A mundane post about Medals in the armed forces - and to observe the uniqueness of the current Chief of Army Staff's Medal entitlement. General Bipin Rawat UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM is missing one award - the PVSM. Will we see him get it this Republic Day? And whats with all the non-mint issue medals he is wearing..?
By Shiv Kunal Verma
The Uri Brigade, along with the one located at Poonch, are perhaps two of our most vulnerable formations simply because both these Brigade HQs are directly under observation from Pakistani positions. Uri is where the Jhelum River and the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Highway leave Indian territory and enter POK.
The Uri bowl is dominated by features that are in the region of 1500 to 2000 mtrs and is clearly visible from Haji Pir (yes, the same Haji Pir that was handed 'back' to Pakistan in Tashkent in 1965) - if I'm not mistaken the distance between Uri town and the pass is barely 6 km as the crow flies. This does away with even the need for HUMINT, for the planners of any attack can literally see everything 'real time'. From the Indian perspective, the overall landscape is a defenders nightmare for the terrain along the LOC is such that there are many mountain streams in the region along which infiltration usually takes place. The noise of the water makes it impossible for ambush parties to detect movement.
This letter is said to have been written by retired Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi. While we did not receive this from the source, the points mentioned in this letter are very pertinent.
Dear Chiefs, Since the evening of 29 Jan 2016, I have been fighting an inner battle on whether to share my dismay and disappointment with the three worthy Chiefs of the armed forces of our country, the same armed forces that have not just brought glory to the nation since our independence, but have secured the nation from both external and internal threats. After a great deal of introspection and soul-searching, I have come to the conclusion that I must apprise you of my misgivings, which incidentally are shared by the majority of my brother and sister officers, both serving and retired.
There has been much outrage over a picture of the defence minister Manohar Parikkar supposedly showing disrespect to the Armed Forces during a Guard of Honour inspection at INS Rajali. The picture in question shows the DM appearing civlian garb and wearing Sandals with hands in pockets and wearing sandals.
Fact Check - He is NOT disinterested, shirt- trousers and sandals ARE OK, you are NOT TO SALUTE if you are a civlian
A spurt of fighting before the ceasefire loomed ahead, caused higher casualities. nearly hitting the 300 number
The was was almost winding down - With one more day to go. Casualities still amounted to 134
The previous day, the cumulative casualities crossed the 2000 mark. 20th September bought no respite
185 casualities on this day 19 September 1965
109 Indian Army officers and soldiers died on this day fifty years ago.
About 124 Indian Army soldiers died on the 17th.
55 soldiers and airmen were lost on this day - including Lt Col A B Tarapore, Param Vir Chakra . Tarapore was the commanding officer of 17th Poona Horse.
The fighting in the last week of the confict showed signs of increasing. 15th September saw a toll of 95 troops and airmen
65 soldiers and airmen lost their lives on the 14th of September
The Roll of honour for 13th September, include six airmen killed during PAF raids.
The Casualities of 12th September - amounting to 144 martyrs
The war has been extracting a toll of a 100 lives every day. 11th September was no exception
10th September was the day that the Battle of Khem Karan opened up with INdia responding with 'Assal Uttar'. 105 lives were lost on the battlefield.
108 lives lost on 9th September 1965 . The Sialkot front had oepned up and the first casualities on that sector can be seen
8th September saw 158 Casualities on the Indian side. evenly split between Kashmir and Punjab Sector
The day after the opening of the Lahore front turned into a sludge fest as both sides got involved in heavy fighting. The Indian Armed Forces sufferred 131 deaths. including five pilots of the Indian Air Force - its heaviest loss till date.
After five days of severe fighting in Kashmir, and with India always insisting that any attack on Kashmir will be considered as an attack on India, the Indian Government made good on its promising by opening a second front on the International Border at Lahore.