Air Force celebrates memorial service day
By Sonaji Wibowo
JAKARTA (JP): In the wee hours of the morning exactly 50 years ago, three airplanes stood in a remote corner of Maguwo Airport (now Adi Sucipto) in Yogyakarta. One was a Guntei piloted by Muljono and two were Chureng flown by Sutardjo Sigit and Suharnoko Harbani.
The cadets were preparing for an important mission. Their target was the Dutch occupied zone, and soon Semarang, Salatiga and Ambarawa, all in Central Java, were under attack. The Dutch were surprised by the action, having believed the Indonesian air force was paralyzed. But it showed its force by wreaking havoc in strategic Dutch locations.
That same afternoon, a Dakota VT-CLA cargo airplane left Singapore Airport. Owned by India, it was hired by the Indonesian government for the humanitarian task of transporting medicines donated by the Malaysian Red Cross.
When the Dakota was about to land in Yogyakarta, two Dutch Kitty Hawk planes emerged suddenly and swooped down in attack. Tragically, the unarmed Dakota was an easy target and crashed at Ngoto village south of Yogyakarta. Three pioneers of the Indonesian Air Force, Air Force Vice Commodore Abdurrahman Saleh, Vice Commodore Adi Sucipto and Deputy Officer Adi Sumarmo, were killed.
Those two heroic events are commemorated annually as memorial service day by the Air Force of the Republic of Indonesia.
They were essentially not coincidences, but part of the chain of happenings in the struggle for realization of the ideals of the August 17, 1945 independence proclamation. From the start, the national fighters, including Air Force pioneers, were conscious of the heavy task of carrying out the nation's ideals. It was a matter of utmost gravity, requiring the sacrifice of wealth, and even lives.
The events reflect the importance of the Air Force in supporting the nation's struggle. If Indonesia had possessed a powerful air force 50 years ago, the Dakota tragedy would not have happened. Psychologically, the event boosted the fighting spirit of the nation, and politically it opened the eyes of the world to the fact the Indonesian Armed Forces could not be looked down upon. The nation's fighters did not want a recurrence of the Dakota slaughter.
Development of the Air Force is one of the priorities of the government at present, especially in the frame of warding off threats, disturbances, obstacles and challenges from both inside and outside the country.
Geographically, the most likely threat to Indonesian territory would come from the sea and air. Armed Forces capable of covering Indonesia's entire territory swiftly and effectively, in defense of strategic areas, are essential. The Air Force, with its cruising and maneuvering capabilities supported by a rapid communications system, is one of the responses to this need.
The Air Force currently has several fighter planes, such as the OV-10 Bronco, the A-4 Sky Hawk, the F-5 Tiger II, the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the Hawk 100/200.
In keeping with rapid aircraft technology development, especially of fighter planes, Indonesia has continuously endeavored to develop the strength of its Air Force through training of its personnel.
The Air Force has sent its officers for training in Europe and Australia. The choice of European countries is due to planned development, which in the near future is expected to be influenced by European aircraft technology. Britain is the supplier of Hawk 100/200, France the Mirage-2000 and Russia the Sukhoi-27 and MiG-29, while Australia is the place for Indonesia to send its officers for military education and training programs.
The writer is an officer of the Air Force Information Service, Jakarta