Pilot Story III
by
Major Nor Ibrahim
Hostile Action Report
Readers...In my 3rd posting entitled "Pengalaman Ke3" on 21 June 2009, I related my experiences at being shot by the communist terrorists (CT) while at an LP. My AQM was slightly injured. One kind soul has kindly e-mailed this "Hostile Action Report" extracted from No 3 Squadron Scrap Book. Captains of aircraft, especially Nuri captains of my era, were so familiar with these reports.
Flight details of the day...3 March 1979...
~ Tasking - OD463...BW-Sintok-LPs-Gubir
- OD473...Gubir-Zulu-Kroh-BW
~ Crew - Self/Lt (U) Ng/Sgt Mohsain
~ Aircraft - 1726
~ Flt Time - 4 hours
I was on my flight back to Base upon completion of the task, OD463, when my Flight Commander,Maj (U) KL Chong, came over the air asking me to assist him and the other Nuri in troops withdrawal from an LP somewhere in Kroh area. Well...I was one pilot who never declined any offer to fly...No problem and changed heading, and informed Base Ops Room of the diversion. My call sign was changed from 'Cepung 463 Juliet' to 'Cepung 473 Juliet Three'. Why worry...should something happened to me, my action was authorised and futhermore there was no objections from higher authority, meaning Air HQ. You see, all communications on HF radios were logged and monitored by Air HQ and all the Bases.
Well...back to the story. When the Nuri was on the LP, the AQM informed me of the familiar 'thud' sounds...sound of bullets hitting the skin of the fuselage. When I told the gunships of the likely location of the CTs, he informed me that it could not be because it was the location of one of thepicketing parties (PPs). On landing safely at Kroh, a sergeant confirmed that all the troops were at the LP and there were no PPs at all!!
To put it mildly...I was very 'sore' indeed. Why was the Company Commander not truthful? During the briefing at Tac HQ, Kroh, the IO briefed the aircrew of Juliet One, Juliet Two and the 2 gunships of the locations of the PPs. If he was honest enough to inform that all his merry men were at the LP, then those trigger-happy gunships aircrew could have blasted the suspected location. When told of his name...I was disappointed because I knew him. We were commissioned together. I used to ask him to sing every morning during the 'orientation' period at RMC. Whenever I hear "Lagu 3 Kupang", it will remind me of him. Regrettably, he was no longer with us...he was killed together with the late Maj Gen Dato' Mustaffa Awang and Brig Gen Dato' Hasbullah Yusof and 13 others when a Nuri crashed in Sungai Lundu, Sarawak, on 18 December 1989....... Al-Fatihah.
 |
 |
On completion of original task, OD 463J at Sintok, the aircraft was required to assist OD 473J for troop lifts from various LPs in Echo Sector of Ops Selamat Sawadee 792 to Kroh. The particular LP involved was Marker ZULU, GR QT 572472, located on the slope of a hill and the suitable approaches were from the west and the east. The aircraft approached from the west and faced easterly on the ground to pick up 12 troops on the first sortie. When the last soldier was on the seat step shots were heard coming from a hill in the north, about 500 yds away. The soldier was hit on the scalp and the AQM sustained abrasion on the left forearm, but he still managed to pull in the casualty with the help of another soldier. On completion of original task, OD 463J at Sintok, the aircraft was required to assist OD 473J for troop lifts from various LPs in Echo Sector of Ops Selamat Sawadee 792 to Kroh. The particular LP involved was Marker ZULU, GR QT 572472, located on the slope of a hill and the suitable approaches were from the west and the east. The aircraft approached from the west and faced easterly on the ground to pick up 12 troops on the first sortie. When the last soldier was on the seat step shots were heard coming from a hill in the north, about 500 yds away. The soldier was hit on the scalp and the AQM sustained abrasion on the left forearm, but he still managed to pull in the casualty with the help of another soldier.
Immediately took off for Ban Chan Tharats airfield, about 3 minutes away, escorted by 2 gunships. The aircraft systems indicated normal. The aircraft was shut down and on investigation, 6 bullet holes were found on the port side. The casualty was transferred to another Nuri to be flown to Penang. After ascertaining no serious damages the aircraft was flown to Kroh.
Both the gunships were unable to engage fire on the suspected enemy position since it came from the area of supposed-to-be own troop picketing party. Before the flight the aircrew were briefed on the locations of the picketing parties to secure the LP during troop lifts. One of the locations was at GR QT573471 where the shots were suspected to come from. On questioning the casualty he informed there was no picketing parties whatsoever sent out to secure the LP, and all the troops were at the Lp.
The casualties were:
a. 703504 SGT MOHSAIN (AQM) - sustained abrasion on the left forearm and was treated at CRS Kroh.
b. 27885 PTE MAT ROS (12 RAMD) - sustained 2 small puncture wounds on the scalp and was flown and admitted to Penang General Hospital.
Immediately took off for Ban Chan Tharats airfield, about 3 minutes away, escorted by 2 gunships. The aircraft systems indicated normal. The aircraft was shut down and on investigation, 6 bullet holes were found on the port side. The casualty was transferred to another Nuri to be flown to Penang. After ascertaining no serious damages the aircraft was flown to Kroh.
Readers...Frankly, we, the aircrew, never talked about all those shootings. 'You OK?'... That's all. No big deal...after all, it became a routine to be shot at! I was back flying the next day for SAR off Penang Island. It involved a boat named "Whistler". The Nuri aircrew were eveready to face challenges.
MEJAR NOR IBRAHIM BIN SULAIMAN TUDM (B)
