Martyr Major General Abbas Babaei :
First Name: Abbas
Last Name: Babaei
Year of birth: 1950
Place of birth: Qazvin
Last Operation: Air Defensive Operation
Last position: Operation’s Deputy of Air force Command
Date of Martyrdom: 1987
Place of Martyrdom: Tabriz
Martyr Abbas Babaie was born in 1958 in the Iranian city of Qazvin in a middle and religious family. From his childhood, he was possessing extraordinary characteristics. He used to meet the people with love and possibly helped them and he continued this behavior until he breathed his last.
After graduation, he qualified the entrance test in the Medical College, but in order to follow his dream career, he got admission in Iran Air Force Academy. After completion of his initial training, he left for USA for higher studies in the Air Force in 1970. What distinguished him from others in USA was his sustenance of religious morality and excellence in education, away from his home in a morally corrupt society of western world.
In 1972, he returned to his own country, Iran obtaining his pilot degree certificate. On June 26 1975, he entered into matrimonial relationship with his maternal cousin Sidiqeh (Maliheh) Hekmat and Allah bestowed him one daughter and two sons.
After the Islamic Revolution of Iran, at the beginning of the Iran Iraq war, Abbas Babaie prepared himself to serve and safeguard Islam and the revolution. He got the position of Lt Colonel on 31st July 1981 by virtue of his perpetual endeavors and unparalleled efforts, and accordingly he was entrusted the headship of Isfahan Air Base.
The Iran Air Force wing became strong and stable due to his power of creativity and military expertise. Despite holding the position of Commander, He himself used to take part in air strikes. It was due to these efficiency and sincere efforts that he achieved the rank of Brigadier Colonel in 1987. But the status, name and frame least disturbed his personality as simplicity and sincerity had become part and parcel of his nature.
He laid down his life in the way of Allah on 6th August, 1987 on the of "Eid uz Zoha". Allah bestowed him with the gift of martyrdom as a result of his sacrifices..
Abbas Babaei Memories :
Narrator: Pilot Amir Akbar Sayyed Bourani…
While Abbas and I live together and I was his roommate in America, I found that Abbas‘s recreations were limited to 3: Sports, photograph, and watching natural landscapes.
He always had only two daily meals: Breakfast and dinner. He never had launch because of goals: The first one was purification, and the other one was to economize and send money to his friends who lived in far places.
Sometimes, Abbas had a drink with his dinner, but not ones like Pepsi. He always drank Orange _favored Fanta. Sometimes, I wanted him to buy Pepsi for me, but he didn’t but he bought Fanta. I complained what the difference was between them; also, they were of the some price. He answered me gently: “Why don’t you drink Fanta?
I said: “well, for what dear!” at last, at my insistence, he answered:
Because Pepsi beverage‘s Factory belongs to Israel, So Marja-e Taqlids have banned its consumption. I stared at his face and found that he had high political insight and admired him in my heart.
Soldier’s present for Nourooz :
There were 5 or 6 days to norooz of 1361. One night, martyr Babaei visited us at home at 10 o’clock and gave me some golden ornaments including some bracelets and necklaces and said:
Please; sell these because I need some money I said: “If you need money, let me provide it for you from somewhere. He answered:
“Don’t worry! I bought them in the past but, now I don’t need them, also, I told my family this subject.
In following day, I traveled to Isfahan and sold them, then, came back and called martyr Babaei. He told that he would come back at night to take the money. At that night he came to our place and invited me to take a walk with him. I picked up the money and went. While walking, he said:
“Economic conditions in our country are very bad and prices are high, unfortunately, employee’s salaries are low and they live beyond their means.”
He talked about half an hour. Then he looked at me and said:
“You, employees, are family men. You have so much costs and I don’t know what I should do for you. “
He took them and picked some 500 billion Rials without counting and gave them to me and said:
“They are for your family and you; spend them for the night of nourooz.”
I didn’t accept it at first, but when I saw he was so upset, I took the money then said goodbye and went home.
After a while, I heard that martyr Babaei divided the money among married soldiers who were going to go home for nourooz.
Flight near to the land or FAC :
During the war, when air force fighters wanted to come back to the country land, they were made to fly near the land at low heights and at high speed after carrying out mission because of enemy’s radars. So, Iranian fighters were taken for enemy fighters, and unfortunately were shot by mistake during the defensive attack. It influenced soldiers negatively .Martyr Babaei tried to solve this problem according to his responsibility. Finally, by the talent hr had shown in operations, he designed a plan which was used as a comprehensive plan up to the end of the war. He could rescue pilots from being killed and speed up organizing process and operations in air force.
Martyr Babaei Found that air force bases are near to the front lines in south .So, he considered a way from the base to the front line determined and one pilot for each base as he recognized anti-aircraft artillery base. Because he knew that Iranian pilots had more information about air tactics and they could recognize Iranian fighters from hostile ones.
After that, every day before sunrise, these pilots were appointed in their defensive positions with the list of fighters and the take-off schedules. During the day, when a fighter approached the defensive positions to the list, it was informed to the artillery, so artillerymen didn’t shoot until the fighters came back to the country.
The operations, done by this plan during the war, were successful more than 90%, and pilots had more self-confidence.
Martyr Babaei in 8th Valfajr operation :
Abbas Babaei was the commander of Ra’ad base, an army air force base, in 8th Valfajr operation .This base was responsible for airborne transportation of forces specially martyr’s bodies , wounded soldiers , equipments and close fire back up .
Pictures in next posts