גן יסעור
לזכר נ"ד צנחנים וטייסים
שניספו בתאונת מסוק בבקעת הירדן
כ"ג באייר תשל"ז
10.5.1977

Yasur Garden commemorates the victims of the air accident in which a "Yasur" helicopter (Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion) crashed in the Jordan Valley on May 10, 1977. All 54 passengers on board the helicopter were killed - 44 soldiers from the Paratrooper Brigade and 11 aircrew members.

The memorial garden was photographed that day Click for a larger image

The sign is on a monument consisting of 3 rocks, and around it on the ground is the inscription
"לזכר אלה שנפלו בדרכם אל היעד באוויר, בים וביבשה. לא זכו לראות את ליל הקרב ולא את יום הניצחון"

[Translation]
"In memory of those who fell on their way to the destination in the air, at sea and on land. They did not get to see the night of battle or the day of victory"
Click for a larger image Click for a larger image Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

On a stone slab are engraved the lyrics of the song "Song in the Morning in the Morning" by Amir Gilboa:
שִׁיר בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר

פִּתְאֹם קָם אָדָם בַּבֹּקֶר וּמַרְגִּישׁ כִּי הוּא עַם וּמַתְחִיל לָלֶכֶת,
וּלְכָל הַנִּפְגָשׁ בְּדַרְכּוֹ קוֹרֵא הוּא שָׁלוֹם.
דְּגָנִים עוֹלִים מוּל פָּנָיו מִבֵּין חֲרִיצֵי הַמִּדְרֶכֶת,
וְנִיחוֹחוֹת לְרֹאשוֹ מַדִּיפִים עֲצֵי אִזְדָּרֶכֶת.

הַטְּלָלִים רוֹסְסִים וְהָרִים רִבּוֹא קַרְנַיִם - הֵם יוֹלִידוּ חֻפַּת-שֶׁמֶשׁ לִכְלוּלוֹתָיו.
וְהוּא צוֹחֵק גְּבוּרַת דּוֹרוֹת מִן הֶהָּרִים
וְנִכְלָמוֹת מִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת הַמִּלְחָמוֹת אַפַּיִם
לְהוֹד אֶלֶף שָׁנִים מְפַכּוֹת בַּמִסְתָּרִים

אֶלֶף שָׁנִים צְעִירוֹת לְפָנָיו -
כְּפֶלֶג צוֹנֵן.
כְּשִׁיר רוֹעִים.
כְּעָנָף.

פִּתְאֹם קָם אָדָם בַּבֹּקֶר וּמַרְגִּישׁ כִּי הוּא עַם וּמַתְחִיל לָלֶכֶת,
וְרוֹאֶה כִּי חָזַר הָאָבִיב כְּמוֹ הוֹרִיק שׁוּב אִילָן מִן הַשַּׁלֶּכֶת

אמיר גלבֹע

[Translation]
Song in the morning in the morning

Suddenly a man arose in the morning and was moved, for he was a people and began to walk,
and to all who met him on his way he called out, "Peace."
Grains grow before him from the cracks of the path,
And at his head, the branches of the chinaberry trees are spread out.

The hills are red and the mountains are full of rays - they will give birth to a canopy of sunshine for his gatherings.
And he laughs at the might of generations from the mountains
And the wars of the epics bow down
To the glory of a thousand years, hidden in secrets

A thousand years are young before him -
Like a frozen stream.
Like the song of shepherds.
Like a branch.

Suddenly a man gets up in the morning and feels that he is a nation and begins to walk,
and sees that the spring has returned, just as a wild boar returns from the field

Amir Gilboa
Click for a larger image

Translation of the text on the sign:
Yasur Garden
In memory of 54 paratroopers and pilots
who died in a helicopter crash in the Jordan Valley
23 Iyar 5737
10.5.1977