The Trailblazer: The Inspiring Biography of Col. Kassa Gebre Mariam

First published in 2016 as "ታሪክ የምትመሠክርልን" ካሣ ገብረማርያም. The inspiring biography of Col. Kassa Gebre Mariam the man who laid the groundwork for world flight security. When Ethiopian Airlines, the only airline in the country, was on the verge of stopping its flights because of recurring hijacks and attacks on its airplanes, Colonel Kassa Gebremariam was the one who organized, trained, and formed an Anti-hijacking force (Air Marshals) for it. The Ethiopian Anti-hijacking Force was the first of its kind in Ethiopia and the second to Israel in the world. It was launched amidst staunch opposition internationally; however, it was so successful that other airlines in other countries copied it. Col. Kassa Gebre Mariam had taken the entire required infantry officer’s courses in Ethiopia and then took Basic Infantry Officer’s, Advanced Infantry Officer’s, and Command and Staff College courses in the USA. He also took Ranger, Airborne, and other courses in the USA. He has had an Intelligence and Counterintelligence course from Yugoslavia too. It is self-evident that, by any international measure of standards, Colonel Kassa Gebremariam was a well-qualified professional and certainly a well-rounded officer. At the time when the Somalia commandos, disguised as local guerrilla fighters, were perpetrating attacks, and creating havoc deep in the territory of Ethiopia, Colonel Kassa Gebremariam, with the help of some officers from Israel, trained and formed the first Special Force in Ethiopia. Then in retaliation to the Somali armed band’s actions Colonel Kassa Gebremariam, commanding his force, executed several successful secret missions across the Somalia border that eventually resulted in the Somalia government not only being forced to stop the incursions but also succumbing to a peaceful negotiation with Ethiopia. . . . Colonel Kassa’s force, with no reinforcement and supply at all, exhausted, fatigued, and overwhelmed with thirst started to go into disarray. The dwindling and remaining force ended up being encircled by the enemy and yet kept on fighting stubbornly. At last our hero, Colonel Kassa Gebremariam, with his dignity, pride, and composure intact, killed himself – sacrificing his life for his country and his people. Abbreviations and Acronyms Glossary Acknowledgments Preface Python of the Desert 1. My Father’s Origins The Countryside Sidamo and His Ordination as a Deacon Modern Education in Addis Ababa Abbadina Police College 2. Young Adulthood Haile Selassie I Military School (Holeta Genet) Pledge of Allegiance 3. Military Career 4. Being an Instructor and Receiving Further Training Training in the United States Holeta - Haile Selassie I Military School Back to Instruction Training in Yugoslavia 5. Becoming an Instructor Again At the Harar Military Academy The Congo Mission 6. Special Force Somalia: Historical Background The Establishment and Command of the Special Force The Borma Mission The Dolo Mission The Opportunity that Eluded Ethiopia The Emperor, the Special Force, and My Father Protecting His Subordinates To Be Loved and Be Known in the Army Airborne Training Intelligence Report 7. Back in the US for Further Education His Own Boss Fort Sill Fort Knox Fort Benning 8. Flight Terrorism The Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) Frankfurt Karachi Ikab, the ELF (Jebha) Commando Khartoum 9. Flight Protection Flight Security Force The Beginning A Hero’s Welcome in Dire Dawa Aden, Yemen Training and Organizing Madrid, Spain Rome, Italy The Black September 10. With His Majesty Royal Flight Cairo, Egypt The Medals 11. Flight Terrorism and Security – Continued Benghazi, Libya Italy, 1971 Rome, Italy Addis Ababa Relationships Among the Terrorists Experiences and Opinions of Workers Issues over Promotion International Contribution Resignation, Evaluation, and Compliment Letters 12. Off Duty: With Family, Relatives, and Friends Physical Strength About Truth and Equality Sidamo: Visiting Relatives Friends Casa Populare Entertaining and Enjoyment Music and Dance House and Property 13. Commander of the Ninth Brigade Qebri Dehar The Ill-Fated Telephone Call Detention – Mustahil 14. Staff College Education in the US Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Testimony of His Course Mates 15. Training and Organizing the Army Commandant of the Holeta Genet Military School The Message of the Commandant Letter of Appreciation from MAAG Defense Structure and the Special Combat Plan Leader of the Parade My Words and Deeds Our Spiritual Father The Western Command 16. Northern Ethiopia - Eritrea Insurgency in Eritrea The Question of Unity The Fronts Got Stronger 17. The Task Force Campaign The Prelude to the Campaign Task Force Campaign - Phase I Task Force Operation – Phase II Ella Bered: Government Forces Thrown into Fire “The Cursed Land” Asmara – Kagnew Station The Issue of Politics The Speech that Made the Leader Angry In the Eyes of Members of the Army and Civilians 18. My Father and the Higher Officials The Grievance of Many Officers Suicide Mission An Unfortunate Ending The Conspiracy Hypothesis Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces The EPLF Cornered 19. The Rora Tselim Mission Farwell and Volunteerism The Major Combat Plan Special Mission The Movement of the Army The EPLF in Panic Surprise Attack A Life-and-Death Engagement Mission Turned Suicidal The Narrow Escape The Lion of Naqfa The Man 20. Annexes His Wife, Wro. Aselefech Haile*2 A Brief Biography of Col. Aytenew Belay* A Brief Biography of Lt. Col. Seifu Wolde* An interview with the Former-President, Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam 21. Appendices Endnotes Index