March 1961 – INS Vinkrant is commissioned into the Indian Navy as India’s first aircraft carrier. This warship plays a crucial role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
Commodore Medioma Bhada (retd.), ex-pilot on INS Vikrant narrates a faux pas during an air sortie and the wit and presence of mind he uses for course correction.
Military Musings
Some Amazing Untold War Stories
We start 2018 with a post from Brig. Suresh C. Sharma who brings us a few lesser known war time incidents, some astonishing and amusing war stories. Such happenings are neither published nor recorded anywhere but, we guess, are talked about among the military pals and, at times, find place in the reminiscences of our real heroes. The column on “Military Musings” is Freedom First‘s salute to our real heroes and their spirit. Continue reading
Anecdotes from 1947-48 War
Brig. Suresh C. Sharma
The first post-independence war that India fought is the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947-48. This war fought over the possession of the land of Kashmir has become a procrastinating, a never-ending affair in the history of India. It seems like the battle of two warring and separated brothers who will bleed to death, leaving their families wailing and mourning, but will not want to negotiate and come to any kind of settlement.
Brig. Suresh Sharma narrates some lesser-known anecdotes of the 1947-48 War. Continue reading
Indo-Pak War 1971 – Some Reminiscences
History records the India-Pakistan war of 1971 as the shortest war lasting 13 days – December 3 to 16, 1971. It was an unfortunate civil war for the liberation of East Pakistan which had given a call for secession from the unity of Pakistan on March 26, 1971. Whether long or short, a war is a brutal event that leaves only destruction and sorrow. Liberation and freedom that follow are like a side-dish accompaniment to the main menu.
Brig. Suresh C. Sharma takes us through some foregoing episodes to the war. Continue reading
Freedom First 