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Kruger , Michiel Labuschagne (vingers) (M L)

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Identity
Person No.
31179
Old ROH no.
751
Service No.
67291112PE
Last Name
Kruger 143
First Name
Michiel Labuschagne (vingers)
Initials
M L
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1951 (±1 yr) 254
Age at Death
26
Death Record
Date of Death
28 October 1977 147
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,655
Killed in action, whilst clearing a jam in his rifle, at Eheke, Angola (Operation Kropduif)
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
1 Reconnaissance Commando 15
Later renamed 1 Reconnaissance Regiment (1996)
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,832
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,874
Locality
Mpumalanga 425
Cemetery
BALFOUR CEMETERY 6
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 3
Memorial
1977 SAA (Kruger–Maquinda, Walker–Wilters) to 1978 SAA (Amorim–Cassamano, Hunter–Mandunga)
Names on 1977-1978 SAA Kruger-Mandunga
Memorial
SADF Wall of Remembrance
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Voortrekker Monument, Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa
Coordinates
-25.77639, 28.17583 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
1977-1978 SAA Kruger-Mandunga
On the panel
1977 Army. Left column. 1st name from the top (Kruger M.L.)
Unit History
Role at time of death
Special Forces (Reconnaissance)
Status
Permanent Force (Regular), some sub-units Citizen Force
The first South African Special Forces unit, established at Oudtshoorn, Cape Province, 1 October 1972. Special Forces operate as their own branch within the SANDF (not part of the Army/Navy). Some Reconnaissance Commandos had Citizen Force (reserve) components alongside the standing Permanent Force structure -- needs further research to determine which applies to a specific record/era.
Awards
Pro Patria Medal
Pro Patria Medal
South Africa
Pro Patria Medal warrant, Government Gazette No. 5171 (25 Jun 1976), Rule 5, as amended by GG No. 5575 (3 Jun 1977); discontinued by GG No. 25213 (25 Jul 2003, Schedule corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 Sep 2004) for service on/after 27 Apr 2003. Gazette extracts: https://rohsa.co.za/award.php?id=24
Notes

Son of Mrs. A. Kruger

Research notes

SADF Wall of Remembrance (Voortrekker Monument): named on photograph "1977 SAA (Kruger–Maquinda, Walker–Wilters) to 1978 SAA (Amorim–Cassamano, Hunter–Mandunga)". 1977 Army. Left column. 1st name from the top (Kruger M.L.).
SASFA In Memoriam (operators): confirmed Special Forces operator. SASFA: Kruger Vingers KIA 1977. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "1 Engineer Regiment"; Regiment was "1 Reconnaissance Regiment". SAWGP Regiment 1 Reconnaissance Commando with no separate unit.
Jack Greeff, "A Greater Share of Honour: The Memoirs of a 'Recce' Officer" (3rd edition, September 2023, ISBN 978-1-920702-37-3), chapter 4 "Operation Kropduif", pages 90-96. Greeff was in the assaulting force at Eheke on 28 October 1977 and walked the ground immediately afterwards, so this is EYEWITNESS testimony rather than a compiled account. Named among the dead: "'Vingers' Kruger... were all dead." Greeff describes the assault group on his left -- about half of the frontal assault -- as "either dead or wounded" when he reached them.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Army" was CLEARED as a duplicate. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word repeating what the Branch column already says. Secondary Unit is for sub-units -- a company, a squadron, a commando -- and this record's branch of service is unchanged at "Army".

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 3
on 01 May 2008 · via source
M Le Grange M.LeGrange 9949
by Johan Schoeman on 29 October 2016 · via War in Angola
Read more about his actions during Operation Kropduif at http://www.warinangola.com/default.aspx?&view=topic&tabid=1274&forumid=1182&postid=16341

[Photo from Leon Bezuidenhout]
on 17 August 2026 · via source
Operasie Kropduif (die aanval op Eheke) op 28 Oktober 1977, sou die donkerste dag in die geskiedenis van die Suid Afrikaanse Spesiale Magte se bestaan wees. Nadat die Suid Afrikaners aan Angola onttrek het in 1976, sou Swapo die geleentheid gebruik om operasionele basisse bykans teen die SWA grens te vestig. Hierdie basisse is vanaf twee groter streeks hoofkwartiere ondersteun. Cassinga sou die sentrale deel van Swapo se aanvalle op die SWA grens ondersteun, en Eheke die oostelike deel van Owamboland en die Kavango. Daar is besluit om Eheke eerste aan te val. Drie kompanies van die nuwe 32 Batteljon sou te voet oor die grens, en Eheke vanaf die suide aanval. Op dieselfde tyd sou 'n groep van die Verkennings Kommando's, noord van Eheke afgeooi word, en met eerstelig die basis uit die noorde aanval. Alles het van die begin verkeerd gegaan. Die Spesiale Magte is sowat 15 kilometer te ver noord uit die vliegtuie gelaat. Om dinge verder te kompliseer was die terrein plat en sonder bakens. Eers teen dagbreek was die verkenners in 'n situasie om sinvol te kon navigeer. Toe Drie Twee nog ook halfpad na die teiken, teen 'n verwoede Swapo mag vasloop is daar met reg gevra of die operasie nie afgelas moes word nie. Ook veterane soos Sers Maj FC van Zyl vra vrae. Die bevelvoerende offisier Brig Gleeson, in Rundu het teen die beter wete van die grond bevelvoerders besluit dat die operasie moes voortgaan. Toe gebeur 'n volgende tragedie. Eheke het uit 'n groter kompleks bestaan as wat die foto interpretasie kenners raak gesien het. Behalwe vir die basis in die suide was daar ook 'n basis in die noord ooste. Hierdie kompleks is totaal misgekyk. Teen drie uur die middag loop die verkenners in 'n trop beeste vas. Die veld was bebos maar onder is die hout en dekking verwyder. Die bees wagtertjie wys na die loopgrawe voor hulle. Die Operateurs vorm 'n linie met die ondersteunings groepe na agter. Aan die linkerkantste buite flank is Michiel 'Vingers' Kruger met 'n RPG, dan aan sy binnekant, Gert Eksteen met 'n LMG, dan FC van Zyl, Wentzel Marx met 'n LMG, Gary Walker met 'n RPG, Grant Clark, nog een, dan Antonie Badenhorst en dan Luit Chris Strydom. Aan hulle regterkant is nog groepe besig om vorentoe te beweeg. Dan bars alle hel los. Die seksie aan die linker flank het vasgeloop in die deel waar die basis se loopgrawe 90 grade wegswaai van die lyn van die aanval. In plaas daarvan
Dedications 1
by Alta Griffiths on 21 March 2006 · via source
Michiel Labuschagne Kruger. His comrades called him 'Fingers' ('Vingers') and to his family he was known as 'Tsotsi'. Sadly missed by all.