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SINGAPORE – From confrontations with marine thieves to responding to calls for help, Military Expert (ME) 3 Chua Buan Hee has had an exciting and rewarding career spanning 26 years.
The sailor of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) began his naval adventure in the RSS Fearless, the first of its kind, in 1995 and spent three seasons on the Fearless-class patrol vessels (PV).
On Friday (December 11), RSS Gallant’s helmsman, now 44, was filled with excitement as the ship’s commissioning flag was lowered from its sail for the first time.
The lowering of the flag during a decommissioning ceremony marks the official end of a ship’s military service in the RSN.
RSS Gallant and RSS Freedom are the last of 11 operational PVs to be decommissioned. The VPs have been replaced by eight of the fastest and most capable littoral mission vessels, which have been in full operation since January this year.
Speaking to reporters aboard RSS Gallant on Thursday, ME3 Chua said: “It can be said that I am destined to be part of the pioneering PV team, and fate to see the last of them out of commission.”
“Of course I will be sad, but we still have to move on. With Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs) in line to replace PVs, we have to be happy because we have to evolve to face future threats,” he added. .
The ceremony was held at the Tuas Naval Base ceremony on Friday. In the evening, Chief Rear Admiral of the Navy (RADM) Aaron Beng ordered the dismantling of RSS Gallant and RSS Freedom as officiating officer. RSS Freedom was commissioned in 1998 and RSS Gallant a year earlier.
In handing out the commendations for the two ships, Maritime Safety Working Group Commander RADM Yong Wei Hsiung said that each sailed 314,000 nautical miles, enough to circumnavigate the land 12 times, to defend Singapore’s waters and support their defense relationships.
“The magnitude of their contributions is outstanding. This would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication, professionalism, tenacity and sacrifices of many generations of officers and crew who served on board,” he told the ships’ past and present crew. in the ceremony. , as well as senior RSN officers.
The PVs were the first warships designed and built in Singapore. Over the years, they have ensured the country’s maritime security through numerous operations at sea.
But they will not be fully retired yet, and four of them will be earmarked for renewal as part of efforts to strengthen capacities to better protect Singapore’s territorial waters and respond to maritime security threats.
ME3 Chua was part of the pioneering crew of the RSN’s first PV, RSS Fearless, which was launched in 1995. He learned his skills as a junior gunner with the ship from 1995 to 1997, his first assignment after he signed up.
He was then involved in the development of standard operating procedures that are still used decades later, such as for refueling at sea and anchoring.
In his second stint in PV at RSS Brave from 2004 to 2007 as Chief of the Ordnance System, he experienced some of the most exciting days of his career, responding to emergency or distress calls, including one related to sea robbers.
After reporting the incident to headquarters, the ship headed to the scene where the incident occurred and the thieves began to flee, it said.
In another overnight incident, RSS Brave spotted a boat with two outboard motors and more than 10 people, suspected of being illegal immigrants.
“When we hit them with our search light, they started their engines and fled. We chased them, but we were only able to do so up to the territorial limit.”
While at RSS Brave, he also participated in patrol operations around Pedra Branca, before the island located about 40 km east of Singapore was adjudicated to Singapore in a 2008 International Court of Justice ruling.
“We had to be there to show our presence. We needed to deter and protect our sovereignty,” he said, adding that they had to be on high alert.
When asked if he had a purpose during these patrol operations, ME3 Chua recalled the words of his previous commander.
“I still remember him, he said, ‘If it’s not us, then who else, and if not now, then when?’ We were out there to do an operation and we had to be on guard. “
ME3 Chua believes that the passion for work, being able to sail around the world and the family spirit in the navy have kept him going.
Although he is not sure where he will be posted next, he said: “Wherever the navy needs me, I will go.”
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