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Air Marshal

Johney William Greene

VrC, VM, AVSM, PVSM
Birth nameJohnny
Nickname(s)Green
Born21 March 1929
Died16 October 2013
Mumbai
AllegianceIndia India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Years of service42 years
From 16 June 1951 to 9 December 1993
Rank Air Marshal
Service number4093 F(P)
UnitNo.14 Squadron Bulls


No.23 Squadron Black Panther



No.2 Squadron Flying Arrows
Battles/warsSino-Indian War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
AwardsVir Chakra
Vayu Sena Medal
AVSM
PVSM
Spouse(s)Cynthia
ChildrenNo Children
An Indian Air Force Folland Gnat jet in 1971

Air Marshal Johney William Greene, VrC, VM, AVSM, PVSM was an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot reputed for formulating and leading the first aerial dogfight of independent India with upper hand when under his command as Squadron Leader of No. 23 Squadron IAF, pilots of Folland Gnat hit & kill Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sabre Jets on 3rd & 4th September 1965.[1] For this action, he was awarded the Vir Chakra.[2]

On 4th December 1971, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for his role as a Wing Commander when he scrambled Lockheed F-104 Starfighter attack on Amritsar radar station. [3]

Early history

He was born a Muhammadon turned by choice into Christian.[4] As Pilot officer in 1952, he had to bail out from Spitfire XVIII aircraft due to a problem with the propeller and consequent loss of power in No. 14 Squadron IAF. Squadron Leader Greene in 1964 went to USAF,USA for a Flight Safety Course.[5]

War history

During Annexation of Goa, Flight Lieutenant Greene on 18th December 1961 participated in third Indian raid carried out by six Hawker Hunters targeting the wireless station at Bambolim with rockets and gun cannons. During Sino-Indian War of 1962 Greene's unit was on standby with Hawker Hunter No. 14 Squadron IAF as they didn't have SOPs for hilly aerial combat.[6] During Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Pakistan established its air superioriy with Sabres on first day of war. Hurriedly on next day No. 23 Squadron IAF with naive Folland Gnat jets of one third the size of Sabres with jamming problem with guns and without missiles were shifted to Pathankot AFS. That day Greene inspired his pilots and made a strategy as how to lure Sabres into a Shikargah. He said "you need to conquer your fears and to “go up there and shoot well and shoot straight”. “It is as simple as that,” and that very speech on the day after broke the superiority myth of sabres and swept aerial victories into India's hand, squadron slogans "Sabre Slayers" and "God is Green and Greene is God" were coined.[7][5] On the very first day of Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Greene broke another myth for normal jets avoiding supersonic jets when his Folland Gnat of No. 2 Squadron IAF chased a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter on a bombings mission to Ferozepur radar which was unusual as until that day.[8]

Peace history

Since 1973 Greene remained most of the time in Vayu Bhawan Air Headquarters New Delhi and held various posts like Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of an Operational Wing, Director of Flight Safety and Senior Air Staff Officer (Operation), he enhanced the operational capability of the combat and support elements of the forces under his Group and improved their flight safety record. He has also made significant contributions in the fields of fighter tactics, standard operating procedures and flight safety for which he was awarded AVSM in 1979.

Greene commanded South Western Air Command (India) earlier No 1 Operational Group (SWAC) in 1979 as Air Commodore.

Greene became Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS)(Plans) in 1981, he enhanced the operational preparedness handsomely in planning, induction and absorption of new and latest types of aircraft, weapons and complex equipment in the Air Force for which he was awarded with PVSM in 1984. He held the post of Air Vice Marshal (1981-1984) and as Air Marshal (1985-1987) commanded Central Air Command (India) Allahbad .[3]

Legacy

The chapter The IAF over Chhamb mentions Greene in Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam's book India's Wars as the only air defense pilot to be awarded a Vir Chakra in 1965 for inspirational leadership without shooting down an enemy aircraft.[9]

References

  1. ^ Shukla, Ajai. "The day nothing happened". Business Standard. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  2. ^ Indian Air Force awards Archived 2007-10-27 at the Wayback Machine "Air Chief marshal Johnny Greene". Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Air Marshal Johney William Greene". Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Air Warriors". Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Air Marshal Johnny Greene (1929-2013)". Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Our Operations". Indian Air Force: Touch The Sky With Glory. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  7. ^ "How Indian Air Force Came of Age in 1965". 4 September 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Air Warriors". Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  9. ^ Subramaniam, Arjun (2016). India's Wars. HarperCollins Publishers India. p. 288-289, 450. ISBN 978-93-5177-749-6.


Category:1929 births Category:2013 deaths Category:Pilots of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Category:Pilots of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Category:Indian aviation record holders Category:Recipients of the Vir Chakra Category:Recipients of the Vayu Sena Medal Category:Indian Air Force officers Category:Indian military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971