Hearsay from news reports.
Hijackers of SQ 117 took a few bullets from him. Thats how it started...
The insignificant nobody me had the privilege and honor to know Mr. Fred Chong up close during military service to our Nation... His life's journey to Enlightenment began the moment of his birth.
He was not of the commonly known 'White Horse' in SAF. He was of common origins, but WORK hard at the opportunities offered by taxpayers, for subsidized housing, education, medcare, and more, and signed on as an officer in SAF, joined the most toughest military unit and even later - specialized unit, and for his dedication, ethics and proven intelligence, he became a Captain and critically, a RESPECTED LEADER in one of the toughest teams within the unit under SAF.
He was mentally and physical strong, but no Human is perfect. I remembered how he had issues with IPPT test Pull ups, and had to struggle to pass the mandatory requirements as an elite soldier.....
However, that did not deter him. He was sent for overseas military training with the elite USA NAVY SEAL forces, and when he came back, he could lift an outboard boat motor weighing 110kg by himself and walk a mile with it....Such is what he is in mental and physical strength...
Being in USA, and working with an elite force in USA with 200+yrs of civilizational history, with so many others of diverse beliefs and cultures, it helped shaped him to what that he already was.....
During the horrific siege of M117, his team was not the highly dedicated team that trained for years to perform such operations, but the military commanders had trust and faith that even a second team, whom was equally trained, could handle the job while the dedicated team was ready to storm in, performing another critical and important role, should it be necessary.
As the Leader of his team, there was only a few seconds to subdue the terrorists. It is easy upon hindsight that later the terrorists were found out be only armed with dinner knives, but intelligence gathered beforehand was that they may carry explosives, and were situated mostly in the middle of the plane were the fully fueled fuel tanks were located as well as holding bottles of wine.
Should the terrorists go nuts, as they were proven to be, becoming more desperate and irrational by the minutes, and should they follow up with their threats of being prepared to die, just a mere flame from the alcohol would had exploded the planes and KILLED every passenger onboard....fire retardant seats on airlines Worldwide back then was not even thought of but only after this incident.....
Thus, Mr Fred Chong, being the leader of his team, had only seconds to paralyze the terrorists in their tracks.....in order TO SAVE THE LIVES of the innocent passengers....and the rest is history.....
My salute, always to Mr Fred Chong...
