Yos Sudarso had always dreamed of becoming a soldier since he was a child, despite his parents’ preference for him to become a teacher. His dream was realized when the Japanese government required additional military personnel during the Greater East Asia War.
He enrolled in the Naval Academy in Semarang and received naval military training with the Japanese Navy, graduating as one of the top students. He later served on a Japanese military ship.
Following the proclamation of Indonesian independence on August 17, 1945, he joined the People’s Security Agency in the maritime sector (BKR Laut), which later became part of the Indonesian Navy.
Throughout his career, Yos Sudarso participated in various military operations to suppress insurgencies within 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 the Tri Komando Rakyat (TRIKORA), which included an operation in the Aru Sea near Maluku to aid in the liberation of West Papua from the Dutch. Yos Sudarso, serving as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (KSAL) at the time, led three KRIs in covert operations in the waters of Maluku. The KRIs involved were KRI Macan Tutul, KRI Macan Kumbang, and KRI Harimau, with Yos Sudarso leading KRI Macan Tutul.
Three sizable Dutch warships with full armaments detected the movements of Yos Sudarso and the three KRI units in the Aru Sea. Yos Sudarso instructed the KRIs to withdraw temporarily, but the Dutch misinterpreted it as a prelude to an attack and opened fire.
The engine of KRI Macan Tutul, led by Yos Sudarso, suddenly malfunctioned in the midst of the rescue operation. Quick thinking led Yos Sudarso to conclude that he could not save his own ship but could assist the other two KRIs. Therefore, he positioned KRI Macan Tutul as a shield between the Dutch warships, allowing the other two KRIs to escape. The second shot from the Dutch ship hit KRI Macan Tutul, causing it to catch fire and slowly sink.
Yos Sudarso, along with 24 men aboard KRI Macan Tutul, perished in the battle of the Aru Sea. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his country at the age of 36, demonstrating his dedication to duty and the nation.
