KUALA LUMPUR: They fought the enemy on the land, sea and air for decades, yet remained steadfast.
This grounding in the army, navy and air force put them in good stead to serve the nation magnanimously as career military officers.
Hence, four close buddies recounted their episodes when they were handpicked to undergo an international defence management course at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California in the United States 43 years ago in 1979.
Speaking on their behalf, retired Royal Malaysian Air Force pilot Brig-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Soon Lian Cheng said they were elated when informed of their date at Monterey, knowing that it would chart them for senior appointments in the armed forces.
"As soon as we were informed, I alerted the other three to meet up at Honolulu, Hawaii for a short retreat - enroute to Monterey.
"We were all lieutenant-colonels (or its equivalent) at the time.
"Later at Monterey, the three-and-a half-month course charted not only our prolific careers but emboldened our life-long friendship," said Soon, who will turn 81 on Nov 9, after a nostalgic 'Monterey' reunion with former Royal Ranger Regiment and Brig-Gen (Rtd) Ron Mahendran Sinnadurai at the latter's residence in Taman Perwira in Ampang Jaya, Selangor.
The other two - former army officer Brig-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Jaafar Ali and former Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral (Rtd) Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdul Jamal (both 75) - were unable to keep their 'Monterey connection' at Ron's house.
However, another of Soon and Ron's 'long-lost' friend and former New Straits Times group editor P.C. Shivadas Raman was there to commemorate the forthcoming Warriror's Day on July 31.
Also present were Ron's American wife Joanne Mahendran, who had served as a United States peace corps volunteer here, and her friend Emily Salim, a retired international school teacher.
Shivadas, who turned 81 on Feb 21, had known the four officers, covering much of their activities as a journalist in his earlier years.
Soon said that Ron, who turned 82 on Jan 1, was the leader of the Monterey course that had 40 international students.
"The four of us shared many glorious moments together during our long military careers.
"Although we were from different units and wore different uniforms, we often encountered each other either at the operational frontline (during the height of the communist insurgency), at mess reunions, defence operations meetings or staff courses.
"We had built a unique relationship that continues strongly, till today," said Soon.
He recalled how after finishing pilot training in New Zealand in 1963, his services were immediately summoned in June that year at the RMAF Sungai Besi station in Kuala Lumpur.
Later in August 1963, Soon was tasked as a co-pilot to undertake a ferry-flight of a second VIP Dove from Luton in England.
"My superior at that time was Squadron Leader Samuel Ponniah Welch @ Sam Welch (retired as a brigadier-general), who later became Shivadas' brother-in-law.
"We had to wait almost three weeks in London for the aeroplane to be ready," said Soon.
Soon flew out to first to Luton (England) for a refueling stop-over, then to Marseilles (France), Naples (Italy), Athens (Greece), Nicosia (Cyprus), Baghdad (Iraq), Manama (Bahrain), Karachi (Pakistan), New Delhi and Calcutta (both India), Bangkok (Thailand) and finally to Kuala Lumpur.
Ron said he became acquainted with Soon in 1971 when both were serving as directing staff at the Armed Forces Staff College at Haigate, the Defence Ministry.
"We continued our close contact when I later became Rajang Security Command (Rascom) commander based in Sibu, Sarawak and often caught up with Soon during frontline operations in East Malaysia.
"In later years, after my retirement, we often had card games at my house on Tuesdays to keep our friendship going," said Ron.
