Tome & Plume: IAF Officer Turned Sargodha Air Base Into Ruins In 1965

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): It was September 7, 1965. Nearly a month has passed since Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar against India on August 5.

Life and death

Are as slaves at their feet

Of all worries are their spirits freed –

- Rabindranath Tagore

The purpose was to whip up communal passion in India to divide the country. They have the same objective today. The Indian Army quelled the Pakistani guns in the eastern sector, now Bangladesh.

Their purpose was to blunt Pakistan’s firepower in the western sector, too. IAF chose to destroy Sargodha, the heavily guarded Pakistani airbase, in a pre-dawn swoop. The IAF chose the ace pilot, Flight Lieutenant Tapan Kumar Chowdhury, fondly called Chau.

On September 7, as the dawn was about to crack on the horizon, Chau was getting ready for the mission: Destroy Sargodha. Any attempt to attack it means death. But Chau’s witty smile even scared death.

Chau entered the cockpit and set out on the mission. The nippy September wind was blowing. Sargodha was in sleep. The enemy never believed anyone would dare to hit their fortress in their country.

Chau flew to Sargodha, dodging the enemy’s radar. He rained rockets and bombs on the airbase, inflicting heavy damage on it. The airbase almost turned into ruins in the blink of an eye. Many residents heard the sounds of bombs and falling rockets. But they preferred to remain indoors.

Nevertheless, they saw the debris of several buildings and the bodies of Pakistani soldiers in the morning. Chau returned unscathed, foxing the Pakistani anti-aircraft guns and the chasing Sabre jets.

As he landed, he was greeted with a joyous cry: “Hurrah! The strike was perfect. The mission was successful.”

Trip to Moscow cancelled

When the war broke out, Flight Lieutenant Tapan Kumar Chowdhary was heading for Russia for training to operate the IAF's MIG 21.

He was waiting at the Delhi airport for a Moscow-bound flight.

Chau received a message through the Public Address (PA) system. There was no mobile phone.

The message told him to report to Halwara air base, Ludhiana, his place of posting. Just as he arrived at the airbase, he was asked to gear up for the mission.

Chau’s name was synonymous with death. As a member of the Seven Squadron of the IAF, he had already launched many operations, causing heavy casualties to the enemy. Mere mention of his name rattled the Pakistani army.

Smell of sulphur

The smell of sulphur was pervading everywhere.

The IAF planes, Canberra, Gnats, MIGs, and Hunters were challenging the enemy. These fighters and their pilots are the eternal guards of the Indian skies. Even the mightiest of enemies dare not challenge the IAF.

The Pakistani air force targeted India through East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The sentinels of the sky, with their limited resources, foiled the enemy’s attempts. The Indian Army stood like a huge rock on the ground. The hawk-eyed Indian skiers gave a tough time to the enemy’s Sabre jets on the eastern and the western fronts.

On those days, electronic warfare was a dream. There were no missiles. The army used rockets to numb the enemy. Only a few radars were available. A battle was fought with sheer intelligence and courage.

Chau’s story continues

The story of Chau continued. Nine days later, he had to set out on another mission.

A Pakistani F-86 Sabre jet was intruding into the Indian territory. He resolved to dare the PA fighter. It was September 15. Just as he took off, a bird hit his plane. His officers advised him to eject.

According to a Bengali book on the lives of war heroes, Bir Soinik Nomoskar, Chau wanted to save his aircraft and shoot down the enemy plane.

By the time he could eject, it was too late. His plane caught fire. His parachute also turned into a blazing ball.

The burning parachute of the ace pilot of the Seven Squadron landed near the airbase. Some of his team members and a doctor rushed to aid him. His face was normal, sporting the witty smile that he used to give. The doctor tried to feel his pulse. But it was all over. The war ended a week after that.