Write an article about Nuri pilot Frank Chong’s ‘gungho’ exploits .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), Retain any existing tags from Squadron-leader (Major) Frank Chong at the height of his Nuri flying days with the RMAF. (Frank Chong’s family pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: He was one “helluva” military combat pilot who relished eating monitor lizard and wild-boar curry dishes.
Apart from his dietary preferences, Lieutenant-Colonel (Rtd) Frank Chong Keng Lay is better remembered for heroically flying the Sikorsky S61A-4 Nuri over hostile terrain at the height of the communist insurgency in Peninsular Malaysia in the 1970s through 1980s.
Chong’s eldest son Melvin said his father, who turned 80 on April 1, died at his Kinrara, Puchong home on June 9, leaving behind wife Anne Rita Selvaranee Thiagarajah and two other sons – Colin and Julian.
The late Frank Chong (seated, right) with wife Anne Rita. With them are son Melvin Chong and fiancée Cordelia Tan (back row, right) with daughters (back row, from left) Athena Chong, Cheyenne Chong, (seated, from left) Arianne Chong and Shania Chong. (Frank Chong’s family pic)
Many of his former Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) comrades remember Chong as a brave pilot who was ever ready to fly – rain or shine, anytime, anywhere – with a smiling face.
Some even likened Chong’s smirky-smiles to actor George Peppard of the “A-Team” television series.
One of his former squadron mates and veteran Nuri pilot, Major (Rtd) Nor Ibrahim Sulaiman recalled the resilience and steadfastness Chong displayed as flight commander of No. 3 Squadron at the RMAF Base in Butterworth, Penang.
“Chong probably holds the record of being fired at the most times – over 200 gunshots – by the communist terrorists, in several flying missions like ‘Ops Selamat Sawadee’ and ‘Daoyai Musnah 1 and 2’ near the Malaysia-Thai border.
“Somehow, he seemed to be the favourite of the bandits,” he said.
Nor Ibrahim also remembered one incident in 1978 when Chong was flying a rescue mission to evacuate an injured soldier trapped in the Malaysia-Thai jungles in Betong, Yala in Thailand.
A young Flight-Lieutenant (Capt) Frank Chong flanked by co-pilot Pilot Officer (Second-Lieutenant) Johan Othman and air-quartermaster Sergeant Mohsain Hashim during one of their Nuri high-risk sorties near the Malaysia-Thai border in the 1970s. (Frank Chong’s family pic)
At the time, Chong was carrying out supply and troop deployment missions off Kroh (now Pengkalan Hulu), Perak and Gubir, Kedah.
“Chong was tasked to fly high-risk sorties under heavy gunfire, over two days, to eventually evacuate the soldier from Betong to Penang Hospital.
“In the process, two escorting commandos on board the Nuri lost their lives from enemy gunfire, in two separate incidents.
“To us, it was routine for the terrorists to ‘hunt’ and take pot shots at the Nuri which was a big and bulky ‘moving target’ for their target practices!
“Other than the official reports to the RMAF and Defence Ministry, we had our own ‘scrap book’ of our covert episodes,” said Nor Ibrahim.
He added that Chong – as a passenger among 12 onboard – even cheated death on Jan 16, 1991 when the Nuri piloted by Captain Tien Seng An sustained a broken rotor blade and crashed into a rubber estate at Kampung Parit Zin, Bukit Gambir, near Muar, Johor while on the way to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur.
Chong also served as No. 5 Squadron commanding officer based in Labuan and was involved in Malaysia securing the Swallow Reef (Terumbu Layang-Layang) – part of the multinational disputed Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea in 1980.
Squadron-Leader (Major) Frank Chong with Royal Malaysian Navy personnel after securing the Swallow Reef (Terumbu Layang-Layang) in the South China Sea in 1980. (Frank Chong’s family pic)
In one of his last interviews, Chong revealed that he was tasked with the Betong rescue mission that resulted in the Nuri being riddled with over 22 bullet holes and a shattered windscreen.
“We were unable to evacuate the injured soldier – a sergeant – during our first attempt at night and successfully repeated our mission the next morning.
“The enemy had anticipated our return as they knew that we would not rest until our injured man was safely evacuated. The successful evacuation was paramount to maintain troop morale which can be severely affected, otherwise.
“No flight or infantry commander wanted to see any of his injured man – let alone himself – stranded without medical aid as this will demoralise the entire frontline troops,” said Chong, who was awarded the gallantry Air Force Medal (Pingat Tentera Udara) for his effort.
Frank Chong with Anne Rita at their wedding reception on Dec 26, 1969 in Penang. (Frank Chong’s family pic)
Hailing from Air Hitam in Penang, Chong served the Army’s Royal Engineering Corps for eight years from 1965, specialising in disarming booby traps, before becoming an RMAF pilot in 1977.
He was popular as captain of the Armed Forces Golf Club at the RMAF base in Sungai Besi, as well as its base commander.
Retiring after 30 years in 1995, Chong served as principal of the Malaysian Flying Academy in Melaka, and chief pilot with Layang-Layang Helicopter Academy in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and Erickson Air Crane in Miri, Sarawak.
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