[1][2] Abdulrahman was born in Ketapang village (West Kwitang), Batavia, Dutch East Indies (today Jakarta, Indonesia) on 1 July 1909.

He followed in his father's path and studied to become a doctor in a medical college for Indonesians, School Tot Opleiding van Inlandsche Artsen (STOVIA).

[3] After he was satisfied that the Indonesian radio institute was in good hands, he resigned from his position there and joined the Republic of Indonesia Armed Forces to assist in the establishment of the Indonesian Air Force with Agustinus Adisutjipto, his former student in GHS.

[2] During the first of two major Dutch police actions against the Republic of Indonesia, Operation Product, Saleh, and Adisujipto were ordered to fly to India.

However, during their journey back from Singapore, while transporting donated medical supplies from the Red Cross of Malaya at Singapore, their Dakota aircraft was shot down by two Dutch P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft in Dusun Ngoto on 29 July 1947, even though Indonesia had asked permission from the Netherlands to deliver medical supplies.

[1] In 2000, based on an Indonesian Air Force initiative and family approval, his grave was relocated from Kuncen cemetery to Ngoto, near the crash site.