While the Indian Air Force (IAF) was famously restricted from offensive combat roles during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, its helicopter pilots performed high-risk logistical and rescue missions that were critical to the survival of ground troops in the Himalayas.
Operating at extreme altitudes, where helicopter flight was still largely untested, these pilots carried out casualty evacuations (CASEVAC) and supply drops under direct enemy fire without the time & luxury of fully coming to terms & grip with their machines, without adequate training and even before tactical doctrines could be duly established.
A. The "Lifeline" Role:
Because of the poor road infrastructure in the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and Ladakh, the IAF’s helicopter fleet was the only means of supply for forward troops.
1. Casualty Evacuation: Pilots routinely landed on improvised riverbeds and narrow mountain ledges to fly out wounded soldiers.
2. Unit Deployment: Young units like 110 Helicopter Unit (formed just months before the war) were "blooded at birth," flying new machines in the harshest terrain imaginable.
Primarily the Mi-4 (heavy lift), Bell 47G, and Sikorsky S-55 helicopters saw combat action in the 1962 war.
B. IAF's Top Helicopter Pilots and Their Heroic Feats in the 1962 War:
1. Sqn Ldr Vinod Sehgal (104 HU):
The first IAF casualty of the war. On 20 October 1962, he flew a critical mission to re-establish contact with the Tsangdhar post, unaware it had already been overrun by Chinese forces. He and his passenger, Major Ram Singh, were killed after landing.
2. Sqn Ldr Surya Kant Badhwar (107 HU):
Commanding the unit that introduced the Mi-4 to the icy heights of Ladakh. He defined heavy-lift operations at extreme altitudes and was awarded the Vir Chakra for his bravery, particularly during operations in the Galwan sector.
3. Flt Lt Krishan Kant Saini (110 HU):
Awarded the Vir Chakra for an extraordinary escape near Walong. Despite his helicopter being hit repeatedly by enemy fire and himself being wounded, he successfully flew his damaged aircraft back to base, saving both crew and passengers.
4. Sqn Ldr Arnold S. Williams (105 HU):
One of the few pilots honoured during the war, he conducted daring night evacuations in a Bell helicopter. In one instance, he flew a casualty who had to shine a torch on the instrument panel so Williams could monitor flight levels in the dark.
5. Flt Lt Satnam Singh Sodhi:
Volunteered for a perilous rescue mission in the Galwan area with only 78 hours of experience on the aircraft type. His courage was pivotal in maintaining the thin lifeline to Indian posts encircled by Chinese forces.
A Big Salute to these and all other Bravehearts who showed Extraordinary Courage under direct & overwhelming Fire...
