Kaharuddin Nasution (23 July 192525 September 1990) was an Indonesian military official, diplomat, and former Governor of Riau from 1960 to 1966 and Governor of North Sumatra from 1983 to 1988.
Early life
Kaharuddin Nasution was born on 23 July 1925 in Medan, Dutch East Indies. He began his education at the Hollandsch-Inlandsche School (elementary school for native children) in 1930, and graduated from the school in 1937. He continued his studies at the Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs (junior high school) in Medan, and graduated from the school in 1940.
After graduating from the school, he was sent by his parents to the Institut Nasional Syafei (National Syafei Institute) in Kayutanam, West Sumatra, which was owned by Inyiek Mohammad Syafei, future Minister of Education. He did not graduate from the school, and returned to Medan in 1941.
In the Imperial Japanese Navy
During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, a recruitment for Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) officers was held in Medan. Nasution joined the recruitment program, and underwent naval educations in Bandung and Kyoto. He was finally given the rank of lieutenant and became the steersman in the Haraokamaru ship in 1944. He participated in the Pacific Theater and fought against the US forces in the Solomon Islands campaign and in the Philippines campaign. During a naval battle in the Philippines, his ship was hit and caught fire. Nasution was injured and almost died.
After the surrender of Japan, all IJN ships were ordered to return to Japan. When his ship anchored in Tokyo, Nasution heard a radio broadcast about the proclamation of Indonesian Independence. Nasution deserted his ship and secretly got on board of a cargo ship that was heading for Southeast Asia. After the ship arrived in Singapore, Nasution got on board of another ship that was heading to Jakarta.
In the Indonesian Army
Indonesian National Revolution
After arriving in Jakarta, Nasution joined the fledgling Indonesian Army. He was given the rank of second lieutenant, and became the commander of the Mobile Battalion Company. As the commander of the mobile battalion, he was tasked to safeguard the demarcation line between the Indonesian army and the Dutch forces in West Java, Central Java, and East Java.
In 1948, he was promoted to first lieutenant and was put as the commander of the Siliwangi War Battalion. During this period, he took part in crushing the Madiun Affair in Solo, Wonogiri, Ponorogo, Madiun, and faced the Dutch forces during the politionele acties and the Legion of the Just Ruler during the APRA coup d'état.
Post-revolution
After the Indonesian National Revolution ended, he was promoted to captain in 1950, but still held the same command. In 1953, Nasution was transferred to the Jakarta Military Command as the Commander of the 1st BASIS Battalion. He became the acting commander of the Jakarta Military Command after the previous commander, Akil Prawiradiredja, was put into house arrest.
Commander of the RPKAD
In 1956, Nasution was appointed as the Commander of the Special Forces Regiment of the Indonesian Army (RPKAD), after his predecessor, Mayor Djailani, was put in prison following the Lubis Affair. Under his command, the regiment took part in putting down the possible mutiny of a garrison in Manado.
Later on, Nasution was put as the commander of the Tegas Joint Operation, an operation to crush the PRRI (Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia)'s forces in Riau. Nasution appointed Commander Lieutenant Colonel Wiriadinata from the Air Force and Mayor Indra Subagyo from the Navy as his deputy. The operation consisted of one RPKAD company, two PGT (Pasukan Gerak Tjepat, Quick Reaction Force), and an infantry battalion from Central Java that were planned to be airdropped into Pekanbaru. Another seaborne task force would later be deployed in the shores of Riau. This seaborne task force consisted of one KKO (Indonesian Marine Corps) company, a company of infantry from East Java, and two RPKAD company. Besides that, several BRIMOB (Mobile Brigade Corps) units also joined the operation under the command of Police Commisary Sutjipto Danukusumo.