Flight Lieutenant Yousuf Ali Khan Shaheed (SJ)

Flight Lieutenant Yousuf Ali Khan was on a routine patrol mission on a bright and sunny Sept morning along with his No 2 Flying Officer Khaliq in two-ship Sabre formation. Circling at 25000 feet, they were safeguarding the aerial boundaries over Chamb sector where the two rival armies were fighting to gain control. Suddenly No 2’s voice broke the radio silence and informed the leader about four bogies closing in from east. Yousuf immediately looked towards east and picked up gaggle of dots diving towards him. As the dots grew bigger, Yousuf realised that they were four enemy Gnats. He asked his No 2 to jettison his drop tanks (prerequisite to enter into a dogfight) and get ready for the fight. Yousuf also pressed the button and felt a mild jerk as the drop tanks went down hurling through the empty space below. He banked sharply and pulled up to get behind the tail of the rear-most enemy aircraft. The moment he was about to go for a kill, Khaliq called out on radio that his drop tanks were not going. His No 2 was now at a serious disadvantage, as he could not manoeuvre fast with drop tanks stuck with the aircraft. Yousuf asked him to remain calm and just stick around with him. However, with less speed Khaliq was unable to keep up with the leader.
Yousuf was left all alone to fight against four enemy aircraft. He manoeuvred fast to get behind Gnat, which cut in sharply many a time to elude Yousuf and tried to get on his rear but the seasoned Pakistani pilot proved too much for him. Yousuf remained on his tail and slowly the enemy aircraft started to grow bigger and bigger in his gun sight. It was at point blank range. He pressed the trigger spattering the enemy with bullets when suddenly his Sabre shuddered. He heard thuds of landing bullets into his aircraft. He turned his head and saw two more enemy aircraft closing fast on him, with leader’s guns blazing away at him. He yanked back on control stick and broke hard into the enemy. The turn was violent and he felt the G’s force slam him into the seat. The enemy Gnat overshot and Yousuf got behind his tail. For a moment, he looked into the rear-view mirror and was horrified to see that his left elevator was completely shattered. He kept calm and decided to carry on with the fight. Firing occasional bursts the enemy aircraft tried all tricks to corner the crippled Sabre but Yousuf the hardened fighter eluded them. Soon enemy realised that they were dealing with one hell of a tough guy, they decided to breakup, abandoned the fight and flew east. The determined Yousuf decided to give them a chase; pressed the throttle and dived after them but found to his chagrin, his aircraft vibrating and not responding to his controls. Reluctantly he abandoned the chase and headed home.
On his way, back his hydraulic pressure went to zero. He checked his brakes to test its effectiveness but it was useless. He tried to call home base about the emergency but soon realised that his radio had also packed up. The crippled aircraft reached close to the home base and as he lowered his gears, he realised that left one was damaged. He tried the emergency method but failed. Being low on fuel, he descended down slowly and came for the landing approach. The aircraft landed on the runway with a thud, rolled steadily and came to a stop at the barrier. The miracle had happened. The ground crew and other pilots who saw the crippled aircraft were amazed. None could think of any reason why this aircraft had remained airborne. By all laws of aerodynamics, it should have gone down the moment its elevator was shot off. It was true example of faith and determination on wings. Yousuf’s heroics had saved a valuable PAF aircraft. He did not stop there. He was in the middle of action once again on 13 Sept; that too in same Sabre, which was recovered in a day by the resilient ground crew.
In an offensive fighter sweep near Amritsar, Yousuf was leading a four-ship Sabre formation. Suddenly four Gnats appeared from east to intercept him. Immediately he jettisoned his drop tanks and got behind one of the lagging Gnats. The enemy pilot twisted and turned violently to shake him off but failed to match the skills of veteran Pakistani. Yousuf closed in and gave a two second burst from his six lethal machine guns, which registered direct hit on the Gnat. It exploded in air and went down vertically to the ground below to its doom. Yousuf has also the distinction of being one of the first fighter pilots of PAF to open his account against Indian armour advancing in Chamb-Jaurian sector when he led a strike mission in that area on the morning of 2nd Sept. His formation carried out five attacks and destroyed 40 Indian tanks and scores of vehicles with rockets. Their lethal attack thus blunted the Indian armour from attacking Sialkot.
Flt Lt Younus Hussain Shaheed - Sitara - e - Jurat
Younus Hussain was born eighteen years after the marriage of his parents, and he was the only child. Although he was rejected in his first attempt to join PAF for being overage, however, who could have denied him the destiny and glory preordained. Sometime later, as tensions grew between Pakistan and India, PAF asked for volunteers under slightly relaxed rules. He once again presented himself and this time he was successful. He joined RPAF College in 1956. After spending two busy years at RPAF College, promising Yunus earned his wings in 1958. His active participation in the skirmishes in Dir-Bajaur Ops in 1960-62 was acknowledged and he was awarded with “Tamgha-i-Diffa.”
The fateful day of Sept 6 was ending. The sky was hazy and the sun had nearly gone down when a formation of three Sabre fighter-bombers of the PAF roared into the enemy territory. As they entered the hostile area, the leader of a returning PAF offensive mission came up on the radio, warning the leader about the presence of large number of IAF aircraft inside enemy territory. Disregarding, the debonair and determined Rafiqui pressed on single-mindedly with his two compatriots, Flt Lt Cecil Chaudhry and Flt Lt Younus Hussain, following close behind on his wings. It was the last PAF mission for the day; and at that time theirs were the only PAF aircraft in the enemy territory with no surprise element whatsoever in their favour. Their target was the important IAF base of Halwara, about 40 miles south of Jallandhar.
The Sabres, looking like hawks, searched for their prey but the failing light had obliterated the ground features beyond identification. Another three minutes passed when Rafiqui’s voice came over the radio link; “Boys, let us go back; the light conditions are against us.” With reluctance and heavy hearts, the three valiant fighters banked into a turn. Hardly had they set course for the base when a swarm of enemy Hunters zoomed in for attack. They came in pairs, one after the other.
“Jettison stores,” yelled the leader; and the Sabres bucked like wild horses as the external fuel tanks dropped off the wings. Soon Younus came on the radio and said, ‘Leader, let us go for them”.
Rafiqui, in the meantime had manoeuvred his Sabre close behind his target. He pressed the gun-button and a stream of armour-piercing and incendiary bullets slammed into the fuselage and engine of the enemy at ‘Point-Blank range’. They relentlessly raked the Hunter and suddenly the darkening Indian sky was lit with a crimson flash as the enemy aircraft exploded.
The grim battle continued. Yards away from Rafiqui, Younus was chasing another enemy fighter. He pulled up into a tight barrel roll, which helped him to get behind the Hunter. As the enemy aircraft came within range, Younus opened a telling burst from his six lethal guns; the barrage of cannon fire touched off a fast-billowing smoke from the left wing of the ill-fated Hunter. Next moment a parachute blossomed and went down as the pilot bailed out. Suddenly, more Hunters joined the battle and the area became a hornet’s nest sprawling with enemy aircraft.
“My guns have jammed, Cecil, take over the lead. I’ll cover you,” called out Rafiqui on the radiotelephone and pulled sharply to one side to let Chaudhry get ahead. The gallant hero, though unarmed, had refused to quit the battle and supported his wingmen so that they could continue the fight. Undaunted by the numerical superiority of the enemy aircraft, Younus and Chaudhery leaped on the Hunters. Meanwhile, Rafiqui, like a seasoned leader, flew on the defence covering Chaudhry and Younus while they were blasting the enemy. As the dogfight continued, Younus scanned the skies but there was no trace of their gallant leader. Rafiqui was gone. He attained Shahadat keeping the rich traditions of PAF.
Stung by the loss of their leader, Chaudhry and Younus made a tight turn and furiously broke into the two Hunters. With Younus covering the tail, Chaudhry manoeuvred to get behind the second Hunter; and as the enemy came within range and he was about to press the trigger, he heard a thud. He looked back and saw Younus aircraft explode in the air. He did not see him bailing out. Courageous Younus was also gone. The journey that had started in 1936 had come to an abrupt end, though, in the finest traditions of PAF.
Brave men must die so that the nation lives, and Flt Lt Younus had done just that to keep burning the torch of honour and freedom. He became a symbol of courage and professional ability for the other pilots. For his valour, professional skill and devotion to duty; he was awarded Sitara-e-Jurat.