Jump to content

Yad La-Shiryon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum at Latrun
AMandateeraTegart fortserves as the main building of Yad La-Shiryon.
Yad La-Shiryon is located in Jerusalem
Yad La-Shiryon
Location of museum
Established1982(1982)
LocationLatrun,Israel
Coordinates31°50′17″N34°58′50″E/ 31.838056°N 34.980417°E/31.838056; 34.980417
TypeMilitary Museum
Websitewww.yadlashiryon.com

Yad La-Shiryon(officially:The Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum atLatrun;Hebrew:יד לשריון) isIsrael's official memorial site for fallen soldiers from thearmored corps,as well as one of the most diversetankmuseums in the world.[1]The cornerstone for Yad La-Shiryon was laid on December 14, 1982(1982-12-14).

The site was created through the initiative of veteran officers of the armored corps. The outdoor display includes 110 tanks and otherarmored fighting vehicles,both Israeli and captured enemy examples including theMerkavaandT-34,T-54,T-55,T-62tanks, as well as vehicles obtained or purchased from allied nations specifically for diversifying the collection like the GermanLeopard tankor the onlyT-72on display in Israel. Other notable items include: anM4 Shermantank mounted high atop a former British water tower; a collection of mobile bridges constructed by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) which can be carried by tanks and erected while under fire; captured enemy vehicles, most of which Israel has modified and updated; a tank with a blown up gun; and a long, engraved commemorative wall bearing the names of Armored Corps soldiers killed in defense of the country.

Memorial site

[edit]

The main building, aMandate-eraTegart fortress,houses a library with a publicly accessible computerized record of every fallen Israeli tank soldier, and asynagogue.The deeply pocked outer walls of the fort are a reminder of the building's wartime past and its use by theArab Legion.The tower of the fortress has been converted into aTower of Tearsby Israeli artist,Danny Karavan.The inside of the tower is covered by steel taken from a tank and water circulating from a pool underneath theinstallationtrickles down the walls.[2]

The museum also features a large amphitheater, an auditorium, and has photos, poetry, paintings and cartoons on display. Screenings are held regularly, showing both historical film footage and more recent tributes to Israelis injured and fallen.

TheWall of Names,erected outside, displays the names of all the soldiers from the Armored Corps killed in the1948 Arab-Israeli Warand later wars.

Tank on the tower

[edit]
The Sherman tank on the tower

The most famous sight at Yad La-Shiryon is most likely that of a tank on top of a tower, which serves as the museum's logo. In 1979, by decision of late Major General (Ret.)Moshe Peled,the tank was hoisted on top of a tower on the site, which was originally used as a water tower. The tank that was chosen is an AmericanM4 Sherman,one of the first tanks that fought in the service of theIsrael Defense Forces.Since the water tower was only designed to support 25 tons and the tank weighed 34 tons, both the engine and transmission gears had to be removed.

Tank collection

[edit]
Latrun tank collection

Yad La-shiryon is famous worldwide for its unique and diverse collection of tanks and armored vehicles. There are over a hundred different vehicles in the collection.[1]

Here are some of the tanks and military vehicles on display. Variants are usually listed under the original country of origin.

Israeli

[edit]
IsraeliMerkavaIII at Yad La-Shiryon

American

[edit]
M551 Sheridan Light Tank
"Eyal observation post" Israeli adaptation of AmericanM4 Sherman
M42 Duster

British

[edit]
Alvis Saladin
FV4101Charioteer tank

French

[edit]
Renault R35light tank

German

[edit]
Panzer IV

Soviet

[edit]
Captured EgyptianIS-3heavy tank
Captured Egyptian T-100
BTR-50-based Medevac vehicle

Allied Forces Monument

[edit]
Allied Forces Monumentat Yad La-Shiryon

A monument was constructed as a tribute to theAllies of World War II,led by the United States, Great Britain and The Soviet Union. The monument is composed of a rock pile, on top of which the three main battle tanks that served in the armies of the Allied Forces on different fronts: a British Cromwell, an American Sherman, and the Soviet T-34. The monument is surrounded by the flags of 19 countries and organizations that actively participated in the struggle, including the flag of theJewish Brigade,which fought within the ranks of the British army. It is being reconstructed as of December 2011.

Museum of Armored Corps History

[edit]

The museum includes several exhibits dedicated to the history of armored combat in general, including:

  • Model room with dozens of tanks
  • Full-scale models of:
  • Stamp collection, featuring tanks and other armored vehicles

Other features

[edit]

The site also has a large outdoortheaterwhere various ceremonies and performances take place, as it is one of the largest theaters in the country and centrally located. There is also abirdwatchingfacility equipped with aradarto trackmigratory birds.

IDF Caterpillar D9armored bulldozerat anIDFGround Command(Army) exhibition onYom Ha'atzmaut2012

See also: other tank museums

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abLatrun Armored Corps Museum
  2. ^Yadlashiryon.com(in Hebrew)
[edit]

Media related toYad la-Shiryon Museumat Wikimedia Commons

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yad_La-Shiryon&oldid=1239730554"