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Biography
Born July 1958 in Tel Aviv, Chemi Peres is the youngest son of Sonia and Shimon Peres, a brother to Tsvia Walden ("Tziki") and Yoni Peres. He is named after Nechemia Argov, the Military Secretary to the Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, and a friend of his father. The family lived in a modest flat in the old Northern part of Tel-Aviv. Many of Peres' classmates were children of major figures of the Israeli society, including his father, who was already the Minister of Defense.
In 1976 Peres graduated from ORT Technicum high school in Givatayim. He enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces, and started the flight course at the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy. His participation was suspended due to asthma, his medical profile was reduced to 45, which meant that he could not serve in a combat duty. Insistently, Peres managed to up his profile, and joined the Armored Corps. After completing the basic and advanced training as a tank crew member, he transferred back to the flight academy. After finishing the basic flight course, Peres considered to discontinue the flight course. After six months as a non-commissioned officer, he returned and concluded his training and became a helicopter pilot. Later, during his tenure at the Israeli Air Force, he served as Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter pilot.
During his air force service, Peres received a certificate of excellence,[1] along with co-pilot Noam Nachmani, for rescuing a Cobra helicopter crew flying with them at night, who crashed on the northern shore the Sea of Galilee.
As a reserve duty Cobra pilot, Peres fought in Operation Grapes of Wrath in 1996. |