Sarsawa (Uttar Pradesh), Aug 10 (Inditop.com) The Indian Air Force (IAF) Monday paid tribute to the valiant air warriors of its helicopter fleet who braved enemy missiles at the beginning of the Kargil conflict in Jammu and Kashmir in the summer of 1999.
Helicopters flew in various formations at the airbase here to mark the occasion in the presence of the families of the martyrs and their unit officers.
Four bravehearts of the “Mighty Armour” Mi-17 helicopter Unit of the Sarsawa airbase (Uttar Pradesh) – Squadron Leader Rajiv Pundir, Flight Lieutenant S. Muhilan, Sergeant P.V.N.R. Prasad and Sergeant R.K. Sahu – made the supreme sacrifice at the icy heights of Tololing as their Mi-17 suffered an enemy missile hit in one such mission on May 28, 1999.
The crew had dared the enemy on several occasions during the two previous days, flying nine strike missions before finally embracing martyrdom. All four were awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry posthumously.
And they got a befitting tribute here Monday with helicopters doing a ‘missing man’ formation, the ultimate honour reserved for a military aviator to honour the dead or a missing comrade at a solemn memorial service.
“The only recorded ‘missing man’ formation ever flown by a helicopter formation in any air force around the world was flown to honour the martyrs today,” IAF spokesperson Tarun K. Singha said.
A ‘finger-four’ formation in Mig-21s was also flown.
“Two Dhruv advanced light helicopters belonging to the Himalayan Dragons helicopter unit led the ‘finger-four’ formation of the Mi-17s,” said Singha.
As the pilot flying in the ring-finger position of the formation pulled-up vertically skywards over the spot where floral wreaths were to be placed at the war memorial, the manoeuvre signified the spiralling away of the fallen aviator heavenwards, turning all eyes moist at the venue.
Pilots of IAF’s No. 17 Squadron – “Golden Arrows” – had Friday flown an iconic four-aircraft ‘missing man’ at Bathinda airbase formation to pay homage to one of their braveheart pilots, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, who made the supreme sacrifice May 27, 1999, against the intruders in Kargil.
