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Unknown Soldier , Unknown Soldier (J)

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Identity
Person No.
33363
Service No.
Unknown
First Name
Unknown Soldier
Initials
J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
32
Death Record
Cause code
Unknown
Cause of Death
Unknown Special Forces soldier who died in Angola
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,839
South African Defence Force
Unit History
Role at time of death
Special Forces (Reconnaissance)
Status
Permanent Force (Regular)
Same 1972 Special Forces lineage as 1 Reconnaissance Commando / 5 Special Forces Regiment (see pass 2) -- a standing Permanent Force branch within the SANDF, not part of the Army.
Notes

ref : Paul Els

Research notes

SN CORRECTION 25 Aug 2026: ServiceNo 87067039CK cleared -- the pantser.cmvo.org.za SADF deaths PDF lists that number under "UITHALER, WILLEM" (RFN, Sterf 19 06 87), matching PersonNumber 33361 (Uithaler, DateDeath 1987-06-19) by surname and exact date, not this record. Original value: "87067039CK". Left as an unresolved collision otherwise -- this correction is specific to this one PDF-confirmed case, not a general claim this record's other data is wrong.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added -- database-wide sweep for SADF Border War operational-area deaths within the medal's gazetted window (25 Jun 1976 - 27 Apr 2003), per the warrant's died-before-qualifying-period provision. See PersonAward.Citation for the gazette references.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added earlier today REVERTED -- John obtained the actual Government Gazette (GG 5171/5575); the "died before completing the qualifying period" provision relied on does not exist in the primary text (it was a secondary-source claim). Actual Rule 5 requires (a) combat/enemy-caused incident, (b) a Ministerially-acknowledged operation (clasp), or (c) 55+ continuous/90+ non-continuous days in an operational area -- none of which this record's cause of death clearly demonstrates.
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
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