Thirty-eight years ago, the United States experienced a wave of patriotism as it celebrated the nation's bicentennial. There were countless events and special observances throughout the year of 1976, focusing on our history, momentous events and the iconic individuals involved.

   Today, in looking at the Spokesman-Review's front page of July 4, 1976, I was caught off guard by another story that happened to gain worldwide attention at the same time of the U.S. celebration: the famous Raid on Entebbe. I had forgotten that important event occurred on July 3-4 on the other side of the globe.

   In June 1976, terrorists hijacked an Air France plane with 248 passengers and eventually forced the pilot to land at Entebbe in Uganda, where dictator and madman Idi Amin supported their cause. Many of the hostages were released unharmed, but not the 102 Israelis and Jews. The terrorists threatened to kill them unless 40 Palestinians were released in Israel. The Israelis engineered a successful and dramatic commando raid in which the hostages were safely released. The unit commander, Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was the lone commando killed in the raid.

 

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