Soerjadi Soerjadarma

Air Chief Marshal (Ret.) Soerjadi Soerjadarma ( EYD: Suryadi Suryadarma) (6 December 1912 – 16 August 1975) was the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force from 1946 to 1962.

Biography

Early life

Born with the name Elang Soerjadi Soerjadarma, he was the son of R. Suryaka Suryadarma who worked as a bank employee in Banyuwangi. Elang is a nobility title in the Keraton Kanoman, Cirebon, which means Raden. His name was later adjusted to the new spelling system to become Raden Suryadi Suryadarma.

He had a lineage from the Kanoman Palace, Cirebon. His great-grandfather was Prince Jakaria alias Aryabrata from Kanoman Palace. While his grandfather was Doctor Prince Boi Suryadarma who lived in Kuningan, West Java, he graduated from the Javanese Doctor's School (STOVIA). Suryadarma had been an since child orphan, when he was left by his biological mother, and his father died when Suryadarma was about four years old. After his parents died, Suryadarma joined his grandfather's family in Batavia.

Education

In 1918, at the age of six, Soerjadi Soerjadarma entered the ELS (''Europeesche Lagere School'') a special elementary school for foreign children (European and Chinese), Indonesian children with aristocratic backgrounds or children of officials whose positions can be equated with Europeans. The school was Paul Krugerschool which is now the PSKD (Djakarta Christian School Association), in Kwitang, Central Jakarta.

In 1926, he completed his education at the ELS, then continued to the Hoogere Burgerschool te Bandoeng (now SMA Negeri 3 Bandung and SMA Negeri 5 Bandung). However, before completing his schooling in the city, he had to move to Batavia and continued his studies at the Koning Willem III School te Batavia, which was completed in 1931.

After graduating from KW III School, he was unable to immediately pursue pilot training, because the requirement to become a pilot was to be a military officer first. To become a military officer, he took officer education at the KMA (Koninklijke Militaire Academie), Breda, the Netherlands.

In September 1931, he enrolled in officer education at KMA Breda. His desire to become a member of the military was not approved by Dr. Boi Suryadarma, his grandfather and adoptive father. After receiving an explanation from Suryadarma, his grandfather accepted Suryadarma becoming a KMA cadet.

In September 1934, Soerjadi Soerjadarma graduated from the Breda Military Academy, with the rank of Second Lieutenant, he was assigned to the Dutch Army unit in Nijmegen. One month later, in October, 1934, he was transferred to the 1st Infantry Battalion in Magelang until November 1936.

Pre-independence period

The Aviation School (''Vliegschool'') in Kalijati opened registration for the Netherlands East Indies Army. He initially failed the selection process because he had malaria and was having a relapse. The next year, he applied again, but was rejected because he had not recovered from his malaria. Only on the third occasion, he passed the medical test and began pilot education at the Kalijati Aviation School, in December 1937.

He was accepted as a navigator but Suryadarma was said to be a talented aviator but was not able to, because he was a ''Pribumi''. In July 1938, he was enrolled in Observer School (''Waarnemerschool''), then in July 1939 he was assigned as a navigator at Glenn Martin 139 bomber group in Andir Airfield, Bandung. Suryadarma was appointed as instructor at Pilot and Observer School (''Vlieg en Waarnemerschool''), Kalijati in January 1941. In December 1941 he was reassigned to a bomber unit, ''7e Vliegtuig Afdeling, Reserve Afdeling Bommenwerpers''. During the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies that begun in December 1941, he served as Deputy Commander of the ''7e Afdeling'' with the rank of ''Luitenant-Waarnemer''.

Suryadarma was involved in air operations in the Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force during World War II. After Dutch defeat in the Battle of Tarakan and subsequent capture of the island and its oil facilities by the Japanese, Dutch forces launched several airstrikes against enemy position in the area. On 13 January 1942, Suryadarma led an unescorted bombing mission of three (other source mentions nine) Glenn Martin to attack Tarakan from their base at Samarinda II Airfield. He served as the navigator and bombardier in a Glenn Martin piloted by ''Luitenant'' S.H. Lukkien. They managed to bomb two Japanese cruisers (other source mentioned only a destroyer), but were later attacked by Japanese A6M Zero fighters. The bullets struck the fuel tank on the left wing and wounding Lukkien in the head and thigh. Although seriously injured, Lukkien managed to landed the bomber on the nearest airfield at Manggar, Balikpapan, being the only bomber that managed to return from the mission. For his services, the Dutch Government awarded him The Bronze Cross.

Unlike many of his counterpart in the colonial air force who fled to Australia during the Japanese occupation, Suryadarma chose to stayed in the East Indies. Through invitation of Police Commissioner Yusuf, he works as a police officer in the Japanese occupation authorities. Later he was appointed as Head of Administration of Police Headquarters in Bandung until the proclamation of Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945.

Independence period

During the Indonesian Revolution, Suryadarma as Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force developing an interest in "aerospace" through the establishment of an Aeroclub, with basic military aviation education and training in Maguwo, Maospati and Malang (radio engineering, radio operators, pilots, paratroops, air supplies, morse code). Suryadarma realized the importance of paratroopers, given the geographical condition of Indonesia, consisting of thousands of islands. Which became the forerunner of the first paratrooper unit in Indonesia, establishing the ''Pasukan Gerak Tjepat'' (PGT) which became the Indonesian Air Force's Kopasgat. Suryadarma strongly supported the ideas of Wiweko Supeno and Nurtanio in various experiments on making airplanes and helicopters in Maospati. He along with Halim Perdanakusuma and Wiweko invited foreign transport planes to break through the Dutch air blockade against Indonesia.

From 1950 to 1954, Suryadarma prioritized the establishment of flight training and education schools with military and civil aviation technical vocational training, by utilizing Dutch experts (former East Indies Air force and Naval aviation) as instructors, lecturers and education quality supervisors, the Airborne Officers' School employed American instructors. In 1954 the education instructors were handled by the Air Force officers and non-commissioned officers, for prospective educational instructors who exceled, Suryadarma send these officers and non-commissioned officers to train with the Indian Air Force in large number.

From 1950 to 1955, he founded Aeroclubs in several provincial capitals. Allowing civilians interested in flying with the Piper Cub L4-J training aircraft, as long as they met the requirements. There were two classes that would fulfill the requirements as Pilot-III (klein brevet), with 60–65 flight hours. The instructors were Air Force pilots and this course was limited to Cililitan (Halim), Andir (Sulaiman, Bandung) and Maguwo ( Adisucipto). Most of the Civilian were young lecturers from universities. Suryadarma initiated publication of the aerospace magazine ''Angkasa'' by the Air Force Information Service in 1950. Now ''Angkasa'' magazine is published and preserved by the Kompas Gramedia group under Jakob Oetama.

Suryadarma together with Soetanandika (Head the Directorate General of Civil Aviation) initiated the establishment of the Curug Aviation Academy (Aviation School, Air Engineering School, Aviation Traffic School, and Meteorology School) fulfilling ICAO requirements. In the first years, these schools used Air Force instructors, but later replaced by foreign workers on the recommendation of the ICAO and added civilian personnel who met ICAO qualifications

He played a role in the negotiations for the takeover of KNILM/KLM to become Garuda Indonesia Airways (GIA) in the 1950s and the pilots came from the first batch of graduates of the Air Force Aviation Officers School. In addition, Suryadarma also initiated a program for pilots and civil aviation crews becoming officers and non-commissioned officers of the Air Force reserve.  Civilians involved in civil aviation were also appointed as officers with a titular rank.

Suryadarma strongly supported the efforts of Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo to build an aviation industry in Indonesian. In its early stage, the project was named the Institute for Aviation Industry Preparation (LAPIP), which was within the Air Force and Suryadarma as Chief of Staff of the Air force determined the policies of the agency. LAPIP later changed to the Institute for Aviation Industry-Nurtanio (LIPNUR) in 1976 and in 1980 it was changed to the Nusantara Aircraft Industry (IPTN) by B.J.  Habibie.

On 9 March 1960, Suryadi Suryadarma had requested to resign as a form of accountability for the actions of Second Lieutenant Daniel Maukar who opened fire at the Jakarta State Palace with a MiG-17F "Fresco" fighter from the 11th Air Squadron, but the request was rejected by the President Sukarno.

On 19 January 1962, Suryadarma was forced to resign from his position as Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force as a result of the Battle of Arafura Sea in which Commodore Yos Sudarso died, the Indonesian Air Force at was deemed insufficient in providing air protection to the Indonesian Navy from attacks by Dutch aircraft. Ended his career after approximately 16 years of leading the Air Force. His position as Chief of Staff was replaced by Air Marshal Omar Dhani on the same day.

On the next day, 20 January 1962, he was appointed as Military Advisor to the President by President Sukarno. In 1965, he was appointed as Minister of Post and Telecommunication. As a tribute to his services, the Indonesian Air Force named Suryadarma Air Base in Kalijati, Subang Regency, West Java after him. He was also the namesake of a university owned by the Indonesian Air Force, Suryadarma University, in Halim Perdanakusuma, East Jakarta.

Personal life

Suryadi Suryadarma married Utami on 3 June 1938 and had three children: Dra. Awaniduhita Priyanti, Erlangga Suryadarma and Adityawarman Suryadarma.

At the age of 63, his health began to decline and he suffered from liver complications. In the second week of August 1975, Suryadarma began to be treated at Husada Hospital, Jakarta.

Suryadarma died at 05.45 WIB on Saturday, 16 August 1975. His body was then buried at the funeral home and at the Indonesian Air Force Headquarters, Jalan Gatot Subroto. His funeral was held on 17 August at 13.00 WIB at the Karet Public Cemetery, Jakarta, with a military ceremony lead by Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Marshal Saleh Basarah.

Awards

National awards

* Star of Mahaputera Adipurna (1st Class)
* The Sacred Star
* Military Distinguished Service Star
* Garuda Star
* Armed Forces Eight Years’ Service Star
* Military Campaign Commemoration Medal I
* Military Operations Service Medal I
* Military Operations Service Medal II
* Military Operations Service Medal IV
* Military Operations Service Medal V
* Military Operations Service Medal VII
* PRRI Military Campaign Medal
* Armed Forces Long Service Medal (3rd Class)
* Armed Forces Long Service Medal (4th Class)

Foreign awards

* Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic
* Order of the White Elephant (2nd Class)
* Order of the Crown of Thailand (1st Class)
* Order of the Yugoslav People's Army (1st Class)
* The Bronze Cross of the Netherlands

Footnotes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soerjadarma, Soerjadi
1912 births
1975 deaths
People from Banyuwangi Regency
Chiefs of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force
Graduates of the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
Royal Netherlands Air Force personnel of World War II
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army officers
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army personnel of World War II
Recipients of the Bronze Cross (Netherlands)