Instinct and perseverance pay off!

Prologue:

Nearly 2500 Air Force troops were deployed to strengthen either side of the advancing FDL, A9 (MSR) Main Supply Route, Omanthai. Flying Officer U. P. Y. Rohan Pathirana was ordered to take over the Charley 1 wing, lying between Puliyankulam and Omanthai an area of 1.5 kms.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana joined the Air Force on August 17, 1993 as a Cadet Officer. He received his basic training at Diyatalawa and moved on to China Bay. He was continuously posted at operational areas for four years. His wife is also an Officer in the Air Force.

Date: July 30, 1997
Time: 1800 hours
Location: Eastern Plank FDL, A9 MSR, Omanthai

The airmen of the Charley 1 wing were briefed and deployed. Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana and two other Leading Air Craftsmen (LACs) visited the line to monitor the deployment. At 2030 hrs the Flying Officer and the two other LACs wound up their visit. With the two LACs behind him Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana went some 60 metres from their tent to catch some fresh air.

There was an abandoned well and a palm tree near by, 20 to 25 feet tall. “Suddenly I heard the palm fronds move slightly. Because of the unusual movement I suspected that something was wrong, but didn’t tell the others.”

The two LACs asked him to take a wash. He refused on the grounds of having a lot more work to attend to, but said that he just needed some rest. Apparently the two LACs hadn’t heard the movement.

The senior of the two LACs drew water for Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana, but he kept refusing. His instincts told him that they should not spend too much time in the area. “We weren’t ready for a confrontation.” He wanted to go back and make plans - as soon as possible - for a probable attack.

2200 hrs: They headed back to the tent for dinner, this time letting the two LACs proceed in front while he went behind them. He stayed awake until 2330 hrs, fully alert. Then he sent for a senior None Commissioned Officer to join him - through a messenger instead of via the Com-set. They talked about mondaine matters until 0100 hrs.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana just wanted to keep the crowd of officers awake. Just when the senior Non Commissioned Officer got ready to turn in, Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana told the officer to dispatch ten people on a clearing operation inside the perimeters of Charley 1 wing, a stretch of approximately 250 m on either side of the A9, one and half kms long.

Since Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana had seen some of the barbed wire of the stretch of FDL manned by the police, cut off, he had good reason to suspect infiltration. All others in the perimeter were made aware of the clearing operation meanwhile they kept on stand by and took turns in keeping awake.

July 31, 0630 hrs: The lines were laid and the troops started advancing, firing at random in to bushed and scrubs; potential hide-aways for terrorists. “Around 0645 hrs I heard a grenade blast on my left.” He ordered everyone to go down. The counterattack, that persued, lasted nearly ten minutes.

One terrorist tried to make it to the jungle. Flying Officer U. P. Y. R. Pathirana ordered six others to stay behind while he and three others went in pursuit. While in pursuit Flying Officer U. P. Y. R. Pathirana received a message, through the com-set, from Wing OC (Officer Commanding) Chandrasekera and Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana informed that he was in pursuit of the terrorist.

The terrorist disappeared momentarily and started running towards the A9, which was elevated from the rest of the area. Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana ordered to cease all movements of the road over the com-set. Around 0830 hrs Corporal Nihal, who accompanied Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana in the pursuit told him that his gun has jammed. “I told him to repair it ASAP.”

Just then he realised that the terrorist was trying to climb over the road and disappear over the edge of the A9 to the abandoned paddy fields beyond. He took aim and fired. “I saw him go down.”

He yelled at the others and ordered them to approach the edge of the road. The terrorist had fallen, head and one arm still seen on the elevation of the A9. “I yelled to him in all three languages ordering him to surrender.”

The terrorist signalled to them his surrender with one hand and hurled a grenade at them with the other. It was a narrow escape, but the black smoke generated by the blast obscured the surroundings. The LACs fired through it. When the smoke cleared they saw that the terrorist was dead.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana left two men with the body and went back to the Wing, where he briefed the Wing OC of the current situation. He told the Wing OC that there is terrorist activity inside the FDL perimeter, that there could be others and recommended all activities within the FDL be stopped until an immediate clearing operation was conducted.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana approached the six other airmen who were engaged in the clearing operation, where the first confrontation took place and told them to keep firing at random while he and LAC Gunaratne, crawled towards a ridge to get a better view.

“I asked LAC Gunaratne - via the com-set - whether he could assess the situation from his position.” Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana then threw two grenades at the bush. LAC Gunaratne replied that he can see them.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana ordered LAC Gunaratne to shoot if he was capable of taking the shot from his position. He replied via the com-set that there was no need, that they were already down. Two more terrorists were dead. In all three T 56s, ammunition, a com-set with long and short range antennae and a wire cutter were found in their possession.

1500 hrs: After the situation was assessed, the bodies were sent to the Vavuniya hospital. When Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana listened to LTTE communication through the com-sets they apprehended and realized that the LTTE was trying to contact its dead members and learned that they were in fact a reccee team. Apparently they were attempting a major attack on the FDL.

All inside the FDL perimeter was informed about the potential attack and swift measures were taken to safeguard all installations within. They suspected that the terrorists were after the 556 Division, an Artillery Brigade located approximately 250 metres from the Wing Head Quarters of Charley 1.

2200 hrs: Wing OC and Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana was having dinner, when the LTTE launched the still unconfirmed but much expected attack. They attacked and broke through the line manned by the police, west of the Air Force line. They were heading straight for the 556 Division - the artillery Brigade as expected.

The Air Force vehicles near the Wing HQ were place out of danger, ahead of time and all the weaponry was dumped on a newly dug ditch and camouflaged to prevent them from falling in to the hands of the terrorists. The yelling of women LTTE cadres was heard as well as sounds of clashing metal, indicating that they were fighting using knives.

They were able to break through the Navy line next to the Line manned by the Air Force, killing a mid shipman. A 12.7 mm anti-aircraft weapon on ground role, was stationed near the Navy line. By now the terrorists were infiltrating between the Navy and Air Force line. Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana was afraid of the anti-aircraft weapon falling in to the wrong hands and decided to move it.

Four sentries were stationed around the Wing HQ. However they had no intention of leaving the HQ. By now the LTTE cadres were firing at the Air Force Line from the direction of 556 Division.

But due to the defensive measures taken to protect the Artillery Brigade, from a potential attack, the terrorists had not been able to capture it. Few shots reached as far as the abandoned well near the Wing HQ, nothing very damaging but the terrorists were closing in on the HQ.

Five people including Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana left the Wing HQ to join the front lines. With the help of a male nurse they sent ahead with the vehicles, they stationed themselves on the other side of the ridge of the FDL, facing inside.

Air Force aircrafts also played a major role in the counter attack.August 01, 0500 hrs: First light. Navy and Army lines were reestablished. The terrorists who were taking cover behind the abandoned well started retreating with their casualties, towards the A9.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana fired at them using the anti-aircraft weapon. A heavy weapon and unfastened from its usual place on the ground, the anti-air craft weapon was difficult to handle and takes one person to hold it down.

Corporal Diaz held it in place while Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana did the firing. But the Wing OC and his team who were in pursuit of the retreating mob was in the way.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana didn’t want to endanger any of his men. He took out his own gun and joined the attack. He was hit on the right side of his chest, a bullet which had manage to pierce through the edge of his body armour.

“I didn’t feel the pain and I didn’t know I was shot, but only felt a wetness.” He put his hand through one of his trouser pockets and the hand came out bloody. The blood from his wound on the chest has dripped down his body soaking his clothes. His buddy, LAC Gunaratne, asked him what was wrong. He replied he was alright and for him to keep firing.

“After that my eyes started to blur, but I was still conscious. I saw people running.” LAC Gunaratne placed him against a nearby tree and prepared him to be taken to the Wing HQ.

Epilogue:

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana was taken from the Wing HQ, where he was sutured, to the Vavuniya Hospital, from there to Anuradhapura by helicopter and ultimately to the General Hospital for recovery.

Intelligence confirmed that over 17 terrorists died that day, while LMGs (Light Machine Guns), T 56s and some RPGs were seized. But due to the vigil of the Air Force officers like Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana their Wing HQ was unharmed.

Flying Officer Rohan Pathirana was awarded a Rana Wickrama Medal for his perseverance, for the initiative he showed in apprehending the LTTE reccee team, thereby ensuring the safety of the Artillery Brigade and preventing a major catastrophe. He is now a Squadron Leader.