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Pietersen , Christiaan Wilhelm (C W)

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Identity
Person No.
32521
Old ROH no.
1147
Service No.
76354612PE
Last Name
First Name
Christiaan Wilhelm
Initials
C W
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
22
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,778
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, shot down south-east of Cuvelai in Angola, in Aerospatiale SA3330 Puma C #132 together with 2 other members of the SAAF and 12 soldiers of 1 Parachute Battalion
Military Service
Branch
Air Force
Rank
Lieutenant
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,839
South African Defence Force
Awards
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

No additional information known at this time

Research notes


5 Sep 2026: Unit "31 Squadron" (a squadron, SAAF's regiment-equivalent) promoted to Regiment, per John's decision. Corps (South African Air Force) unchanged.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Army" was CLEARED. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word, and it CONTRADICTED this record's own Branch, "Air Force". Across the roll 787 records carried such a contradiction; judged against Corps and Regiment -- independent of both columns -- the evidence backed Branch 744 times and Unit2 not once. Branch is therefore kept and the contradicting word removed. Nothing is guessed: this man's branch of service is already recorded, and his sub-unit, if any, is simply not known.

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 1
by HENK PIETERSEN on 09 December 2006 · via source
CHRIS PIETERSEN WAS MY UNCLE HE WAS 22 YEARS OLD WHEN HE DIED. HE WAS PART OF THE NEWLY COMISSIONED 31 SQUADRON AT AFB HOEDSPRUIT. HE WAS A PUMA HELICOPTER CO PILOT. HE WAS SHOT DOWN DURING OPERATION MEEBOS WITH THE REST OF THE CREW CAPT JOHN TWADDLE (COMMANDER) SGT GROBBIES GROBBELAAR (FLIGHT ENGINEER) AND 12 PARRABATS OF 1 PARRA BAT. THE A/C WAS SHOT DOWN NEAR CUVELAI WHEN 8 PUMA'S FLEW ACCIDENTLY OVER A TERRORIST CAMP. THEY WERE THE 2ND LAST A/C FLYING IN A LOOSE VIC FORMATION AND WAS SHOT IN THE TAIL GEARBOX PRESUMEBLY WITH A 14.5 AA ROUND. AL 15 MEMBERS WERE KILLED. THE 12 PARRABATS ARE BURRIED ON THE PERADE GROUND OF 1 PARA BAT IN BLOEMFONTEIN AND THEIR NAMES ARE ON THEIR WALL OF REMEMBARENCE. CAPT JOHN TWADDLE IS BURIED IN DURBAN; SGT GROBBELAAR IS BURIED IN CENTURION CEMETRY. MY UNCLE IS BURIED IN THE HERO'S ACRE IN HAMILTON BLOEMFONTEIN.
Dedications

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