Saluting the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade: A Legacy of Courage, Sacrifice, and the Red Beret

Saluting the Paratroopers Brigade: A Legacy of Courage, Sacrifice, and the Red Beret

The Paratroopers Brigade was officially established in 1955 through a historic merger between the 890th Battalion and the mythological “Unit 101” commanded by Ariel Sharon. Since then, it has set the operational and ethical standard for the entire IDF.

Why Red? The Secret of the Beret and Boots The historical inspiration for the red beret came from the British Army Paratroopers (nicknamed the “Red Devils” in WWII). The IDF chose to adopt this color to align with the globally accepted tradition of elite airborne units. The red boots were designed to create differentiation, elitism, and unit pride. Despite common Israeli myths, this was a command-historical decision intended simply to make the vanguard fighters stand out, a tradition that began with surplus British military gear and later expanded.

Brigade Structure, Elite Reconnaissance, and Grueling Training The Paratroopers Brigade consists of regular battalions with a rich legacy (890, 101, 202), operating alongside the brigade’s elite reconnaissance units (Sayarot). These elite fighters are carefully selected through tough physical and mental tryouts (Gibush), and their role is to lead the most complex and classified missions.

Paratroopers undergo one of the most demanding training tracks in the IDF. The course includes intensive infantry training, combat in dense and urban terrain, field weeks without sleep, complex navigation, and especially heavy weight-bearing marches designed to test and stretch the limits of every soldier’s capability. During training, the soldiers complete the traditional parachuting course and receive their parachute wings. The climax of the training culminates in a grueling beret march spanning tens of kilometers with open stretchers. Historically and symbolically, the march ends at the Western Wall plaza in Jerusalem, commemorating the liberation of the Old City.

Milestones, the Mitla Operational Drop, and Jewish Holidays The operational drop at Mitla in 1956 remains one of the brigade’s most mythological peak moments. During the Sinai Campaign, fighters of the 890th Battalion under the command of Rafael Eitan (Raful) executed the first and most famous operational combat drop in IDF history. They parachuted deep behind enemy lines at the Mitla Pass in the Sinai Peninsula, seized key positions, and fought a heroic, bloody battle that became a symbol of devotion to the mission.

During the Six-Day War in 1967, fighters of the 55th Brigade broke into the Old City of Jerusalem. The declaration “The Temple Mount is in our hands” and the photos at the Western Wall plaza became a national symbol, occurring just days before the Shavuot holiday—a holiday that has since taken on profound meaning regarding the return of the Jewish people to its holy sites. The Yom Kippur War of 1973 saw tenacious fighting in the hardest holding battles, notably the “Chinese Farm” battle, where soldiers displayed supreme heroism under infernal fire during the holiday. In 1976, the brigade played a central role in Operation Thunderbolt, the complex and distant raid to rescue the hostages in Entebbe, Uganda.

Prolonged combat in Lebanon spanned from the amphibious landing in the First Lebanon War (1982), through the grinding service in the forward outposts of the Security Zone facing terror organizations, to the complex battles in Bint Jbeil during the Second Lebanon War (2006). On the morning of the Simchat Torah holiday, October 7th, 2023, regular and reserve paratroopers rushed to the combat zones in the Gaza envelope during the Iron Swords War. They fought heroically to clear the communities, rescued hundreds of civilians, and spearheaded the ground offensive in the strip.

Preserving Memory and Visual Heritage Historical recruitment posters and military documents are not merely art pieces or decorations; they are living testaments reflecting the power, values, and spirit of their era. Through the unique collections at Farkash Gallery, the moments of heroism, original aesthetics, and national identity that characterized the design of Israel’s defense forces are preserved. These items allow collectors and history enthusiasts to hold a true piece of Israeli heritage in their hands.