By: Prabowo Subianto [taken from the Book: Military Leadership Notes from Experience Chapter I]
In early 1976, I was assigned to join the Nanggala 10 assignment under the command of Major Inf. Yunus Yosfiah. I was appointed as the Deputy Commander of Unit C. First Lieutenant Sudaryanto was my commander.
In a manoeuvre, we crossed a river to reach a vantage point atop Maubara City. Our unit was ambushed, and Lieutenant Sudaryanto was shot.
I can’t forget seeing my commander bleeding from a gunshot wound and breathing his last breath in my arms. He was a commander who always led from the front, always looked bright and cheerful, and always managed to keep the morale of his troops high.
The next story I want to tell is about my commander during my first operation as a Second Lieutenant in East Timor, 1976.
In early 1976, I was assigned to join the Nanggala 10 team under the command of Major Inf. Yunus Yosfiah. I was, at that time, an intelligence officer. However, due to frequent gunfights resulting in multiple officers getting shot, I was appointed as the Deputy Commander of Unit C. First Lieutenant Sudaryanto was my commander. A unit was made up of 20 personnel divided into two groups: an assault and a support group.
As a Unit Deputy Commander (WADAN), I led the support group consisting of one 60-mm mortar unit and one rocket launcher unit.
As a deputy, I was at the group’s back while First Lieutenant Sudaryanto, as Commander, was in front. He was, at first, an enlisted officer (Tamtama). After graduating from the Army’s non-commissioned officer candidate school (SECABA) and officer candidate school (SECAPA), he eventually became First Lieutenant. He had a youthful appearance, even when he was already over 30. Due to his brilliance, he quickly rose through the ranks to become an officer and eventually became First Lieutenant despite starting as a private. He was well-built, always happy, physically fit and very brave.
We crossed the Maubara river to reach the vantage point atop Maubara township in a manoeuvre, about 50 km west of the capital Dili. Our unit was ambushed after crossing the river at approximately 19:00 hours.
Approximately 10 minutes after successfully crossing the river from the western side, we came in contact with a guerrilla group. Gunfire broke out. It lasted a few minutes, but it felt like hours. During this incident, Lieutenant Sudaryanto was shot because he was in the front during the shootout.
Lieutenant Sudaryanto cried out in pain. He was sandwiched between the enemy and our line of defence. As the gunfight intensified, we were pushed back a few meters. We held on in a ditch.
Lieutenant Sudaryanto, wounded, called his men, including me, who was at the back. I decided to crawl toward him, even though it was very dangerous as there were still many enemies ahead. Gunshots still rang out. It was pitch black. But we would be letting him down if we didn’t retrieve him, and the troop’s morale would drop.
I tried to carry Lieutenant Sudaryanto. He was pretty heavy. I struggled. Eventually, some of the other men managed to reach us, and together we carried him to the back of our line.
I immediately made a call to the command post. However, because it was pitch dark, no helicopter could land. Pak Sudaryanto managed to hold on until 03:00 but eventually breathed his last breath in my arms. That was a moment I would never forget in my life.
From Lieutenant Sudaryanto, I learned about courage. He led from the front, always looked bright and cheerful and never failed to keep the morale of his troops high.
