Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke, who saved the Kalaikunda base during the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict, gets honored by the IAF

The Indian Air Force (IAF) honored Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke for his service in the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict on Wednesday.
It was shown by an aerial presentation of fictitious air battle how the Kalaikunda base was preserved during the 1965 War.

Small to large aircraft with ammunition were also showcased during the event in a static display of aircraft and equipment.

Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke, who spoke at the event, said it was an emotional occasion for him since he spent his first seven years of life at Kalaikunda Air Force Base.

“Meeting my old hunting plane, which I used to fly, is lovely. The last time I flew it was in 1968. It’s nice to come back and see the lads do a flypast for me. I had feeling since I was the one who did it. Tears welled up in my eyes. Happy to be back. I have lived here for seven years, and now I have returned home, remarked Lieutenant Cooke.

After East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) launched an attack on the Kalaikunda facility in 1965, Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke is credited with rescuing the base. In the same year, Vir Chakra recognized him.

The conflict began on April 24, 1965, when the Pakistani Army invaded Indian territory in the Rann of Kutch and advanced for kilometres. The Indo-Pak Border Agreement of 1960 was broken by this unlawful takeover of Indian land.

“We have gathered here to honor flying lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke, who is also known as the savior of Kalaikunda because in the 1965 war he saved this particular field from Pakistan,” said Wing Commander Himanshu Tiwari, PRO Ministry of Defence, Kolkata. To demonstrate how he had stopped a Pakistani aircraft assault and rescued the airport, we are attempting to replicate the identical situation.

According to Ran Singh, the air commander in charge of Kalaikunda, Kalaikunda Base is a crucial one for the Indian Air Force since it serves as a training ground for many new pilots.

“It is a crucial facility for the Eastern Air Command and Indian Air Force. Here, fighter jet pilots get training so that we can develop skilled pilots who can take on any threat from the adversary. The Air Force is now using only extremely technologically advanced aircraft. So that no one can approach Kalaikunda and do any damage, we will be able to eliminate the enemy both in the air and on the ground with this, Ran Singh remarked.