Mizo Ops 1966 is in the news these days – Summarising the IAF role, keeping facts based on the sqn diary records of 29 Sqn, then flying the Toofani’s and based at Bagdogra. (1/11)
On 2 March 1966, as MNF overran Aizawl treasure and reached Assam Rifles HQ, it captured Army installations at Launglei and Chanphai. IAF’s initial role was to re-supply the army installations and Daks and Caribous were pressed in from Guwahati and Jorhat. 2/
In one mission, flown by the AOC-in-C Eastern Air Command, AVM Malse, the Dakota received 21 bullet holes and lingered back to Kumbhigram airbase, which had been activated for the Ops. This was the event that necessitated the offensive ops to begin. 3/
IAF memory was still fresh with the events of 1960, when Naga rebels shot down a Dakota. Even then, it was 29 Sqn with Toofani that had been asked to move from Halwara to Tezpur to support ops – 4/
On 4 March 1966, 6 Toofani aircraft of 29 Sqn moved to Kumbhigram from Bagdogra and set up ops at the 2000′ strip. It had no facilities, and a Caribou flew in with fuel barrels, munitions, and a Sudan pump for refueling. 14 sqn on Hunters operated from Jorhat 5/
With the small officers mess brimming with Transport crews, Flt Cdr SK Sareen (later Air Chief) who was in charge of the ops at the sqn, made the cargo hull of a Caribou damaged by small arms fire as the 29 Sqn base! 6/
Missions started on 5th March 1966, 30 mm cannons and T-10 rockets were used against targets provided by the Army. As the end of 6 march 1966, due to the IAF offensive ops, Choppers were able to land a company of troops at Aizwal. 7/
By the 7th March, the Rebels had started to burn the forest making it difficult to spot targets but the Toofani continued nonetheless. On 8th March, Mizo supply line at Demagiri was destroyed which was much appreciated by the Assam Rifles unit in the region. 8/
By the 11th, Army came up with a better marking system of lobbing smoke grenades at the targets which the pilots were then able to acquire and destroy. 12th was the last mission against Dimagiri, and on 17th March the sqn was ordered to return to base and vacate Kumbhigram. 9/
ACM SK Sareen’s VM citation followed a mention of Mizo Ops ” He successfully led 10 operational missions in the Mizo hills.” AVM Bouche, who was Air-1 EAC then and planned the ops also found mention of the ops in his AVSM citation. 10/
Air Commodore Rajendra Narain Pande received a Shaurya Chakra flying in a chopper in the face of the enemy. 11/11
Originally published on Twitter
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