50th anniversary of the 1965 war: War veteran recalls his close shave in Pakistan airspace

Group Captain Parulkar was recounting his memories of the war when he had come to the Air Force base at Lohegaon where the 50th year after the 1965 war commemorated with a special drill and Sukhoi-30 demonstration. During the 1965 war, Parulkar was a young 23-year-old Flying Officer who was based at Halwara Air Force station near Ludhiana in Punjab.

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“It was September of 1965 and the war had just begun. We had flown with our Hunter fighter aircraft from the Halwara Air Force station and had entered the enemy territory to attack a designated target. As a practice, fighter planes always fly in formations and in this case we had a four-aircraft formation. I always preferred the fourth position,” said Parulkar, now based in Pune.

“We knew we had to face fire from the anti-aircraft guns mounted on the Patton tanks of the Pakistan Army. While we were flying back, one bullet hit the cockpit from below and further grazed my shoulder. It then passed through the head-rest of my seat and went out of the cockpit. I started bleeding profusely. All four from our formation were talking to each other through our communication system but I decided not to tell others as it could have created panic.”

It was only after the formation crossed the border that Parulkar told his team members he had been hit. His leader, B K Bishnoi, another decorated war hero who retired as Air Marshal, asked him to eject but he did not and flew till they landed at Halwara. “I had bled a lot but as we got down, we later came to know that head-rest which was hit by the bullet had a crucial part of a parachute. Imagine, what would have happened if I had ejected,” he said.

At the parade (top) at the Air Force base at Lohegaon on Wednesday. (Source: Express Photo by Sandeep Daundkar)

50th year commemorated at Air Force base

To commemorate the 50th year of the Indo-Pak war, a ceremony was organised at the Air Force base which comprised a spectacular display of drill by the special Air Warriors Drill Team and a breathtaking display of manoeuvres of the Sukhoi-30 MKi flown by Wing Commander Aman Midha and Squadron Leader Dinesh Dhankhar of the 20 Squdron on Wednesday afternoon.

The event commenced by a wreath laying ceremony by Air Commodore A K Bharti, Air Officer Commanding, 2 Wing, at War Memorial at MiG Triangle.

Former chief of air staff, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik (retired) and Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (retired) were present along with several other Air Force veterans who participated in the 1965 war.

The ceremony culminated after a musical performance by the Air Warrior Symphony Orchestra (ASWO).