Yamato Battleship

Yamato Battleship is considered as one of the biggest battleship ever built the IJN ever had in WW II. She had 65,000 tonnes weight, had 9 x 460mm cannon main battery guns which fired 1,460 kg's armor piercing shells -The largest cannon ever carried on a battleship-.

She was built in Kure, Japan and commisioned in December 1941 and weeks prior to the WW II in Pacific she was assigned as a Flagship of combined fleet commander Isoroku Yamamoto. Most of her time was spent at Truk -a port not far from Rabaul in Solomon Islands-. She was torpedoes by USS Skate in December 1943 but only suffered light damage -the torpedoes couldn't cracked the armor of that biggest battleship- and was under repair until April 1944. There were some upgrades on her; added new anti-aircraft batteries.

During The Battle of Leyte Gulf on 20th October 1944 under the command of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita she was moved to Brunei in Borneo to refuel and then steamed towards Leyte. Unfortunately, Admiral Kurita's flagship Atago was sunk by torpedoes fired from US submarines Darter (SS-227) and Dace (SS-247). So he moved to Yamato which took part as Flagship since then. On 24th October 1944, her sister ship Musashi was sunk and a heavy cruiser was forced to retire by US warplanes. She was hit but remained battleworthy.

Off Samar in the Phillipines on 25th October 1944 morning, she fired her cannons at US Navy escort carrier group; sinking a US carrier and 3 destroyers which were no match for a big battleship like Yamato. While Kurita lost 3 heavy cruisers. This loss he took forced him to withdraw to Brunei once more. That ended the career of Yamato in Leyte. Finally she was sent home in November 1944 and remained in Japan during winter 1944-1945. In March 1945 she was raided during the attack on Japan mainlands but still .. she was lightly damaged.

During operation "Ten-Go" on April 1945 .. an operation which consisted mainly massive of Kamikaze attacks, she also played role there accompanied by 8 destroyers and a light cruiser Yahagi. She was exhausted; only enough fuel for one-way cruise, no fighter escorts, demoralised men, etc. While on the US side, they prepared 400 warplanes to sunk her and her consorts and 6 battleships ready in case the got past the aerial force. Outnumbered, outmatched, and exhaustion she had to fight the US naval force and they had to steamed South to prevent further invasion made by the Allied force. In the afternoon, the warplanes began to fight scoring hits with bombs and torpedo hits on her. Yahagi rest on the bottom from the attacks followed by 4 destroyers. But due to the Bushido spirit, they somehow still steamed South whereas they've already known they wouldn't survive. She took multiple hits mainly on the port side by torpedoes, got hit from several bombs. The giant had fallen ...

2 hours after she took the hits approximately at 1423, she rolled to port .. exploded and sank with a "mushroom" cloud explosion. About 2,500 men were lost, about 300 others were rescued. While the US only lost 10 aircrafts with 12 airmen.

Yamato ... the pride of IJN, finally sunk.

Thank you nurse Elizabeth

When my parents went to Boromeus hospital in order to take some notification letters for my brother they met nurse Elizabeth -a 30 y/o single nurse- .. the nurse who took care of me and exchanged stories between us when I was hospitalised.

I knew this nurse few days before I head out from the hospital. She was very kind to me and would hear my part of life stories, she even spent her duty time for a slight chat with me. This is something that nurses shouldn't do but she did anyway. The first time she talked to me it was a usual chat, but things went different after she asked me something in personal; she asked wheter I had a girlfriend or not ... well I told her the fact that I faced with my ex, she listened and gave me some supports -I just wonder why a nurse would give me something she shouldn't supposed to do-, she even told me her romance story. She told me she was betrayed by her boyfriend, they had enganged for further step ie. marriage but her boyfriend left her because he had another girl of his dream. It hurt her but she had to survive and she survived -whereas up till now she hasn't married yet-

I told her my romance life to her, one thing I remember I mentioned her I thought of her almost all the time in the hospital. Although I knew it would be very difficult to bring a ruined romance back but at that time I was still hoping. I didn't bring my cell phone with me that time because I ran out of credits and I shouldn't move too often that time so there's no way I could reach my friends in WiNNER, graduate fellows, friends, and especially my ex. I told nurse Elizabeth how I felt, but I was quite dissapointed because she told me it would be a rubbish to think of her after she hurt me; she left you and never wanting you back so why should you think of her whereas she might didn't think of you at all when you were sick. I felt pain at heart, because I still put a hope on her but nurse Elizabeth told me that. I should've heard her not only because she experienced something even worse than what I had but because she's a woman with heart as well. After I got back home I tried to contact her once more and told her what I thought when I was hospitalised, unfortunately nurse Elizabeth was right ... she didn't think of me at all, even worse she told me why I called her again in a bad tone -who didn't get hurt with that?- and told me I should take what nurse Elizabeth said (the underlined word).

Now I realize that nurse Elizabeth was right after all. Why would I've thought of someone who didn't even think of me at all when I was sick.

Thank you nurse Elizabeth, for hearing my stories and shared stories between us. I will never forget your kindness to me. I am looking forward to see you again -but not at hospital if you see what I mean :D- if possible I would like you to see me in Sabuga on my graduation day next year Insya 4JJ1, I would like you to see what I had achieved in academic study. Like what you told me .. you are a bright young man with a noble heart to help unfortunate people I know you could bring a better future. I want you to see me having achieved my aim of life and telling you I have succeded.

You've been so kind to me ever since I joined room 2417. Thank you once again. If there's anything I could do in return I would, I hope you find a man who understands you and could make a good family together with you :) I know you will find someone you can keep my words on it.

Well, nurse Elizabeth ... this blog's topic is dedicated to you as my respect on you, I will never forget you ... never. I'll see you again some other time ... as MT (Magister Teknik), Insya 4JJ1.

--Dimas

Ambulance Bahureksa

For Bandung citizen this story has become an urban legend, but not for some others so here's the brief story.

When I was hospitalised, some of the nurses told me a story which happened perhaps in mid 60's. I actually ever heard of this story before but I didn't pay much attention on it because it was like any other stories I heard. But that moment I began to get interested on it.

Bahureksa St. connects Trunojoyo with Banda and located not far from St. Aloysius. If you are crossing this street you may found something out of the ordinary ... a rusty ambulance on one of the houses there. The ambulance itself I noticed is somewhat a VW combi released in 60's, no markings due to its age perhaps, flat tire, well ... more to a junk than a usual combi. But only some may know that this ambulance isn't like any other ambulances you found ...

Here's for real ...

According to some people the ambulance belonged to RSHS (Rumah Sakit Hasan Sadikin) which is located in Pasteur. The ambulance task was to recover a dead on Bahureksa St. some time around 60's -now this is where the confusion begins .. some said the ambulance was to recover a dead but some other said it was to recover a wounded- when they were on the way back to their homebase, the driver seemed to drive carelessly so they had an accident; all within the ambulance were dead ... driver, nurse, the casualty. No one alive. Wallahu Alam where the accident took place but they had an accident anyway. The dead were buried but not the ambulance. The ambulance was then safed as an evidence.

But ....

The ambulance was lost the day after. No one was sure where it went and how it went. After scannings the authority found out the ambulance was returned to the house where it supposed to recover the dead from ... by whom ? No idea. Another methods were used to replace the ambulance but still .. without rational and logical explanations the ambulance returned to the same house. Seemed that the ambulance was stuck mysteriously to that house.

A little story about the house I gained from many sources.

It was a whore house, it was a house for rent, it was a DVD/VCD rental, and now it is a factory outlet somewhat but recently I crossed that street I found out it was empty perhaps they left the house because none of them could stand to see and hear the incident.

I don't play role as Agent Mulder or Agent Dougget in X-Files who observes strange things or something beyond of human capability. But I need a detail and accurate information about the house, the ambulance, or anything related to that mysterious ambulance; when did it happen, who drove the ambulance, who was the casualty, what was in that house before ... were there any satanic occults ? were there any mystiques within that house ? or was there anything in RSHS someone could explain ? I think I would like to dig some more informations.

Right now ... forgotten by time, the ambulance is still exist until now leaving an unsolved mystery why would've that ambulance returned there and never got back to RSHS.

I don't know about you all but this is quite interesting to find out ...

--Dimas

A Tribute to My Bed and Room 2417

I was hospitalised for a week due to dengue fever in Boromeus Hospital not far from where I am writing now ...

The first time I entered the room -it was Tuesday night 2030- it was neat; very neat. With TV in front of my bed, sink on my right side, toilet, cabinets, etc.

My bed .. you were the one which contained me, the place where I spent my days in pain, where I ate the meals served by the nurses, where I slept, where I told nurse Elizabeth about what I had in life, where nurse Sari who was very similliar to Lulu Tobing told me not to move too often, etc.

The thing I remembered most when I was with you is that where I dreamed of my ex-gf. In my dream I saw her very beautiful, wearing white gown, smiled at me ... I told to myself would she be back for me ? If so then would I be happy once more .. since I was in hospital I thought of her often, day-night, and so on. So I was eager to go home informing her that I would be back shortly. But the fact told me another story ... after I informed my return to her she was glad -I thought it was a good sign- but when I told her what I had in my dream she quickly changed, there's no way I'm going to go back to her ... her love feeling to me has turned into absolute hate, and her tone of speaking wasn't like she used to be when we were together. So much for a hope and dream ....

But that's okay my bed ... at leat you were the place where I dreamed of her and lighten my spirit up although it didn't end good. Thank you for letting me had a good dream, for good or bad you are the place I won't forget in my whole life.

I know you couldn't speak, hear, or even move but somehow there is a bond between us. You remember when I cried in agony banging you fighting my dengue until the nurses came and gave me medications ? You were there for me ... you didn't complain, you didn't mad at me, and you didn't fight me back. What else should I say about you ?

After the doctor told me I could go home I was so glad, I finally could enjoy the fresh air after a week or so. It was the happiest moment of my life; I don't have to take further medications, I don't have to face the same whole thing, etc.

But ...

After looking at you for the last time before I went out, I had a feeling you were talking to me bidding farewell. I began to feel sad, after a week with good and bad things I had with you I had to leave you. If you were alive like normal human being I would've invited you for my graduation day, I want you to see me happy for a day :).

Farewell my bed and room 2417 ... though I would never expect to see you again -because I don't want to get sick like before :P- you ARE something to me. Thank you again my bed ... wherever I am, I still keep my memory about you. Now that you've had a new visitor, please take good care.

Again ... farewell Maria 4, room 2417 and thank you very much on your facility.

--Dimas

Marhaban ya Ramadhan

Well here I am in WiNNER .. my lovely WiNNER,

Ramadhan started on 5th October 2005 in Hijriyah it is 1 Ramadhan 1426H, the terminology of Ramadhan in Arabic means burn. So in Ramadhan burn here means that 4JJ1 burns our sins out, the Naar gate is closed tight and Jannah gate opens wide. This is the month where all Muslims around the world executes shaum.

Shaum means we as Muslims must hold our nafs on just about anything beside not taking meals and drinks since Imsak until Maghrib comes and it's valid throughout the month. There are cases when we don't broke our shaum but the value of shaum is lost like getting mad to someone for example.

I remember the time when I was a little kid, I took my first shaum but -kids- I broke shaum by eating foods. But well it's my past, I was a kid anyway. Hey who didn't ? :P As my age getting older I began to realise that holding intention to eat and drink weren't everything. The point of shaum is self-control. How not to do anything bad and suchs. Subhanallah !

In the name of 4JJ1, I do shaum in Ramadhan in hope to get Your ridha ... O 4JJ1 ! Spare all of our sins O 4JJ1, and guide us in the way You desire, amin ya Rabbal Alamin.