounded by them
Avigdor Kahalani Lieutenant Colonel Yom Kippur War Golan Heights 9 Oct 1973 Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles

[edit] External links

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