The Second War in Lebanon, terrible casualties at Ita A-Sha'ab, only one leading platoon, two combat teams and simultaneous attacks without one knowing about the other….our attack is totally cut off from theirs….

We've hit the enemy and those who tried to prevent evacuation of our wounded and finally night fell….. We started rescuing the wounded, but because of the large number, two helicopters had to come. At the landing area, the two teams made contact, and it turns out that they also have wounded men and that they also had a very hard day…. Distribution of the wounded on the helicopters is reported: sitting wounded to the northern helicopter and those laying down to the southern one. And the dead…..I stopped Yoav from the second group and asked him who? He didn't want to tell me and tried to walk away…I grabbed him very strongly by his vest…..he told me who was killed…..

From that moment on, many things would never be the same again….
To hear Ilan's replacement on the radio just doesn't seem natural. The songs "Canaanite Blues", "Unnamed Song" and the "Little Prince" just don't sound the same….
To pass the "Hashomrim" intersection on the way to the pub or to be with soldiers on patrol on Mt. Herzel, takes on new meaning.

Sitting at a regular family Friday night dinner when you know that they are not sitting with their families….to be the commander of a platoon very recently named in memory of one of them….
It's inescapable, they enter into everything we do almost without our noticing… Their stories accompany us in lectures on the value and love of the Land of Israel. They are with us, at the company maneuvers, the platoon holiday, combat duty, standing guard and in training the next generation of fighters.  They're with us at the beach as we watch the waves and feel the wind and all kinds of thoughts run through our heads. They are with us when we tour the Galilee, with the astounding view being covered with a joint picture of all their faces.

I, Sagiv Peretz, born and raised in Afula, a Paratrooper in the IDF for some six years now, will remember….and never forget!

These words were written and read by Sagiv at the Memorial Day ceremony for Israel's fallen in Afula. Sagiv was awarded the Medal of Valor by the Division Commander for his bravery and functioning in the Second War in Lebanon.