In East Jakarta, Indonesia, there is an airport that serves thousands of domestic and state flights every day: Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport. For many travelers in Southeast Asia, the airport may be known simply as one of Indonesia’s aviation hubs.
However, the name displayed at the airport entrance belongs to a Southeast Asian military figure whose career was directly connected to the history of World War II in Europe.
That name is Abdul Halim Perdanakusuma, an air force officer born in Sampang, Madura, on 18 November 1922. In military history, Halim is known as the only Indonesian who was directly involved in bombing missions against Nazi German headquarters in Europe—a fact that places this Southeast Asian officer at the center of one of the major global conflicts of the 20th century.
An Indonesian Airman in Nazi-Era Air Warfare
Halim’s military journey began when he joined the Royal Netherlands Navy of the Dutch East Indies. From there, he was given the opportunity to undergo flight training with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the United Kingdom. At the time, he was only 22 years old.
Within Western military institutions, Halim was trained as a heavy bomber navigator, including on Lancaster and B-24 Liberator aircraft—two types that played crucial roles in Allied air strategy.
His expertise in aerial navigation led to his assignment to numerous strategic missions. He eventually attained the rank of Wing Commander, an achievement rarely granted to soldiers from colonial territories during that era.
According to the book Bakti TNI Angkatan Udara 1946–2003, Halim carried out approximately 42 to 44 bombing missions over territories controlled by Nazi Germany and France.
The record notes: “Every time he flew with his squadron on air raids over cities in Germany and France, the entire crew returned safely,” wrote M. Sunjata in the book.
This record shaped his distinctive reputation within military circles. Whenever Halim took part in an air mission, the entire aircraft crew returned unharmed. For this reason, he was reportedly given the nickname “The Black Mascot” by the Queen of England.
Return to Southeast Asia and Death in the Line of Duty
After World War II, Halim chose to return to Indonesia, which at the time was struggling to defend its newly proclaimed independence. Although he briefly served within the Dutch military (MLD), he decided to join the Badan Keamanan Rakyat Udara, the forerunner of what would later become the Indonesian Air Force.
In 1947, Indonesia was under a Dutch blockade and faced severe shortages of weapons and medical supplies. Halim was assigned to carry out a covert mission to Thailand (then Siam) to procure military equipment and transport aircraft.
Together with Officer Iswahyudi, he flew an Avro Anson RI-003. The mission was successful, and the aircraft returned carrying vital supplies for Indonesia.
However, on the return journey, the aircraft crashed in the Lumut area of Malaysia on 14 December 1947 due to severe weather conditions. Halim and Iswahyudi were killed in the line of duty. Halim’s remains were initially buried in Malaysia before being reinterred at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta in 1975.
In recognition of his service and sacrifice, the government renamed Tjililitan Airfield as Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. The name now endures as part of an airport used daily by the public, serving as a lasting reminder of the courage of an Indonesian air officer whose historical legacy once reached as far as the skies over Europe.
