The Unfinished Flight

Elham Saleh
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2018-10-16

They were five; five commanders of the Holy Defense commanders. It was September 29, 1981; Operation Samen ol-A'emeh (AS) had been won two days ago. They wanted to return to Tehran by plane, but their flight remained unfinished and they died a martyr.

They were Five:

Javad Fakkouri; born on 3 January 1936 in Tabriz. He quitted medical field to enter Air Force Pilotage College. In years of 1974 and 1978, he traveled to United States to study and training pilotage of F-4 fighter. After victory of the Islamic Revolution he worked in the Air Force of Islamic Republic of Iran Army and was one of designers of the air force operations during Holy Defense, commander of Air Force and Minister of Defense of Islamic Republic of Iran.

Valiallah Fallahi; born on 1931 in Taleghan. After victory of the revolution, he was commander of Grand Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army and on August 28, 1979 became the Army Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Seyyed Mohammad Ali Jahanara; born on August 1954 in Khorramshahr. He was one the fighters on the way to victory of Islamic Revolution and after the revolution, he was founder of IRGC of Khorramshahr, its commander, and commander of IRGC of Ahvaz.

Seyyed Mousa Namjoo; born on 1938 in Bandar Anzali, graduated from Officer School and faculty member of the college. After victory of Islamic Revolution, he commanded the faculty. Following martyrdom of Dr. Mostafa Chamran, he was appointed to the commander-in-chief. He was also Minister of Defense of Islamic Republic of Iran.

Yousef Kolahdooz; born on 1944 in Quchan. He entered the army officer academy and attained high degrees due to his intelligence and talent, but in the same position he was fighting for victory of Islamic Revolution. After victory of the revolution, he was one of founders of IRGC and deputy of chief commander of IRGC.

Every year, on September 29, they are commemorated, because these commanders were great people. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says in his memories: "martyr Kolahdooz was one of the extraordinary and rare figures. I used to say many times to my brothers in IRGC, and now I say again, he was a man if survived, it would be hoped that IRGC could double speed of its hardworking and hoping effort. He was a man who had brought the Army expertise into IRGC and he himself became a real IRGC force; as those who were in IRGC did not remember that this young was an Artesh (Islamic Republic of Iran Army) officer."

He also said about Seyyed Mohammad Ali Jahanara, "Mohammad Jahanara and our other young people resisted Iraqi invading forces _an Iraqi armored division with a special brigade and 90 cannons that fired night and day at Khorramshahr_ for 35 days."

Leader of Islamic Revolution in their memories also mentioned other commanders; Seyyed Mousa Namjoo; "I saw sincerity and intimacy and seriousness in pursuit of work in this person who was in military uniforms and really wanted that Artesh to be an Islamic army and soldier of Imam Zaman (al-Mahdi)."

It was noted also in this memory about role of Shahid Namjoo in Officer School, "It is fairly to say that Officer School was nothing before that martyr Namjoo went there. When he went there, he really improved there."

The name of Valiollah Fallahi is also mentioned in memories of Ayatollah Khamenei, "One day we were going to Baluchestan with the late Shahid Fallahi. You know that I was missioned in Artesh on behalf of Imam Khomeini. There was a program and we were going from Tehran to Chabahar. 7-8 Artesh officers and the late Fallahi were with us in a Falcon. It was Ramadan, and only the late Fallahi fast. We all had had Iftar because we were on a trip. I said to Fallahi why you do not eat anything and break your fast? He said, "I'm in travel always and I fast on the trip too." Then he said, "I have fast from 8-9 years old."

The five commanders were going by a C-130 carrier on Sept. 29 and when the plane was approaching 17 miles from Mehrabad Airport involved a problem. The problem was simultaneous shutdown of four aircraft engines. The pilot attempt to land the plane failed. The aircraft's wheels were opened by hand doorknob and the plane landed after passing roughly 270 meters in uneven ground, but it burned due to the plane's left wing struck at the ground.

The plane had fallen near Kahrizak in the "Dotooye village". Some of the villagers who witnessed this gave their observations to correspondent of Kayhan newspaper: "The plane was split up and a piece of it was burned in flames, and sound of the wounded who needed help was heard in darkness of the desert, but finding place of the wounded was not possible, and this became possible when helicopters appeared in sky and illuminated everywhere with bright spotlights."

Stations 9, 4, 18, 13 and 14 of firefighting were sent to the site after receiving the plane crash report at 20:31. Several groups, including emergency medical services, IRGC forces and people went to the scene of the incident, and burned bodies were brought out of the plane.

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References:

- Look at the Sky: Memories of Ayatollah Khamenei about Martyrs of the Revolution and Sacred Defense / by: Hadi Shirazi / Research Center of Shahid Shirazi Cultural Foundation and Shahid Ahmad Kazemi's Institution

- Chronology of Sacred Defense: Breaking Siege; Events of October 1981/ Compiled by: Farhad Behroozi/Islamic Revolution Document Center Publication