Pasan Gunasekera
Encyclopedia
Warrant Officer Class 2
H.B. Pasan Gunasekera PWV
, WWV
, RSP
, GR
(November 9, 1964 - November 29, 1995) was a non-commissioned officer
in the Sri Lanka Army who was posthumously promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2
from Staff Sergeant
, and awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya
(PWV) medal, the Sri Lanka
's highest military decoration
for the honor, for his heroic deeds in Jaffna
, Sri Lanka
during Operation Riviresa
.
earlier and at that stage, his Commanding Officer had tried to transfer him to Colombo
but Gunasekera requested to get back to Jaffna.
In 1995, while he was on leave, he was urgently recalled to Jaffna. He had been ready to go on a course abroad but that too was cancelled because he was needed in Jaffna for the fore coming Operation Riviresa, which was his fate resolved.
. At this stage the LTTE were fighting a fierce battle in the town and they were supported by the Sea Tigers
who were using boats to bring in supplies and to evacuate casualties. The terrorists did this under the cover of darkness from 1800 hrs to 0500 hrs. On some days about 200-300 boats were involved in this operation. It facilitated the LTTE in resisting the main operational force which was attempting to capture Jaffna Town.
The movement of these boats were covered by a group of terrorists who were stationed in Chiruthivu Island which was between Jaffna Town and Mandathivu Island where 10th Gajaba Regiment
troops were located. It was therefore necessary to evict the terrorists from Chiruthivu if the army were to stop this boat movement. Gunasekara volunteered to take part in this mission, and with the help of improvised rafts he entered the Chiruthivu Island at about 0200 hrs with 16 men and occupied the Island after evicting the terrorists. Having done this he established a fire base to engage the terrorist boats moving in the Lagoon. By about 2100 hrs on November 30, 1995 he was able to immobilize a large number of terrorist boats moving in the lagoon.
Gunasekara died due to terrorist gunfire during this operation. He volunteered for the task with a small group of men unmindful of the danger to his life against the greater terrorist force who were moving in boats in strength armed to the teeth. This facilitated the isolation of terrorist fighting in the Jaffna Town and eventually helped the army to capture it.
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
H.B. Pasan Gunasekera PWV
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya , is the highest Sri Lankan military decoration equivalent to the British Victoria Cross , or the United States Medal of Honor, that's awarded as a reward for all ranks of the tri services individual acts of gallantry...
, WWV
Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya
Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya Medal and Bar are the third highest Sri Lankan military decoration that is presented to officers and other ranks as a reward for individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery which is of a military nature of a high order in the face of the enemy, carried out...
, RSP
Rana Sura Padakkama
The Rana Sura Padakkama is a medal presented to members of all ranks of the Military of Sri Lanka for individual and/or associated acts of heroism in facing the enemy and performed of their own accord. The decoration is presented by the President of Sri Lanka...
, GR
Gajaba Regiment
The Gajaba Regiment was formed when 1st Battalion the Rajarata Rifles and 1st Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment were amalgamated in 1983 to counter the threat from the LTTE. It is made up of six regular battalions and five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Saliyapura Camp, Anuradhapura...
(November 9, 1964 - November 29, 1995) was a non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
in the Sri Lanka Army who was posthumously promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
from Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
, and awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya , is the highest Sri Lankan military decoration equivalent to the British Victoria Cross , or the United States Medal of Honor, that's awarded as a reward for all ranks of the tri services individual acts of gallantry...
(PWV) medal, the Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
's highest military decoration
Military decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....
for the honor, for his heroic deeds in Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
during Operation Riviresa
Operation Riviresa
Operation Riviresa , was a combined military operation launched by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in Jaffna. Starting on the 17 October 1995, the primary objective of the operation was the capture of the town of Jaffna and rest of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE...
.
Early life
Pasan Gunasekera was born at Millewa, and was the youngest son of his family. After his father died in 1981, Gunasekera had worked for a while at local Ayurveda medicine factory and he met a retired Army officer working there and became very keen to join the Sri Lanka Army.Military service
He joined the Army in 1985 and served mostly in the North. He had fought in several major operations such as Vadamarachchi, Haye Para, Balavegaya 1 and 2 and Wanni Wickremaya 1,2,3. Even he had been shot in the stomach at VavuniyaVavuniya
Vavuniya is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni....
earlier and at that stage, his Commanding Officer had tried to transfer him to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
but Gunasekera requested to get back to Jaffna.
In 1995, while he was on leave, he was urgently recalled to Jaffna. He had been ready to go on a course abroad but that too was cancelled because he was needed in Jaffna for the fore coming Operation Riviresa, which was his fate resolved.
Citation
November 29, 1995 the Sri Lankan forces was on the edge of capturing Jaffna Town in Operation RiviresaOperation Riviresa
Operation Riviresa , was a combined military operation launched by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in Jaffna. Starting on the 17 October 1995, the primary objective of the operation was the capture of the town of Jaffna and rest of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE...
. At this stage the LTTE were fighting a fierce battle in the town and they were supported by the Sea Tigers
Sea Tigers
The Sea Tigers was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effective suicide bomber vessels. During its existence it had gained a reputation as a capable adversary for the Sri Lankan Navy...
who were using boats to bring in supplies and to evacuate casualties. The terrorists did this under the cover of darkness from 1800 hrs to 0500 hrs. On some days about 200-300 boats were involved in this operation. It facilitated the LTTE in resisting the main operational force which was attempting to capture Jaffna Town.
The movement of these boats were covered by a group of terrorists who were stationed in Chiruthivu Island which was between Jaffna Town and Mandathivu Island where 10th Gajaba Regiment
Gajaba Regiment
The Gajaba Regiment was formed when 1st Battalion the Rajarata Rifles and 1st Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment were amalgamated in 1983 to counter the threat from the LTTE. It is made up of six regular battalions and five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Saliyapura Camp, Anuradhapura...
troops were located. It was therefore necessary to evict the terrorists from Chiruthivu if the army were to stop this boat movement. Gunasekara volunteered to take part in this mission, and with the help of improvised rafts he entered the Chiruthivu Island at about 0200 hrs with 16 men and occupied the Island after evicting the terrorists. Having done this he established a fire base to engage the terrorist boats moving in the Lagoon. By about 2100 hrs on November 30, 1995 he was able to immobilize a large number of terrorist boats moving in the lagoon.
Gunasekara died due to terrorist gunfire during this operation. He volunteered for the task with a small group of men unmindful of the danger to his life against the greater terrorist force who were moving in boats in strength armed to the teeth. This facilitated the isolation of terrorist fighting in the Jaffna Town and eventually helped the army to capture it.