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High flying action hero

Time: 1000hrs

Date: 19th November 2001

Location: Mannaramadu North

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Lance Corporal Gunathilake was a brave Air Force soldier who has given 12 years of his life to protect his nation. After 9 years on the ground, he won the first place in a training that was conducted in one of the divisions of the Air Force.

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A ‘May Day’ warning came for the Air Force that 8 army troops on a mission to attack the LTTE had been trapped in the heat of fighting. The call for reinforcements came because some had been badly injured in a location that was impossible to reach, they were in need of assistance from the Air Force because the only mode of escape was from above.

There was continuous fighting on both sides of the field and the Air Force troops had no way of going back because they were 40 kms from the base. It was to their advantage that an experienced Major General was in the team but until he gave the call in the morning at 1000hrs only did the Lance Corporal and his team get the message that this was a serious situation.

Immediately, under the supervision of Wing Commander Mirando, those who were deployed as reinforcements included Captain Pilot Flight Lt. Kaluarachchi, Flight Lt. Pamantha, Corporal Jayasinghe and Lance Corporal Gunathileke himself .

They had to save their comrades and salvage the situation. Corporal Gunathileke said “It was raining heavily and the presence of large rain clouds prevented us from flying smoothly to reach our distressed comrades but we somehow overcame the stormy weather never giving up to save them”.

1345hrs: Their strategy was to fly towards the Anuradhapura Base where they were given the information of their colleagues who they had to save. Further, they were briefed on location and mapping information and were armed with the MI24, MI17 and Bell 112 helicopters.

“The MI24 was supposed to hover behind the Bell and MI17 as a fuel tank while the mission was going on”, said the Lance Corporal. The word came from the Captain Pilot to fly down to the base as it came in view and to keep a watch on suspected enemy attack. Thereafter, they pressed on to the area where the fighting took place.

Upon reaching the target location, Lance Corporal Gunathileke said “We couldn’t land properly because the soil was very muddy after the wet weather so with the expertise of the Captain Pilot, he managed to manoeuvre the aeroplane about 6 feet off the ground and some of us climbed down the ladder to help our injured comrades”.

Eventually, while they airlifted their comrades to safety, the MI17 and Bell choppers were defending their men from the clutches of the enemy and somehow managed to neutralise them with their firepower. After the Air Force won the fight, they flew on to the Anuradhapura Army Base Hospital where they rushed the injured army comrades that were part of the 8 member team for emergency treatment.

Lance Corporal Gunathilake reminices “I originally hail from Moragolla, close to Kandy but I attended a school in Wattala near Colombo because my parents worked in the city.”

The Lance Corporal states that he initially underwent training at China Bay and thereafter, at the Pallali Base when he was stationed at Hingurakgoda and even trained in India as part of his position as an Air Force soldier.

“I always wanted to join the armed forces and one of my relatives was also a Lt.Com in the Navy which further increased my desire to help my country”, he said.

Today, Lance Corporal Gunathileke is part of the main security Air Force team at the Katunayake International Airport and helps in ensuring that security is normal. He is married with a child and has garnered the decoration of RSP for services proved as a dignified Air Force fighter.