President’s Standard to be awarded to 22 Killer Squadron
Muskan Singh
New Delhi, December 5
President Ram Nath Kovind will award the President’s Standard to the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron, also known as the Killer Squadron, at a ceremonial parade to be held at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on December 8, said a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The ceremony to be attended by the Governor, Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Chief of the Naval Staff as well as several other civil and military dignitaries. The Indian Navy’s ‘Killer’ squadron’ that carried out Operation Trident giving a decisive blow to the Pakistan Navy by destroying the Karachi harbour during the 1971 war will be awarded the President’s Standard on December 8, marking 50 years of the success.
The beginning of the Killer Squadron goes back to 1969, when the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron was formally established at Mumbai in October 1991 with ten Veer Class and three Prabal Class missile boats. These missile boats were transported to India on heavy lift merchant ships in early 1971 in Kolkata, the PIB release added.
On the intervening night of December 4-5, 1971, the youngest warriors of a young Indian Navy drew first blood when they launched a devastating offensive on the Pakistan Navy.The Indian Navy carried out another daring attack on the intervening night of December 8-9, when INS Vinash, along with two frigates, launched four Styx missiles, sinking the Pakistan naval fleet tanker Dacca and inflicting substantial damage to Keamari oil storage facility in Karachi.
The squadron personnel have been awarded battle honours, including one Maha Vir Chakra, seven Vir Chakras and eight Nausena Medals (Gallantry), which are testimony to the gallant spirit of the ‘Killers’, the Navy said. The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of India’s victory in the 1971 war and is being celebrated across the country as ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh.
