TANKER WHO NEARLY DIES RESCUING HIS FRIENDS TO RECEIVE MEDAL
Yediot Achronot (Newspaper), March 28, 2007
The 'small' act that Lieutenant Avi Deutsch performed during the second Lebanon War saved his friends from death and almost cost him his own life. After returning to serve in his Armored Corps Unit in a non-combat capacity, he still hopes to one day return to his tanks, and cannot understand how he has become an unwilling hero, about to receive a medal from the Chief of Staff. For his continued work he will also receive the President's Award for Excellence for the Armored Corps.
Lieutenant Deutsch serves in a unit that is part of Battalion 401 of the Armored Tank Corps. He was hit by no less than four pieces of shrapnel near the eyes, another in his jaw and two in his shoulder. He has almost no hearing in his right ear. The only shrapnel removed in the hospital was from his thigh. All this did not prevent him from returning to the unit to which he's attached.
Two weeks after the war began, Lt. Deutsch (who was commander of a unit that is part of Battalion 401) and his unit arrived in a tank-holding area deep in Lebanon. As soon as they were settled in, Hezbolla terrorists began shooting anti-tank missiles at them. "I saw a flash and an explosion of an anti-tank missile. I thought the tank was hit. I ran toward it with a first-aid kit. When I arrived, I saw that the tank was in fact intact. I climbed on the tank, and found that it was stuck." [Those inside the tank are unable to see outside] Lt. Deutsch directed the driver of the tank towards cover when the Hezbolla shot another anti-tank missile. "I remember the noise and a really strong flash. The missile hit about half a meter from my feet. I yelled to the loader but he didn't respond. I felt that one of my eyes was swollen and with the other I could still see the white flash. I threw myself off the tank. I was certain that everyone inside was suffocating from the smoke. The explosions continued. I managed to get to the back entrance of the tank and open it. Suddenly the tank staff came out. When they saw me they started treating my injuries."
Lt. Deutsch was given first-aid care and was evacuated to a hospital for continued treatment. He was defined as having moderate injuries. Two and a half months after sustaining his injuries he decided to return to his unit. Today he still doesn't understand what all the fuss was about. "I did my share. At least I did something, but that's all I did," so he says.
Avi Deutsch is the brother of our long time member, Kate, who was a frequent contributor to TTT when she was a teen.
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