Yos Sudarso had always wanted to be a soldier since he was a child, despite his parents’ preference for him to become a teacher. His dream came true when the Japanese government required additional military personnel during the Greater East Asia War. He attended the Naval Academy in Semarang and received naval military education with the Japanese Navy, graduating as one of the top students. He then served on a Japanese military ship.
After Indonesia declared independence on August 17, 1945, Yos Sudarso joined the People’s Security Agency in the marine sector (BKR Laut), which later became part of the Indonesian Navy. Throughout his career, he participated in various military operations to suppress insurgencies in Indonesia. He commanded several Indonesian Navy Ships (KRI) such as KRI Rajawali, KRI Alu, KRI Gajah Mada, KRI Pattimura, and KRI Macan Tutul. In 1958, he also served as a judge on a military court for four months.
In late 1961, President Sukarno initiated TRIKORA, including an operation in the Aru Sea near Maluku to support the liberation of West Papua from the Dutch. Yos Sudarso, then Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (KSAL), led three KRIs in the covert operations in Maluku waters. When three Dutch warships detected their movement, Yos Sudarso ordered a temporary retreat. However, the Dutch mistook it for an attack and opened fire.
The engine of the KRI Macan Tutul, led by Yos Sudarso, suddenly failed during the rescue operation. Realizing he couldn’t save his ship, he positioned it as a shield between the Dutch warships and the other two KRIs, sacrificing himself to save his comrades. The Dutch ships fired a second shot, causing the KRI Macan Tutul to catch fire and sink.
Yos Sudarso, along with 24 other men, tragically lost his life in the battle of the Aru Sea, at the age of 36. He made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty for his country.
