Ahmad Keshvari: Difference between revisions

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Ahmad Keshvari

| native_name = احمد کشوری

| native_name_lang = fa

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Ahmad Keshvari.jpg

| birth_date = July {{birth year|1951}}

| birth_place = [[Simorgh County]]<ref name="tasnim">{{cite web|title=گفت و گو با مادر شهید سرلشگر خلبان احمد کشوری|url=http://www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/582814|website=tasnimnews.com|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref> [[Mazandaran Province]],<ref>{{cite web|title=زادگاه شهید احمد کشوری در شهرستان کیاکلا (سیمرغ) استان مازندران و درخواست مادر شهید برای تغییر نام کیاکلا به سیمرغ رمز عملیات شهید احمد کشوری |url= http://www.mehrnews.com/news/1207165/ |website=[[Mehr News]]|date= 9 December 2010 }}</ref> [[Imperial State of Iran]]

| death_date = {{death date and age|1980|12|07|1951|07|df=yes}}

|death_place death_place = Tang-e Bina, Meymak region, [[Ilam Province|Ilam]], [[Iran]]

| placeofburial = [[Behesht-e Zahra]] cemetery, [[Tehran]]

| alma_mater = Imam Ali University,<ref name=aja3 /> Bachelor of Military Science<ref name=aja3>{{cite web|url=http://www.aja.ir/portal/Home/ShowPage.aspx?Object=News&CategoryID=aff767a9-2636-467d-b355-c2573c65be18&WebPartID=2decdc9f-f7e9-462d-99b5-eb44946c61ba&ID=38f65756-773c-4769-9b86-6a13e94b59b8 |title=احمد کشوری|website= [[Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran]]}}</ref>

<!--Military service-->| nickname =

|allegiance branch = {{ubl|[[Pahlavi dynasty|Imperial StateIranian ofArmy IranAviation]]| [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation]]}}

|rank unit = [[Brigadier General]] (promoted posthumously)

|unit commands = Ilam Army Aviation = Unit

|commands battles = Ilam Army Aviation{{tree Unitlist}}

|battles** = {{ubl|Siege of [[Paveh]]|

* [[Iran–Iraq War]]{{KIA2}}KIA}}

|military_blank1 awards =

| military_data1 =

'''Ahmad Keshvari''' ({{lang-langx|fa|احمد کشوری}}; July 1953 &ndash; 7 December 1980) was an [[AH-1JIranian SeaCobra]]military helicopter pilot in the [[Iranian Army Aviation|Army Aviation (''Havanirooz'')]] ofwho [[Iran]].is known Hefor hadhis aprominent role in the early months of the [[Iran-Iraq War]] towhere he stopstopped Iraqi tanksarmored columns from further advancing into the western Iranian territoriesIran.<ref name="IBNA">{{cite web|title=Life of Sacred Defense pilot accessible to children at TIBF|url=http://www.ibna.ir/en/doc/naghli/166770/txt/life-of-sacred-defense-pilot-accessible-to-children-at-tibf|website=ibna.ir|access-date=4 February 2015|date=29 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=خلبان احمد کشوری چگونه شهید شد؟|url=http://www.mashreghnews.ir/fa/news/368940/%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D8%AF|website=[[Mashregh News]]|date=6 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Tehran Times Art Desk |title=Sculptors making busts of martyred commanders of Iran-Iraq war |url=http://old.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=227328 |website=old.tehrantimes.com |access-date=4 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203204352/http://old.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=227328 |archive-date=3 February 2015 |author1-link=Tehran Times }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=سالروز شهادت خلبان احمد کشوری|url=http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/280263/Defence/martyrdom|website=hamshahrionline.ir|date=6 December 2014|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=شهید احمد کشوری نامدارترین خلبان نیروی هوایی است|url=http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13930915001102|website=farsnews.com|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-date=10 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210234630/http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13930915001102|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=یادواره شهید خلبان احمد کشوری در بروجرد برگزار شد|url=http://www.mehrnews.com/news/2437132/|website=mehrnews.com|date=6 December 2014|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref>

He iswas known to often use the word "[[Simorgh]]" as the [[code name]] for his operations, thus the word is sometimes used to refer to him (in the title of works, etc.). The former Kiakola [[Bakhsh|District]] of [[Qaemshahr County]] was separated as a new county in 2012, and its name was changed to [[Simorgh County]] by then-President [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] after a non-official request by Keshvari's mother.<ref>{{cite web|title=شهرستان "سیمرغ" دیار سرلشکر شهید "احمد کشوری"|url=http://sajed.ir/detail/95797|website=sajed.ir|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211174619/http://sajed.ir/detail/95797|archive-date=11 February 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Keshvari Rural District]] in Ilam, [[Keshvari Rural District, Simorgh County|Keshvari Rural District]] in Mazanderan, and [[Keshvari Expressway]] in Isfahan provinces, as well as Shahid Keshvari Bridge of [[Babol]] are named after him. In the Shahid Keshvari Square of [[Kiakola]], a statue of an AH-1J SeaCobra has been built to honor Keshvari. The date of his death, 7 December (15 Azar), is thecelebrated as "Havanirooz [Army Aviation] Day" in the Iranian military calendar, and has been proposed by the Iranian armyArmy to be included in the official [[Iranian calendar]].<ref>{{cite web|title=نامگذاری 15 آذر در تقویم کشوری به روز شهید کشوری|url=http://www.mehrnews.com/news/1759900/%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%DA%AF%D8%B0%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-15-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%85-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C|website=mehrnews.com|date=7 December 2012|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref>

Keshvari was born in July 1953 into a middle-class family in [[Kiakola]], [[Mazandaran Province]], [[Iran]]. His parents were from [[Borujerd]], [[Lorestan Province|Lorestan]]. His father, Gholamhossein, had been employedwas in the [[Imperial Iranian Gendarmerie]], and had to migrate to various towns because of his job. His mother, Fatemeh Silakhori, was a religious and pro-[[Iranian Revolution|Revolution]] woman.<ref name="tasnim">{{cite web|title=گفت و گو با مادر شهید سرلشگر خلبان احمد کشوری|url=http://www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/582814|website=tasnimnews.com|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref> He spent his primary school and the three years of his high school in [[Kiakola]], Mazanderan and then spent the reast his high school education in the Qanad High School in [[Sarepol-e Talar]] village in [[Babol]], Mazanderan.

In 1972, he was employed injoined the [[Imperial Iranian Army Aviation]] and passed the [[JetRanger|Bell 206 JetRanger]] and [[SeaCobra|AH-1 Cobra]] Pilotingpiloting courses, earning the ranking of assistant lieutenant. When Islamicthe demonstrations[[Iranian Revolution]] began, AhmadKeshvari had an active role in the revolution. For engaging in activities against the [[Shah]] he was arrested and interrogated by [[SAVAK]].{{citation needed|date=May 2015}} When he started his job in [[Kermanshah]], he started to identify poor people in the city. He could then organize a community fund with the help of some of his colleagues and the assistance of the Aviation Forces. He was also made commander of the [[Ilam Airport|Ilam]] Army Aviation Unit.<ref name="Keyhan">{{cite web|title=History|url=http://kayhan.ir/en/news/8231/history|website=kayhan.ir|access-date=7 February 2015|date=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="Imam">{{cite web|title=Some important events during the 8-year war imposed on Iran|url=http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=10486|website=imamreza.net|access-date=4 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218151553/http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=10486|archive-date=18 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the [[Islamic Revolution]]revolution, he was involvedparticipated in the operations to clear the [[KordestanKurdistan Province|KordestanKurdistan]] and [[Kermanshah province|Kermanshah]] provinces in western [[Iran]] from anti-revolutionariesKurdish guerillas during the [[1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran]].<ref name="Keyhan"/><ref name="Imam"/> When [[Paveh]], a city in western Iran, became the center of clashes in the Kermanshah wasProvince and came under attack andby Kurdish rebels. Iranian revolutionary, [[Mostafa Chamran]], and his men had beenwere besieged,. accordingAccording to Major General [[Valiollah Fallahi]], Keshvari was the first volunteer to launch an operation in Paveh. Ahmad Keshvari, along with [[Ali Akbar Shiroodi]], Soheilian, and several others, performed an impressive operation and broke the Siege of Paveh and eventually liberatedliberating the city.<ref name=aja1 /> Shiroodi has said that Ahmad was his "master".{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}

In September 1980, when the [[Iran-Iraq warWar]] began, Keshvari, who had been [[wounded in action|wounded]] in the chest in the [[earlier 1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran|Kordestan clashes]], immediately joined the battlefield, while having another scheduled surgery.<ref name=aja2>{{cite web|url=http://www.aja.ir/portal/Home/Default.aspx?CategoryID=89256f1a-4f7d-4759-a45a-f3cb5b2235ab |title=به یاد عقاب تیز پرواز جبهه های جنگ|website=aja.ir|access-date=2015-02-11|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040229/http://www.aja.ir/portal/Home/Default.aspx?CategoryID=89256f1a-4f7d-4759-a45a-f3cb5b2235ab|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Iraqis, with tanks and armoured vehicles, were advancing asin large convoys toward Iranian territoriesterritory. Keshvari usually had to rely on intelligence provided by the local people, using a unit comprising several ([[TOW missile|TOW]]-capable) [[AH-1J SeaCobra]]s, and a [[Bell 206A JetRanger]] multi-purpose utility helicopter, was attacking the convoy from both the front side and behind, creating confusion and chaos inside the convoy, and then retreating while another similar unit launched the final attack against the convoy. Using this tactic, which he named ''"Bekâv-o-Bokosh"'' ({{lang|fa|بکاو و بکش}}, literally "Seek n Destroy"), which in turn later became the name of his aviation units,. Keshvari's units managed to stop Iraqi tanks from further advancing into the Iranian territory and destroyed many Iraqi convoys in the western battlefields.<ref name="Aviny">{{cite web|title=خلبان شهید احمد کشوری|url=http://www.aviny.com/rahiyan_noor/revaiat-eshgh/khatere/113.aspx|website=aviny.com|access-date=4 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=مادر شهید کشوری|url=http://irna.ir/fa/Photo/2720005/%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3/%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1_%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D8%AF_%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C|website=irna.ir [[Islamic Republic News Agency]]|date=July 2014|access-date=7 February 2015}}</ref> In the initial phases of the war, before [[IRGC]] and [[Basij]] forces had been formed, he was flying almost 12 hours per day, even though it was against aviation standards and
rules.<ref name=tasnim />

InOn 7 December 1980, at the age of 27, Keshvari and his co-pilot Rahim Pezeshki, along with another [[AH-1J SeaCobra]] piloted by [[Ali Akbar Shiroodi]], and a [[Bell 206A JetRanger]] utility helicopter, launched Operation ''Ashura'' to destroy an Iraqi military convoy near the border of [[Ilam province|Ilam Province]], bordersadvancing headeddeeper towardinto IranIranian during [[Iran-Iraq War]]territory. The convoy was destroyed, but two Iraqi [[MiG-21]]s wereappeared approachingand approached Keshvari's helicopter. Keshvari told the other two helicopters to retreat, and drew attention of the Iraqi fighters while heading toward an [[Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force|Iranian airAir defenseDefense]] site. The fighters attacked Keshvari's helicopter, causing it to crash. The JetRanger rescued the co-pilot Pezeshki, but was forced to flee and leave Keshvari's body as the Iraqi fighters were going to make another pass. SahandAn rocket[[surface-to-air launchermissile]] offrom the Iranian air defense site downed one of the MiG-21s, while the second MiG fled. Keshvari's body was transferred to [[Kermanshah]] and was later buried in [[Tehran]]'s [[Behesht-e Zahra]] cemetery as a military personalpersonnel in the 24th plot.<ref>{{cite web|title=زندگینامه: احمد کشوری (۱۳۳۲ - ۱۳۵۹)|url=http://hamshahrionline.ir/details/261634/Defence/martyrdom|website=hamshahrionline.ir|date=6 June 2014|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref>

In 1361 ([[Solar Hejri]])1982, his brother, Mohammad, then aged under 17, joined the [[Iran-Iraq war]], and was killedmartyred in action in [[Qasr-e Shirin]] during [[Operation MoharamMuharram]].<ref name=tasnim />

In the documentary film ''[[Ravayat-e Fath]]'' ({{lang|fa|روایت فتح}}, ''"The Chronicles of Victory"''), directed by [[Morteza Aviny]] and filmed during the Iran–Iraq war, there is an interview with Keshvari's uncle who was serving in the artillery, in Season Three.