The 356th Night of Memoir-2

Compiled by: Leila Rostami
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2024-10-10

Note: The 356th night of memoir program was held on April 25, 2024 in the Surah Hall of the Islamic Revolution Arts Center with narration by the Air Force pilots of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the comrades of martyr Ali Akbar Shiroudi on the eve of his martyrdom anniversary. In this program, Colonel Hassan Khodabandelou, Colonel Ismail Mohammadi and Colonel Ali Milan shared their memories. Davood Salehi was in charge of performing this night of memory.

       The second narrator of the program was Colonel Esmail Mohammadi, born on August 18, 1953 in Tehran. He was the pilot of helicopter 214 and entered the army almost at the same time as martyr Shiroudi. The responsible of this helicopter was to support, transfer troops, food, and equipment and carry the wounded in the war. The narrator was present in the operation to recapture the heights of Bazidraz, and when martyr Shiroudi was martyred in that operation, he was one of the first people who came to move the martyr's body.

At the beginning of his speech, he said: When I was hired, I completed a pilot course in Tehran. Then I went to Isfahan. We took a [English] course with martyr Shiroudi and then we were together for a while during the flight course. Martyr Shiroudi and I were transferred to Kermanshah. In my and martyr Amini’s  Bazidraz operation, we went to the region together as the speedsters of 2 Cobra helicopters, one of which was martyr Shiroudi and Ahmad Arash and the other was Colonel Khodabandelou and Farid Alipour.

Iraq had completely covered the area and was shelling heavily. With the skills of martyr Shiroudi, we crossed that area and went to "Koremush" in the heights of Bazidraz. Martyr Shiroudi and Colonel Khodabandelou also set fire to the area and hit them hard. At the same time, we were behind martyr Shiroudi. After that, a ball directly hit martyr Shiroudi's helicopter from the direction of Korahmush, and he fell among the reeds. The reeds of the western region are very tall and their height is about two and a half meters. Martyr Amini and I quickly went to the top of his helicopter. Of course, the propeller and the tail of the helicopter were gone and only the cabin was left. Ahmad Arash and martyr Shiroudi were in the helicopter. We reached the top of the helicopter and I said to martyr Amini: "Stay above the helicopter so I can go down to see how Shiroudi's situation is!" I stood on top of the helicopter. I saw a big splinter on his heart. The Iraqis started firing mortars until they saw the sound of the helicopter coming. Because the area had become very dangerous, Shahid Amini left the area. Together with Kruchiev[1], we stayed on top of the helicopter. Then I saw that Ahmed Arash was not inside the helicopter. I jumped down from the helicopter and looked for him in the reeds. In short, I was walking in the reeds for 5-6 minutes and I was hitting the reeds here and there when I saw Ahmed Arash lying on the ground and his face was as white as chalk. His leg was bleeding profusely. I raised his head and said: "Ahmedjan, let's go." He said: "Sir, I am very sleepy." I said: "Get up!" It's not time to sleep! Let's go with him." He passed out and fainted. We have arteries with us. I tied his legs from above and we came through the reeds towards Iran when we reached a river.

Some time passed when we heard the sound of the helicopter coming. We were stressed. The area was very dangerous. Because the reeds were tall, whatever we did, the helicopter pilot could not see us. We had to raise our helmets[2] and flight jackets so that he could see us. Fortunately, after a few moments, he saw us and came over us. It came down a bit, and we put Ahmad Arash in the helicopter and then we returned to Sarpol Zahab. The companions who were there came to Ahmed Arash's aid and then transported him in an ambulance to Kermanshah and from there to Tehran. Of course, Alhamdulillah, he got well.

We came and were placed in our own briefing[3]. There were talks about Shiroudi's condition. I said: "As far as I know, he was probably martyred." The respected commander at that time said: "So, Mohammadi, come back again along with Amini and bring martyr Shiroudi." We boarded the helicopter with three or four IRGC forces and a paramedic and returned to the place where the helicopter of martyr Shiroudi had fallen. We kept on that area. Sepahi's friends went on the helicopter and lifted it up and put it inside the helicopter. After that we returned to Sarpol Zahab and from there they transferred him to the morgue and confirmed that he was martyred. Since we were together from the beginning, I was present in many missions with him. We had good days in Isfahan during the courses. We went to Kermanshah together. With his testimony, we were no longer happy in the Sarpol Zahab area, because we had lost one of our best friends.

The third narrator of Colonel Ali Milan's program said at the beginning of his speech: We were in the 3rd Kermanshah Tak Group, which was known as the "Pilot Group" at that time. It was a famous company because it had given a number of martyrs from the conflict in Kurdistan. One battalion was single, one battalion was Cobra helicopters, and our battalion was 214 or transport helicopters. I was in the 3rd company. I was an operations officer in the 3rd technical company. I used to arrange the pilots how to go together.

We went with martyr Shiroudi for the first time in 1976 in Group 3. He was the company commander at that time. He called us and I became the operations officer and martyr Shiroudi replaced the flight standard. Courses were held. The two of us went for training as Cobra Helicopter Pilot 1 ahead of all the pilots who were going on their runways. When the war started, I was the operations officer.

The comrade went on mission and I visited the comrades' house every time I went on mission. The most that the families needed were 11 kg gas canisters, which were scarce at that time. I was carrying a tool when martyr Shiroudi said: "Beat the children one more time." Ms. Ishan was a base health nurse at that time. I went there and we exchanged greetings. They said: "When will Akbar come?" I said: "I don't think it will come soon, because a series of operations are being carried out one after the other. He has forgotten life, everything is front. He was a pious and brave person. His wife said: Abuzar has a fever, he is very sick. Tell Akbar to come home." I delivered this message to maryr Shiroudi. He used to joke with me a lot at that time. He jokingly said: "Ali Turk!" 18-20 year olds are martyred here. Abuzar is 6 months old, it will take time for him to be 18 years old. We have to find out now."