Friends of the South African Air Force Museum 

Major Gene Kotze†

Cuvelai June 1982

 

On 1 June 1982 T/Maj Eugene Kotze SD 70548300 PE was shot down by AAA fire whilst performing a diving attack on enemy ground targets on close-air support operations near Cuvelai. He was flying Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II side Number 1052. Once hit he did not pull out of the dive, flying straight into the ground. He was 35 at the time of his death. He has no known grave.

 At the time of his death Maj Kotze was considered one of the most experienced Impala pilots in the South African Air Force. He was based at Ondangwa as the permanent Impala pilot.

This small granite tablet in his memory was placed at the Memorial in AFB Ondangwa. When the base closed, it was moved to the SAAF Museum at Swartkop..