[Leica] JUNE 6th 42 YEARS AGO!

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

June 6th, 1967 wasn't quite D-day however?

 

 

Israel June 6th 1967: 6 Day War.

 

Driving north from Tel Aviv with the journalist I was working with and an
Israeli Military Information officer, no cell phones for extra
communications in those days, so we had no last minute idea what we were
about to run into. Suddenly the sound of incoming artillery shells which
began landing in the wheat fields to our right and left. Starting fires
creating smoke and dust along with earth flying all over. Arnold the
journalist, was driving so he began to slow down, the worst thing to do
because it made us an easier target. If it were we they were shooting at?
Seemed to be, as there wasn't anything else but some farm buildings and
fields.

 

WHOOM!!!!!! One side. WHOOM!!! The other side, now it seems they are getting
closer. I'm yelling at Arnold to drive faster and zig zag along the road,
hell we were the only crazies on the road anyway so not much chance of
hitting oncoming traffic. The wheat fields are burning with smoke you can't
see much any way, so what the hell drive as fast as you can and if you have
a crash it'll probably be over anyway? Or how do you want to die?  Car crash
or shell?

 

Suddenly one lands just off the road and we can't see anything for stuff
flying all over. Arnold comes to a screeching stop, leaps out of the car and
into the road side ditch, the Israeli officer right behind him. Me? I'm in
the back seat grabbing cameras and bag before diving for the ditch also.
Then shell after shell into the fields on both sides of the road but none
hit the car. Nor obviously us!

 

Arnold is screaming, about getingt killed, then something about "who'll pay
for the car if it's hit?" The car being a rental vehicle by him. Me? I don't
care! I'm just head down and groveling into the ground as I can get. The
barrage lasted about 20 minutes with shells landing all about, thank
goodness none do any damage to car or us other than being covered with
flying dirt and dust..

 

When it stopped we quickly returned to the car, this time I drove as fast as
I could, but still keeping the car on the road to a kibbutz about 5 miles up
the road. They had also been shelled with a number of military casualties.
Arnold wanted a story, I wanted pictures and began to put camera up but was
moved out of the buildings by senior officers who wouldn't let us stay, but
made us move on to the next kibbutz.

 

So June 6th 1967 in my book is a special kind of day that I really wouldn't
want to live through again.

Just thought you folks might like to know we all have our June 6th sort of.

 

Cheers,

Dr. ted