Bot at 13:28, 8 October 2022

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{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Flight Lieutenant]]
| name = Alfred Tyrone Cooke
| honorific_suffix = [[Vir Chakra|VrC]]
| image =
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| native_name =
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| birth_name = Alfred Tyrone Cooke
| other_name =
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| birth_date = 1940
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| allegiance = {{flagicon|India}} [[India]]
| branch = {{Air force|India}}
| serviceyears = 1961-1968
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| rank = [[File:Flight Lieutenant of IAF.png|30px]] [[Flight Lieutenant]] [[File:IAF Flight Lieutenant sleeve.png|60px]]
| rank_label =
| servicenumber = 6339 GD(P)
| unit = [[No. 4 Squadron IAF|No.14 Squadron]]
| commands =
| battles_label =
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
| awards = [[File:Vir Chakra ribbon bar.svg|25px]][[Vir Chakra]]
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}}

Flight Lieutenant '''Alfred Tyrone Cooke''' [[Vir Chakra|VrC]] (born 1939 or 1940) is an Indian pilot who was decorated for his role in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]. He was honoured with the [[Vir Chakra]] in September 1965.<ref name=br>[http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Awards/db/namepage.php Indian Air Force awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027070406/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Awards/db/namepage.php |date=2007-10-27 }} accessed June 2007</ref> He received the award for shooting down a [[F-86 Sabre|Sabre jet]] and severely damaging another, whilst flying a [[Hawker Hunter]], whilst they were under anti-aircraft fire.<ref name=br/>
It has been said that, "Flt Lt Alfred Tyrone Cooke is the only pilot in the [[Indian Air Force]], who could claim to have engaged multiple enemy aircraft in the air and got the better of them."<ref name=jt>[http://jaganpvs.tripod.com/aw_02.htm Alfred Cooke at Jaganpvs.tripod.com] accessed June 2007</ref>

==Biography==
Alfred Cooke VrC attended [[La Martiniere Lucknow]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-12-01|title=Alfred Tyrone Cooke|url=https://www.thankyouindianarmy.com/alfred-tyrone-cooke/|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Thank You Indian Army|language=en-US}}</ref> He left service as a Flight Lieutenant and settled down in Australia.<ref name=jt/>

He is married and has two sons.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-09-08|title=A 1965 Vir Chakra fighter pilot returns home from Australia|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/a-1965-vir-chakra-fighter-pilot-returns-home-from-australia/|access-date=2020-06-26|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

==Vir Chakra==
The citation for the [[Vir Chakra]] awarded to him reads:
{{Quotation|{{center|'''CITATION'''<br />
'''(FLIGHT LIEUTENANT ALFRED TYRONE COOKE)'''<br />}}
On the 7th September, 1965 when Kalaikunda airfield was under attack by 6 Pakistani Sabre Jet aircraft Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke who was leading two of our aircraft on combat air patrol immediately led the aircraft into intercept them. Although our own anti-aircraft guns had already started to fire, he had engaged two of the enemy aircraft in complete disregard of his personal safety. The enemy aircraft tried evasive and counter-offensive manoeuvres; but with firm determination and exceptional skill Flight Lieutenant Cooke outmanoeuvred the enemy and pressed home his attack and shot down one of the enemy aircraft which disintegrated in mid air. Subsequently, he skillfully put his aircraft in a favourable position behind another enemy aircraft, but by then he had no ammunition left. However, he kept the enemy on the run and the remaining enemy aircraft fled in confusion. In this action Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke displayed great courage, leadership and devotion to duty in the best traditions of the Indian Air Force.<ref>http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/6339</ref>}}

==See also==
* [[Aerial warfare in 1965 India Pakistan War]]
* [[History of the Indian Air Force]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/a-1965-vir-chakra-fighter-pilot-returns-home-from-australia "A 1965 Vir Chakra fighter pilot returns home from Australia"]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooke, Alfred Tyrone}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Date of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Indian aviators]]
[[Category:Pilots of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
[[Category:La Martinière College, Lucknow alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vir Chakra]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:1940 births]]

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Alfred Tyrone Cooke - Revision history

Bot at 13:28, 8 October 2022