Soesilo Soedarman

Museum Soesilo Soedarman was inaugurated in year 2000 in honor of the late General Soesilo Soedarman (1928 – 1997), a prominent Indonesian military leader and one of the Indonesia’s distinguished citizens.

MUSEUM SOESILO SOEDARMAN, CILACAP - INDONESIA

Museum Soesilo Soedarman is located in Gentasari Village, Cilacap District, Central Java Province, Indonesia. The Museum is accessible from Yogyakarta westward, pass through cities of Purworejo – Kutoarjo - Kebumen – Gombong – Buntu and Sampang. From Sampang, turn South for a 5-kilometers drive to the Museum. There are many street signs along the roads which shown the direction to the Museum. 

Museum Soesilo Soedarman was inaugurated in year 2000 in honor of the late General Soesilo Soedarman (1928 – 1997), a prominent Indonesian military leader and one of the Indonesia’s distinguished citizens.

He served in the Indonesian military establishment since 1945 as a Cadet at The Yogyakarta Military Academy, and joined the guerrilla campaign in West Java, in the Madiun area, East-Java and in the Yogyakarta Capital areas during the War of Independence (1945 – 1948). He and his unit, the Sub-Werkhreise-104, Werkhreise III, was participated in the successful March 1, 1949 major-attack to Yogyakarta Capital under the leadership of then Colonel Soeharto, the Commander of the Werkhreise III Brigade, and later became the 2nd President of Indonesia.

Soesilo Soedarman graduated with honor from the Yogyakarta Military Academy Class of 1948, and he was sworn in as a Second Lieutenant by Ir. Soekarno, the Indonesian first President, on November 28, 1948.

He served in the Indonesian Cavalry Corps. During his 40 year of military career (1945-1985), he served distinctly as a field commander, an Operation Officer, a Staff Officer, a teacher in Military Schools, a Defense Attache in Washington DC-USA, a General Staff at the Indonesian Armed Forces Headquarter, Commanding General of the Indonesian Armed Forces Academy and as a Commander of the Sumatera and West Kalimantan Defense Regional Command (1981 – 1985). He saw military campaigns in West Java, West Sumatera and South Sulawesi.

He also received military trainings in the Netherlands, United States of America and the Soviet Union (Rusia). Since 1986 until 1997, he assumed public position as the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States of America (1986-1988), as the Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication (1988-1993) and as the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs (1993-1997). General Soesilo Soedarman died on December 18, 1997.

He was buried at the Kalibata Hero Cemetery in Jakarta with full military honor. Indonesia went into a 3-days National Mourning and the flag was lowered into a half-staff.

For his 52 years of services to the Nation, Soesilo Soedarman received 25 honorary medals coming from The Government of Indonesia, the USA, The Netherlands and The Kingdom of Austria.

He was living with his wife, Widaningsri, and five children.

The Museum exhibits memorabilia, articles and photos of Soesilo Soedarman during his life as an Indonesian Military Officer, during his public service roles and his role in the communities, among others, as Vice Chairman of the Indonesian National Sport Committee (KONI), as a Member of The Board of Trustees at the University of Lampung, the University of General Soedirman in Purwokerto and at the University of March 11, in Surakarta.

He also chaired the Ki Hadjar Dewantara Foundation, he was the founder and the first Chairman of The Seruan Eling Banyumas (SERULINGMAS) Foundation and he was The Chairman of the Indonesian Armed Forces Retirees Organization (PEPABRI).

SOME OF THE MUSEUM COLLECTIONS: The Museum occupies the Joglo architecture-designed Javanese House, build in 1899, it used to be the residence of Soesilo Soedarman’s great grandfather, the first Village Chief of Gentasari.

This house was the place where Soesilo Soedarman spent his childhood time. In the Museum complex, the traditional gamelan musical instruments, named the Kyai Manis, and a set of Shadow Puppet collection is also being stored.

At the Museum courtyard, there is a Russian-Made BRDM amphibious panzer, built in 1958. This armor car was the Command Car for then Major Soesilo Soedarman, the 1st Cavalry Battalion Commander, known as“The White Rhino”, during the campaign to crushed the rebellion of the Darul Islam/TII Movement in West Java (1959-1960).

Also at the Museum yard, there is a NOMAD N-22 Maritime Patrol Aircraft of the Indonesian Navy. This airplane, with a call-sign number P-806, was used by Lt.Gen Soesilo Soedarman during his tenure as the Commander of the Defense Regional Commander I, overseeing islands of Sumatera and West Kalimantan (1981-1985).

The OV-10 BRONCO Tactical Fighter Aircraft of the Indonesian Air Force is also on display together with a Surface to Air Missile-SAM 75. An AMX-13 and a PT-76 amphibious tanks are also on display on the Museum yard to commemorate Soesilo Soedarman’s role in developing the modern Indonesian Cavalry Corps. Soesilo Soedarman’s role in developing the Indonesian navy is represented by the display of naval artillery guns and ship mines at the Museum yard.

A single-horn rhino mascot statue is also being placed at the Museum courtyard to commemorate the Visit Indonesia Year 1991 event.

Inside the Museum, there are collections of rifles, pistols and machine guns, collections of special uniforms, historical documents and photos and various honorary medals and citations. Pictures of Soesilo Soedarman with Indonesian Presidents and foreign dignitaries can also be found at the Museum.

Flags of various countries that have been visited during his lifetime are also being displayed, including Minister Soesilo Soedarman’s official car. Branches of the Indonesian Armed Forces, which include the Army, Navy, Air Force and National Police are represented in the Museum with one dedicated room for each of the service branch. These service branch rooms showcased roles of the late Soesilo Soedarman in developing every branch of the Indonesian Armed Forces.

In the Museum complex there is a library, a mosque, a meeting room, children playing ground and a swimming pool.