Save our Soul (SOS) is a term used world wide when the situation is such that if no corrective action is immediately taken it can bring disaster to a person or an organization which originates such a call. On 12th December, 1971 such a call was received in the Sqn Ops Room of No 7 Sqn (B-57s) detachment at PAF Masroor on behalf of a beleaguered formation of Pakistan Army deployed in Rahim Yar Khan (RYK) sector, through a local Army liaison officer..
Myself and Sqn Ldr Bahar UI Hag, were detailed to go on a night bomb-ing mission with normal configuration of GP bombs of 1000/500 pounders for attack on one of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Bases located in the southern sector: I do not now remember which one in particular; out of Bikaner, Bhuj and Jamnagar, was to be our target. After carrying out pre-flight of the aircraft at the B-57 dispersal area located on the northern side of Masroor Base, when the crew were about to enter the respective cockpits; a technician came running towards the aircraft, he was breath-less but hurriedly conveyed the message that a vehicle was coming to pick us and take us back to the Ops room: for reasons unknown to him.
In the Sqn Ops room we met the duty Ops officer along with an army officer who was looking distraught holding a quarter inch (1/4″) map with a red circular marking in Rajisthan desert of India closer- to Pakistan border. He spread the map on the near-by table and started briefing about a possible location of an Indian armoured formation which was poised to launch an attack across Pakistan’s border during the wee hours of 13th December, 1971; with the possible aim of cutting our L.O.0 by attacking both road and rail link connecting north with the south-ern part of Pakistan. He further informed that the Pak Army had no viable force close by, which could reach the area to repulse an impending Indian armoured attack. Therefore it was very important that the B-57 should not only locate the concentration but possibly destroy it in the laager area before their dispersal and deployment in attack positions the following morning. He further explained the manner in which the attack would be launched against Pakistan the following day: with the objective to overrun a wide enough area and cut our vital L.O.0 link of rail/road between northern and southern parts of Pakistan, thus achieving a tremendous advantage in affecting the outcome of the war both tactically and psychologically. While the crew briefing was being carried out, the Sqn Ops officer instructed the maintenance support element of the detachment to get the aircraft’s bomb configuration changed to carry the maximum weapon load internally in the bombay and externally under the wings and also check RBIa RADAR thoroughly, for its operational functioning. As that facility would be very important in picking up the target well before reaching it, in an otherwise very hostile/desolate ground terrain, sparsly populated and devoid of any other prominent built up area i.e towns etc to help check the accuracy of the aircraft position enroute or to be used as IP for the attack.
In the meantime the aircrew got their maps i.e million/4″ ready and mutually discussed navigational technique to be followed to be able to reach the target as accurately as possible, without letting the enemy know about the approaching B-57. Surprise was considered to be extremely essential in achieving the success of the mission. It was necessary to catch them while they were busy in preparation of their tanks and support vehicles by way of refuelling and loading of the tanks’ guns for the coming day’s requirement plus rectification of minor un-servicibilities of their equipment which also included their ackack guns, command and communication vehicles etc. This drill was needed to be done to achieve spectacular results in the shortest possible time, by initially over running as much area as possible which would be followed by bringing up the relatively slow moving infantry: to be deployed for holding of the captured territory. Success of this attack would have given India a tremendous bargaining chip (advantage) in the event of cease fire as big powers’ pressure, especially form the US for stopping hostilities in West Pakistan was mounting, after Indian success in East Pakistan; which later resulted in dismembering of Pakistan.
The bomber crew after realizing the importance of their mission got down to meticulously planning the mission with great care and accuracy in the real professional manner, the distinctive PAF 8-57s legacy which had previously proved their excellent performance during the 1965 war. The mission was planned in a HI-Io-HI profile to fly at medium level-up to short of sukkur and from then onward approach the target at low level, stealthily, to achieve complete surprise as an essential element of the mission. It was desirable to attack the enemy during the most vulnerable period of their preparation prior to dispersal for the impeding armoured blitz on the following day.
To achieve navigational accuracy, it was decided to use “Nara canal’s” 90″ degree Bend as the last “set course” point for the final approach leg up to the target, at as low a height as was possible, so as to give no chance to enemy RADAR to detect the approaching aircraft, in an undulating terrain interspersed with large sand dunes spread all over the area.
As planned the aircraft took off at 2130 hours and headed towards Sukkur. The Barrage gave an excel-lent return on the RADAR scope, in an otherwise pitched dark night as complete blackout was being observed by towns and villages along the whole length of the route. Before reaching Sukkur the aircraft descended to low level to pick up NARA canal Bend south of the bar-rage, here also RBla RADAR proved to be an excellent aid as water features were prominently depicted on the scope. Final course was set directly over the NARA Bend on an easterly direction. simultaneously the clock was punched while flying at 300 Kts, with pilot flying very accurately on a given heading keeping a good look out; while navigator kept monitoring his heading indicator to a fraction of a degree for accurate DR navigation, as precise direction keeping was considered most important factor in reaching a relatively small almost pin point location of the enemy’s position. The RADAR pick up range at low level was markedly reduced for the obvious reason. The cross sectional frontal pick up segment was less and the detection range also deteriorated. Both the aircrew were praying earnestly to seek the Almighty Allah’s blessing for achieving total success of this very important mission.
On normal bombing missions against airfields the B-57 crews were told to make a single salvo attack and then make a quick exit lest they fell victim to ackack fire. But due to changed circumstances and possible spread of the target, in this case the aircrew themselves took the initiative and decided not to deliver a salvo attack, but to carry out selective multiple bombing runs after sighting of the target.
As the aircraft was approaching the target, the good old RBIA RADAR scope suddenly brightened up with a strong solid return denoting the presence of concentration of tanks right on the rose of the aircraft; after a short distance the horizon in front was seen lit up with bright lights in hitherto dark desert terrain.
We had caught the Indians by surprise; as they were busy in carrying out their drill of loading ammunition and refueling their tanks with the help of refuellers, completely oblivious of our impending attack.
We were glad that we had achieved total surprise and straight-away pulled up the aircraft to go into shallow dive bombing attack. I told Bahar that he should take his time in adjusting to a circular pattern and consider as if he was over the tactical range at Sonmiani (Pakistan) I was calling out the heights and speeds on the intercom as the pilot was looking out and aiming with full concentration to achieve accurate delivery of the bombs. After frist attack the Indians were so much flabbergasted that in their panic they even forgot to switch off the lights, the area remained well lit and visible to us where we could see the tanks and refuelling vehicles hit by our bombs and were set ablaze. There were many secondary fires and splinters were seen flying all over, of the bursting ammunition lying in the open close to each other. We must have made four or five passes till we realy made mince meat of the target. Although we encountered light ackack but that was considered no threat as it did not deter us in pressing home the attacks. We delivered full internal/external load of the bombs and then exited at low level thereafter checking the fuel which warranted immediate clime to higher elevation to achieve economical fuel consumption to reach back to Masroor. We must have inflicted enough damage which frustrated the Indian plan of cutting our vital LOC running north/south parallel to the Indo Pak border in this sector.
On the following day we learnt that the badly mauled Indian armoured formation abandoned their intended attack. This certainly was an Epic Mission which thwarted Indian onslaught on Pakistan. Long live Pakistan!
