Ceremony remembering military commanders lost in 1981 air tragedy

Above: banner showing image of IRIAF Major General Javad Fakoori

Iran's military on 29SEP15 remembered it's fallen commanders lost in an air crash thirty-four years ago to the day, during the Iran-Iraq War.

On 29SEP81, IRIAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules, serial 5-8552 en route from Ahvaz to Mehrabad crashed near Kahrizak, 20 kilometers south of Tehran, killing 80 on board including wounded from the front and the following Iranian top ranking military commanders:

- IRIA Major General Valiollah Fallahi, commander joint chief of staff

- IRIAF Major General Javad Fakouri, IRIAF commander and deputy commander joint chief of staff
(IRIAF Tactical Fighter Base 2 at Tabriz is named "Shahid Fakhouri" in his honor)

- IRIA Brigadier General Seyed Mousa Namjoo, minister of defense

- IRGC Brigadier General Yousef Kolahdouz, acting IRGC commander

- IRGC Major General Mohammad Ali Jahanara
(Hero during the Abadan siege and combat commander during Battles of Khoramshahr)

IRIAF Brigadier General 2C Hossein Khalili speaking at the commemoration ceremony

Seated in the audience, far right: IRIAF Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Alireza Barkhour

IRIAF Brigadier General 2C Farajollah Baratpour. An IRIAF F-4 Phantom pilot, Baratpour flew combat in the celebrated H-3 airstrike during the Iran-Iraq War.

Brig. Gen. Alireza Barkhour distributes honor plaques to family members of military commanders lost in the 1981 air tragedy.

  

Group of IRIAF colonels seated at the commemoration ceremony

IRGC brigadier general 2C breaks ground onsite of planned monument for those military servicemen lost in the 1981 air tragedy.

Photos: Mahdi Shamohammadi at Tasnim News Agency