Untung Syamsuri

Who was Untung Syamsuri?

Lieutenant Colonel Untung bin Syamsuri was one of the leaders of the 1965 coup attempt in Indonesia known as the 30 September Movement.

A career soldier, Untung was the first officer parachuted into Western New Guinea in 1962 at the start of President Sukarno's efforts to expel the Dutch forces who still controlled it. As a result of his actions, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and awarded a medal. In West Papua, and later in the Diponegoro Division in Central Java, Untung served with future president Suharto, who attended Untung's wedding in 1964.

In early 1965, Untung was transferred to the Tjakrabirawa, the Presidential Guard, and commanded one of its three battalions. He was put in charge of arrangements for the Armed Forces Day Parade to be held on 5 October. Being the 20th anniversary of the army, Sukarno had ordered a special event. For the day, a full infantry combat brigade was moved from East and Central Java and into Jakarta including three battalions of infantry, one of tanks, one of armoured cars, a mortar battalion, an anti-aircraft battalion and an engineers' unit.On the morning of 1 October 1965, troops had surrounded Merdeka Square in central Jakarta in support of the 30 September movement, but Untung was at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base along with other leaders of the movement, including D. N. Aidit, leader of the Communist Party of Indonesia. However, he was named as leader of the 30 September movement in radio broadcasts made by the group from the Indonesian State Radio building on Merdeka Square.