The navies of four nations which aided Israel in the vain search for the lost submarine Dakar in January, joined today in paying final tribute to the undersea craft’s 69 officers and crew. The occasion was the end of the shiva, the traditional seven day mourning period which began when the submarine was officially declared lost last week. It was marked by solemn ceremonies ashore and at sea and by a last tribute broadcast to the nation by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol who said that Israel’s mission was to strengthen its naval forces.
Aboard the destroyer Yaffo and the escort submarine Tanin, bugles sounded taps and flags were lowered to half mast as seven wreaths were cast into the sea in memory of the lost meant. Four of the wreaths were sent by the United States, British. Greek and Turkish navies which had helped the search. Present on deck were the Deputy Naval Attache of the U.S. Embassy and Air Vice Marshal R. G. Knott, Chief of Staff of the British Mediterranean Command. With them were Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Chaim Bar Lev and other high ranking officers of Israel’s armed forces.
Ashore, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, chief chaplain of Israel’s armed forces recited the Kaddish with relatives of the lost men. An Army cantor chanted the traditional ‘El Moleh Rahamim,” prayer for the dead.
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