Undercurrent: Tank Commander Cadet in the Yom Kippur War

"This fascinating memoir recounts the experience of Amir as a young soldier, caught up in the chaos and violence of the Yom Kippur War of October 1973. It vividly retells the constant fighting through the entire war as the initially overconfident Israeli military learns hard lessons and regains its balance to take the fight to its enemies." ― Military Heritage Magazine

Tank commander cadet Amir Bega is about to leave training for the Jewish High Holiday of Yom Kippur when a surprise attack on Israel by Egyptian and Syrian forces upends this peaceful reprieve, throwing the teenager into an unexpected war. A war in which the confidence and complacency of the Israeli army led to disaster.

Believing himself well-trained and the Israeli army unstoppable, Bega struggles to accept the horrifying events surrounding him. His battalion was annihilated in one of the first combats by new anti-tank weaponry. He survived and joined a reserve unit, with which he fought to stop the Egyptian army from advancing beyond the first line of defense, all through the war’s end.

In this realm of death and destruction, Bega comes face to face with the conflicts between the reality of war, his core beliefs, and his basic ideology. As the war progresses, he deals with the horrific losses of both those around him and his own innocence. Tank after tank that he joins is destroyed or damaged, and he is seen as a bad omen by those still alive. Gnawed by survivor guilt, the young soldier agrees to go on a sole perilous mission to rescue an army technical unit surrounded by Egyptian commandos.

This captivating first-hand account, as viewed through the eyes of the young soldier, conveys the heavy toll of the Yom Kippur War and its impact on the people of Israel. Ultimately, Undercurrent is a story about survival, friendship, humanity, duty, and honor.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Toronto - Summer 2019
Chapter 2: Shivta, Israel - Oct. 5, 1973
Chapter 3: First day of Yom Kippur War - Oct. 6, 1973
Chapter 4: Facing reality - Oct. 7, 1973
Chapter 5: Break - Oct. 8, 1973
Chapter 6: New crew - Oct. 9, 1973
Chapter 7: Can it be - Oct. 10, 1973
Chapter 8: POW - Oct. 11, 1973
Chapter 9: Repair and Maintenance return to full operation – Oct. 12-13, 1973
Chapter 10: Battle to keep our defense lines – Oct. 14, 1973
Chapter 11: Preparation for crossing the Suez Canal – Oct. 15, 1973
Chapter 12: Rest and recovery – Oct. 16, 1973
Chapter 13: Ambushed – Oct. 17, 1973
Chapter 14: The crossing – Oct. 18, 1973
Chapter 15: New tank crew – Oct. 19, 1973
Chapter 16: Anti-tank stronghold – Oct. 20, 1973
Chapter 17: Rescue – hero? I am not a hero – Oct. 22, 1973
Chapter 18: Ceasefire – Oct. 24, 1973
Chapter 20: The war is over – Oct. 26, 1973

Amir Bega was born in an Israeli kibbutz to devout Zionist parents. From a young age, he was taught patriotism, duty, honour, and love for his country. They were true believers, and for many decades of my life, he felt the same. Today, he is a retired engineer from the aerospace industry in Israel and Canada. He is married, a father of two, and lives in Toronto, Canada.