AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 5 – War Diary CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 58 of 332 4 Special Heli Borne Operations (SHBOs) by Mi-4 In 1971 Sqn Ldr Pushp K Vaid VrC Genre: War Diary y lesser known, remembered, acknowledged or sung history below, is about a few helicopters, pilots and technical personnel of IAF, who rose to the occasion to help the soldiers of IV Corps of Indian Army, with embedded Mitro Bahini, to leap over the riverine and marshy areas quickly in four ‘Special Heli Borne Operations, with no precedent or doctrine, learning on the run. In my view the helicopter operation shortened the war and contributed to the quick victory, thus saving lives and the agony of long war. Because of Lt Gen Sagat Singh and Gp Capt Chandan Singh, a bunch of helicopters from 110, 105 and 111 HU, air lifted over 6000 troops and their equipment including mountain arty brigade with its ammunition - over the formidable, unfordable Meghna River to capture Dacca and liberate East Pakistan, and form the democratic republic of Bangladesh. I was aware of a clandestine guerrilla warfare taking place within East Pak from Sep 71. But our helicopter operations were restricted only up to the international border. EAC Air II had called my CO, Sqn Ldr Sandhu to Shillong in Sept 71 and briefed him to train pilots for low flying and at night. Since such training was not possible at Kumbigram due to hilly terrain and lack of facilities, the younger pilots were sent to Chabua (105 HU) to not only train low flying at night, but also be categorised by the Mi-4 examiner Sqn Ldr Rama Rao. Due to fear of attacks on Kumbigram airfield by Paki Sabres from Dacca, 110 HU was ordered to disperse all its helicopters to Aijal and Teliamura (by then HQ IV Corps) about 40 km east of Agartala airport. From Teliamura and Aijal, during the last week of Nov to first week of Dec 71, we were extensively flying all day, all along the IV Corps frontage, for communication and reconnaissance of army senior officers as well as evacuating casualties to field hospitals. Perhaps by 7 th Dec, the IAF fighters and bombers had grounded the Pakistan Air force. This helped the helicopters to fly safe without worrying about Paki fighters.