Uzi Yairi

Uzi Yairi
אל"מ עוזי יאירי ז"ל
BornJuly 31, 1936
Ramat Gan, Israel
DiedMarch 5, 1975 (aged 38)
Savoy Hotel, Tel Aviv, Israel
AllegianceIsraelIsrael
Service / branch Israel Defense Forces
Years of service1955–1975
Rank Aluf Mishne
CommandsCommander, Sayeret Matkal
Commander, Paratroopers Brigade
Battles / wars Sinai War
Six-Day War
War of Attrition
Yom Kippur War

Uzi Yairi (31 July 1936 – 5 March 1975, Tel Aviv, Israel) was an Israeli military officer and commander of the elite Israeli army commando unit Sayeret Matkal. He was killed in action during a counter-terrorism operation to free hostages held by Palestinian militants at the Savoy Hotel.

Yairi became head of Sayeret Matkal at age 31 and a full colonel at only 35. He also served as a brigade commander during the Yom Kippur War, but left the army as a result of trauma he had suffered during the war.[1] Тo commemorate him, moshav Ro'i was named after him. The name is an acronym for Ramat Uzi Yairi.[2]

  1. ^ Ben Hartman (25 April 2012). "'There's no one like him in Israel to this day'". Jerusalem Post.
  2. ^ Vilnai, Ze'ev (1980). "Ro'i". Ariel Encyclopedia (in Hebrew). Vol. 8. Israel: Am Oved. p. 7404.