War hero dedicates war medal to unit in Haryana

Chandigarh: An Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot, who won the Vir Chakra for his heroics in the 1965 India-Pakistan war, has returned from Australia to dedicate his war medal to his unit in Ambala in Haryana.

Flt Lt Alfred Tyrone Cooke, now settled in Australia, will dedicate his bravery medal to his squadron BULLS, located in the air force station in Ambala, 45 km from here.

"Fifty years ago, on September 7, 1965, Flt Lt Cooke shot down one raiding Sabre and crippled another over the skies of Kalaikunda in the eastern theatre. On combat air patrol in his Hawker Hunter (fighter), together with his wing man, they beat back three times the number of Sabre jets, which changed the future course of war especially in the eastern theatre," a defence ministry spokesman said here on Sunday.

Cooke was credited for bravely taking on multiple enemy aircraft and forcing them to retreat.

"The event will be attended by other war heros, veterans and senior army and IAF officers from the Western Air Command," the spokesman said.

The air force station in Ambala played a key role for the IAF in all the operations during war time.