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21 Facts About Erlic Pinto

1.

Air Vice Marshal Erlic Wilmot Pinto, PVSM was an Air officer in the Indian Air Force.

2.

Erlic Pinto was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command when he was killed in the 1963 Poonch Indian Air Force helicopter crash.

3.

Erlic Pinto served in the IAF from 1940 until his death in 1963.

4.

Erlic Pinto was the theatre air commander commanding the air operations during the Annexation of Goa.

5.

Erlic Pinto was born on 29 June 1921 into the Pinto do Rosario family of Porvorim, Goa.

6.

Erlic Pinto attended the St Paul's School, Belgaum and the St Xavier's College, Mumbai.

7.

Erlic Pinto served with the No 12 Squadron RAF from 1940 to 1942.

8.

Erlic Pinto was promoted to the acting rank of squadron leader and took command of No 4 Squadron IAF in August 1945.

9.

The ITW was based at Pune and Erlic Pinto served as the first commandant of the college in Coimbatore, where it has remained since.

10.

Erlic Pinto was promoted to the acting rank of wing commander and served in the Directorate of Organisation at Air HQ.

11.

Erlic Pinto took over the airbase thus becoming the first RIAF officer to take command.

12.

Erlic Pinto was promoted to substantive wing commander on 15 August 1948.

13.

In November 1948, Erlic Pinto was promoted to the acting rank of group captain and took command of the Advanced Training School at Ambala.

14.

In February 1950, Erlic Pinto was appointed the second air advisor to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom at India House, London.

15.

Erlic Pinto was selected to attend the RAF Staff College, Andover in April 1952.

16.

Erlic Pinto served as the Director of Policy and Plans at Air HQ from 1955 to 1958.

17.

In November 1959, Erlic Pinto was promoted to the acting rank of air vice marshal and appointed air officer commanding-in-chief Operational Command.

18.

Erlic Pinto had forces in the airbases in Pune and Belgaum for the operation.

19.

The mandate handed to Erlic Pinto was listed out as follows:.

20.

On 22 November 1963, Erlic Pinto was killed when his helicopter crashed en route to Poonch.

21.

Erlic Pinto was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal posthumously on 26 January 1964.