IAF 48 Squadron completes 60 yrs

Chandigarh, November 30

The city-based 48 squadron of the IAF, also known as the Camels, commemorated its 60th anniversary here today.

Several service and social events were organised to mark the occasion, which were attended by Deupty Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Rajeev Sachdeva, a former commanding officer and the senior most serving officer of the unit and Air Cmde HB Singh (retd), the senior most veteran of the unit.

The Camels were raised in November 1959 at Barrackpore in West Bengal and shifted to Chandigarh in May 1986. The squadron has operated three types of aircraft, the Dakota, C-119 Packet and the currently operational Russian origin An-32.

With its motto, ‘Courage Always Triumphs’, the squadron has a meritorious history of participating in every major conflict since inception, including the Chinese aggression in 1962, the Indo-Pak war in 1971, IPKF operations in Sri Lanka and the Kargil conflict.

It played a major role in the famous paradrop at Tangail in the heart of Bangladesh during the 1971 war.

In recognition of its service, the Camels were presented the President's Standards by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in February 2007. — TNS