Eagles Over Auschwitz - Yom HaShoah (יום השואה)

Yom HaShoah (יום השואה) otherwise known as "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day'—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945 — also known as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Yom HaShoah is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust as a result of the actions carried out by Nazi Germany and those who supported them.

At percisly 10:00 a.m. Israel time, air raid sirens though out the country will sound for one minute, at which time every man, woman and child in the entire country stops whatever they are doing, to observe a moment of absolute silence, and solemn reflection.

On September 4, 2003 - Three Israeli Air Force F-15 Eagles descended over Poland, and began to follow the railroad tracks that lead into Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Each aircraft piloted by a child of a holocaust survivor, each aircraft carrying a complete list of those murdered within the camps walls, and most importantly, each aircraft carrying a promise to never let history repeat itself.

As the IDF F-15s overflew the Concentration camp, formation leader Brig.-Gen. Amir Eshel read out the following statement over the comms:

"We pilots of the Air Force, flying in the skies above the camp of horrors, arose from the ashes of the millions of victims and shoulder their silent cries, salute their courage and promise to be the shield of the Jewish people and its nation Israel."

They shall not be forgotten...  

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