Medal of Valor (Israel)

The Medal of Valor (Hebrew: עיטור הגבורה‎,Hebrew pronunciation: [(ʔ)iˈtuʁ (h)agvuˈʁa] Itur HaGvura) is the highest Israeli military decoration.

עיטור הגבורה
Medal of Valor
Awarded by Israel Defense Forces
Type	Military decoration
Eligibility	Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces
Awarded for	"Performing an supreme act of valor while facing the enemy and risking one's life"
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	1970
Last awarded	1975
Distinct recipients	40
Precedence
Next (lower)	Medal of Courage

The medal was established in 1970 by the Knesset in an act of law as a replacement for the Hero of Israel military decoration that was awarded during the 1947-48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Awards of the medal were also made for actions prior to 1970, and all recipients of the Hero of Israel automatically received the Medal of Valor as well.

Recipients of the medal receive several privileges such as a tax reduction and invitations to official state ceremonies.

To this day, 40 medals have been awarded: 12 for actions in the War of Independence (Hero of Israel recipients automatically awarded the Medal of Valor), four for the Sinai War, 12 for the Six-Day War, one for the War of Attrition, eight for the Yom Kippur War and three others awarded on other occasions.

Design

The medal was designed by Dan Reisinger in the shape of 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.

Recipients

Name	Rank	Conflict	Place of action	Date of action	Reason for receiving medal
Yair Racheli[1]	Private	War of Independence	Near Shefa-'Amr	19 January 1948	Destroyed an enemy position
Emmanuel Landau[1]	Private		Kiryat Motzkin	17 March 1948	Captured an enemy supply truck
Avraham Avigdorov[1]	Private		Kiryat Motzkin	17 March 1948	Destroyed two enemy Bren machine gun positions
Zerubavel Horowitz[1]	Second Lieutenant		Road to Jerusalem	27 March 1948	Covered the retreat of his comrades during an enemy attack
Yizhar Armoni[1]	Private		Nabi Yusha	20 April 1948	Covered the retreat of his comrades and the evacuation of wounded soldiers
Emil Brig[1]	Sergeant		Kibbutz Gesher area	14 May 1948	Destroyed a bridge and thus preventing the enemy from advancing
Zvi Zibel[1]	Airman		Ben Shemen	25 June 1948	Delivered supplies to the besieged Ben Shemen while under heavy enemy fire
Ben-Zion Leitner[1]	Private First Class		Iraq Suwaydan	19 October 1948	Destroyed enemy bunkers
Ron Feller[1][2]	Sergeant		Karatiyya	19 July 1948	Destroyed an enemy tank
Yohai Ben-Nun[1]	Captain		Mediterranean Sea	22 October 1948	Sank the Egyptian Navy flagship
Siman-Tov Ganeh	Private		Iraq Suwaydan	19 November 1948	Covered the retreat of his comrades
Arieh Atzmoni	Master Sergeant		Rafah	4 November 1948	Rescued a cannon from enemy hands
Yaakov Mizrachi[3]	Private	Retribution operations	Kuntila	28 October 1955	Displayed great courage in charging the enemy
Pinchas Noy	Lieutenant		Qalqilyah	10 October 1956	Charged enemy positions and killed nine enemy soldiers
Uzi Bar-Zur	Corporal	Sinai War	Sinai	26 October-5 November 1956	Rescued wounded soldiers while under fire
Dan Ziv[4][5]	Second Lieutenant		Sinai	1 November 1956	Rescued wounded soldiers while under fire
Yehuda Ken-Dror	Private		Sinai	1 November 1956	Located enemy positions while under heavy enemy fire
Shlomo Nitzani[6][7]	Sergeant		Sinai	26 October-5 November 1956	Rescued wounded soldiers and destroyed enemy positions while under heavy enemy fire
Zvi Ofer[8]	Major	Retribution operations	Nukaiv	16 March 1962	Charged enemy positions
Moshe Drimmer[9]	Private	Six-Day War	Golan Heights	9 June 1967	Covered the retreat of his comrades
Daniel Wordon	Captain		El-Arish	7 June 1967	Covered the rescue of wounded soldiers
Uri Weisler	Lieutenant		Rafah	5 June 1967	Continued to engage the enemy while injured
Shaul Vardi[10]	Sergeant		Golan Heights	9 June 1967	Continued to engage the enemy while injured
Moshe Tal	Lieutenant		Gaza Strip	5 June 1967	Commanded a force of half-tracks
Yosef Lapper	Sergeant		Khan Younis	5 June 1967	Fought for eight hours alone with his tank
Eitan Neveh[11]	Private		Jerusalem	6 June 1967	Covered his forces in the Battle of the Ammunition Hill
Beni Inbar	Staff Sergeant		Rafah	5 June 1967	Destroyed eight tanks
Mordechai Friedman	Lieutenant		Jerusalem	6 June 1967	Destroyed an enemy position
Gad Refen[12]	Lieutenant		West Bank	6 June 1967	Commanded the conquest of an enemy position near Jenin
David Shirazi[13]	Private		Golan Heights	9 June 1967	Charged an enemy position
Natanel Horovitz[10]	Lieutenant		Golan Heights	9 June 1967	Charged an enemy position
Ami Ayalon	Lieutenant	War of Attrition	Green Island	19 July 1969	Heroic action during Operation Bulmus 6
Oded Amir	Captain	Yom Kippur War	Port Said	6–24 October 1973	Commanded a force which damaged three enemy ships in Port Said harbour
Gideon Giladi	Major		Egypt	15 October 1973	Commanded an armour battle
Zvika Greengold	Captain		Golan Heights	6 October 1973	Delayed an enemy armour column
Moshe Levy[14]	Sergeant		Sinai	15 October 1973	Destroyed an enemy position
Yuval Neria[15]	Captain		Sinai	6–18 October 1973	Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles
Shlomo Arman	Second Lieutenant		Sinai	6–8 October 1973	Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles
Asa Kadmoni	Major		Sinai	18 October 1973	Fought a large enemy force while surrounded
Avigdor Kahalani	Lieutenant Colonel		Golan Heights	9 October 1973	Excellent conduct during numerous armoured battles

References

1. "Last Minute News Hundreds of Thousands Jam Tel Aviv to Witness Army Day Parade; Weizmann Decorates H..." Jewish Telegraphic Agency. July 18, 1949.
2. Ofer Aderet (February 6, 2016). "Israeli War Hero Ron Feller Dies, 84". Haaretz.
3. Uzi Dann (April 19, 2010). "Memorial Day The Fallen Striker". Haaretz.
4. Henkin, Yagil (October 22, 2015). The 1956 Suez War and the New World Order in the Middle East: Exodus in Reverse. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7391-8721-0. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
5. Pressfield, Steven (May 6, 2014). The Lion's Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-698-16397-3. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
6. "IDF chief of staff lays flag on grave of fallen soldier". Jerusalem Post. April 10, 2013.
7. Henkin, Yagil (October 22, 2015). The 1956 Suez War and the New World Order in the Middle East: Exodus in Reverse. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-7391-8721-0. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
8. Amir Oren (15 January 2009). "Color Red, White House, Green Line". Haaretz.
9. Dunstan, Simon (2009). The Six Day War 1967: Jordan and Syria. Osprey Publishing. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-84603-364-3. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
10. Dunstan, Simon; Dennis, Peter (February 20, 2013). The Six Day War 1967: Jordan and Syria. Osprey Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-4728-0197-5. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
11. Dunstan, Simon; Dennis, Peter (February 20, 2013). The Six Day War 1967: Jordan and Syria. Osprey Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-4728-0197-5. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
12. Amir Oren (January 26, 2015). "Desperate journey, stupid act: Why Israelis voters should see right through Netanyahu". Haaretz.
13. Rashba, Gary L. (June 2011). Holy Wars: 3,000 Years of Battles in the Holy Land. Casemate Publishers. p. 215. ISBN 978-1-61200-019-0. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
14. "IDF War Hero: The Soldier Who Lost His Arm and Risked His Life to Strike the Enemy". Israel Defense Force official blog (idfblog.com). October 23, 2013.
15. Avihai Becker (November 13, 2002). "No End to This Bitter Battle". Haaretz.

• John D. Clarke, Gallantry Medals & Awards of the World, p. 108