Yos Sudarso had always wanted to become a soldier, despite his parents’ preference for him to become a teacher. His dream came true when he joined the Naval Academy in Semarang and received military education with the Japanese Navy during the Greater East Asia War. Graduating as one of the top students, he served on a Japanese military ship before joining the Indonesian Navy after the country’s independence in 1945.
Throughout his career, Yos Sudarso played a key role in various military operations to suppress insurgencies in Indonesia. He commanded several Indonesian Navy Ships and even served as a judge on a military court for a brief period. In 1961, during President Sukarno’s call for the Tri Komando Rakyat (TRIKORA), Yos Sudarso was the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and led a mission in the Aru Sea to support the liberation of West Papua from the Dutch.
In a tragic turn of events, Yos Sudarso and his crew were ambushed by three Dutch warships while on a mission in the Aru Sea. Despite the odds being against him, Yos Sudarso selflessly sacrificed his own life to save his fellow crew members. He maneuvered his ship, KRI Macan Tutul, to shield the other two KRIs from the Dutch gunfire, ultimately leading to the sinking of his own ship along with 24 men onboard.
Yos Sudarso’s bravery and selflessness in the line of duty at the young age of 36 serve as a lasting testament to his exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to his country.
