Tragic man... Was it featured in the news?
Only twice, as I recall. Both were brief mentions of the formal
BOI hearings (conducted much, much later) published inside the ST
editions. Never ever saw the official report, actually. Won't mind
reading it too.
Looking back, I identify the accident to have happened in the
second half of 1986, perhaps during the last quarter of that year.
The explosion took place past midnight as the M113s was preparing
to convoy back to camp. According to the sworn accounts, the
fatality absorbed a chunk of the blast & in that sense
indirectly "saved" his buddies. Nonetheless, the layer had some
fingers blown off (the only one downgraded); another mortarman took
sharpnel in his back; the detachment 2IC in his face (one heck of a
swollen jawline) & the detachment commander in his buttocks(!)
cuz he was "up there" in his seat. Only the driver, seated in
front, was unhurt -- though he would ironically also downgrade
later for a different reason & joined my IHL unit for
reservist.
What also emerged from the chaotic eyewitness accounts was a hero
(my BC, a scholar CPT who went into the M113 to carry out the
injured) & a "villain" (my BTY medic, a gabra NSF who was
paralyzed with shock). The dead soldier's name was Low Soon Yeow --
or isst Loh Soon Yow? Geez, it was 20+ years old, leh -- & I
have good memories of him cuz he was one of the more affable
Hokkien peng who took time out to befriend Air Levels like me who
were just posted in mid-year.
The military funeral was a big affair -- we got to wear the No.1's
& all the bigshots also came down to Mt. Vernon -- but,
guiltily, only my BTY Hokkien peng remembered to mark his death
anniversary a year on. Guiltily, cuz my BTY officers &
English-educated troops only realized the occasion when we saw the
simple, improvised ceremony at the back of the building (inverted
bayoneted-M16, helmet & boots Hollywood-style, with joss sticks
& incense-paper burning inside a metal bucket for an Asian
touch).
What's bittersweet is that, like a lot of unforgetable NS
experiences, they're largely forgotten after ORD by all except
those were there. I'd queried a fellow NUS hostelite who'd joined
the next 21 SA batch, as well as SOAY trainers later on during
ICTs, but *sigh* they all said they'd heard only vague stories
about what happened.
My old 21 SA BN, which I didn't follow after NS, ended up winning
best Arty unit during reservist (265 SA) ~lol~ Quite a turnaround
from what was quite a jinxed stint during active time (many other
misadventures).
