I still remember watching the news with my parents at our old apartment. I was 6 back then.It only took 30 seconds for the Special Operations Force of SAF Commandos to storm a hijacked plane, saved all hostages and killed all hijackers onsight. It was a moment often forgotten. There have been a total of 62 plane hijacks globally from 1950 to 2009 but only 4 countries have successfully saved all its hostages; Israel, Germany, Indonesia and Singapore.
It's not a myth that the SAF is an untested military in war but I believe that when called to duty, we would perform, despite half the size being (working salarymen and 18-year-old) civilians (most of the time grumbling over our compulsory military obligations).
Not much information was ever revealed about who these Commandos were, except that one of them is rumoured to be the legendary Col (ret) Loh Yong Poh, whom I had the honour to meet as a recruit at BMTC, when he was the Commanding Officer. Indeed a larger than life character.
I guess we will never know the real faces behind those black masks. But it's significant to note that we never back away. When it comes to the crunch, Singapore always prevails. At the same time, don't let your political inclinations affect your respect for these men who served the nations with their hearts.
Straits Times' Through The Lens Special here.
Watch a video here.
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