Kodam XIII/Merdeka

For many years since independence and the merger of the State of East Indonesia in 1950 to become part of the Republic, the region around the island of Sulawesi became a battleground for interests between Jakarta and the peoples of the island in the 1950s, which would worsen into the full blown Permesta rebellion in 1957. To solve the security problem in the northern half (including its Minahasa and Mongondow, mostly Christian, communities), Decree of the Chief of Staff of the Army KPTS-288/5/1957 on May 27, 1957 was enacted by then Brigadier General Abdul Haris Nasution which formed the North and Central Sulawesi Regional Military Command (Komando Daerah Militer Sulawesi Utara dan Tengah or KDM-SUT) with the 24th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Territorial Army as the basis of this region.

On September 28, 1957, another decree from the office of the Chief of Staff of the Army designated Lt. Col. Inf. Daniel Julius Somba as Commandant of the KDM-SUT, and Major Inf Dolf Runturambi as Chief of Staff.

On June 16, 1958, the Armed Forces executed the landing operation codenamed Operation Independence (Operasi Merdeka) on the Kema Minahasa Coast with the landing forces of around 4,000 servicemen of the Army being led by Lt. Col. (INF) Roekmito Hendraningrat. On 26 June 1958 the city of Manado was captured. On 21 July 1958 Tondano fell followed the fall of Tomohon, the powerhouse of Permesta at that time, on August 16, 1958 due to the betrayal of Major Mongdong of the rebel forces.[3][4][5] The campaign against the Permesta rebellion would last two years, ending with the surrender of all rebel soldiers in 1960-61.

On February 12, 1985, Army Chief of Staff General TNI Rudini issued a decree Number: SKEP / 131/11/1985 concerning the merger of both Kodam XIII/Merdeka and Kodam XIV/Hasanuddin to form one super region. As a result, on 1 May 1985, after the Kodam was dissolved to officially form part of Kodam VII / Wirabuana in Ujung Pandang effective 3 May 1985, on the basis of the region, the 131st Military Area Command Santiago (Kodam 131/Santiago) was formed with HQ in Manado, North Sulawesi.

On December 20, 2016, Chief of Staff of the Army General TNI Mulyono was present in Manado, North Sulawesi for the ceremony for the formal reactivation of the military region, this time still carrying the name Kodam XIII/Merdeka. He personally gave the region its new command colour that day.[6] In honor of the landings in Kema Minahasa, the Command Day is held annually every 16 June.

When Named Kodam XIII / Merdeka:

• Lieutenant Colonel Inf. Daniel Julius Somba (September 28, 1957)
• Lieutenant Colonel Inf. Rukminto Hendraningrat (17 February 1958)
• Lieutenant Colonel Inf. Mursjid (September 23, 1958)
• Lieutenant Colonel Inf Sunarijadi (October 14, 1959)
• Brigadier General TNI Sunandar Prijosudarmo (17 November 1960)
• Brigadier General TNI Sudarmono (February 22, 1966)
• Brigadier General TNI Kaharuddin Nasution (28 October 1967)
• Brigadier General Willy Widjojo Soejono (March 23, 1970)
• Brigadier General TNI Julius Henuhili (15 December 1971)
• Brigadier General TNI E.W.P. Tambunan (February 25, 1974)
• TNI Brigadier General Edy Sugardo (8 January 1976)
• Brigadier General TNI Rudini (September 16, 1978)
• Brigadier General TNI Susanto Wismoyo (January 28, 1981)
• TNI Brigadier General Adolf Sahala Rajagukguk (May 30, 1983)
• Brigadier General TNI Raja Inal Siregar (29 March 1984)

Freezed in 1985-2016

When Kodam XIII / Merdeka is reactivated:

• Major General of the TNI Ganip Warsito (10 October 2016 - 3 March 2018)
• Major General of the Indonesian Army Madsuni (3 March 2018 - 13 July 2018)
• Major General of the TNI Tiopan Aritonang, S.Ip., (13 July 2018 - 9 January 2020)
• Major General of the TNI Santos Gunawan Matondang (9 January 2020 - present)

• Official website