No. 221 Squadron’s air support at Kushtia

On the Eastern front, the lone Sukhoi Su-7 Squadron was No.221, which supported the Army’s blitzkrieg advance towards Dacca. No.221 Squadron had been allocated the tasks of counter air, offensive air support and photo recce, launching attacks against the Kurmitola and Tezgaon air bases on 4 December, destroying three Sabres on the ground. 9 TAC thereafter directed the squadron against riverine The Su-7s were operated in pairs to be called up by advancing army units to soften defence strong points, carrying out very accurate rocket attacks against bunkers. In the war for bridges and ferry crossings, the Su-7s were particularly active and a large number of barges, steamers and gun boats were hit.

Before No.221 Squadron was transferred to the Western Sector on 12 December, it was to play an important part in the capture of Kushtia. To quote the Squadron diary, “on 11 December, one span of Hardinge Bridge was destroyed, thereafter constant bombardment and bunkers, troop positions and railway sidings near Kushtia was carried out. This resulted in the fall of Kushtia the same evening, mostly because of the creditable performance of No.221 Squadron. On 12 December, to give this operation a delivered on retreating enemy troops, ammunition depots, the main power house near Hardinge Bridge and on ferry-craft carrying troops”.

From the book ‘Valiant to the Last’ by Pushpindar Singh