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Wing Commander Oswald (Ossie) de Abreu, had a distinguished service in the air
force and was shortly to receive promotion to the higher rank of Group Captain,
when he was killed after his IAF MiG-27 fighter jet crashed in West Bengal on
Tuesday,
Born on November 29, 1970 to banker father Vincent and his wife Rufina, Oswald
completed his high school from Don Bosco’s in Panjim and then proceeded to
study a degree programme in Zoology from Dhempe College in Miramar.
Soon after graduation, Oswald answered the Combined Defence Services Entrance
exam and was chosen for training as flying officer with IAF, a rare and envious
feat in those days.
Upon completion of training at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal near
Hyderabad, Oswald was commissioned as a fighter pilot in IAF on June 21, 1993.
During his tenure, Oswald flew various fighter aircrafts like MiG-21s, MiG-27s
and the trainer aircraft HJT-16. He was a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) and
trained young cadets to become pilots in IAF.
For his hard work and dedication towards service, Oswald had received
commendation by the Chief of Air Staff on January 26, 2000. He was a graduate
of Defence Services Staff College, which is an esteemed defence services
institution.
He was chosen to lead a delegation of IAF to the Republic of Singapore Air
Force (RSAF) to view and fly their fighter aircraft.
A press note from RSAF stated that a delegation from the IAF, led by Wing
Commander Oswald de Abreu, visited the RSAF from November 5–6, 2008 as part of
the IAF – RSAF Fighter Exchange visit.
The delegation visited Flight Simulator Centre, where they viewed the
Operational Flight Trainer and the Air Mission Trainer (AMT). They also visited
Air Force Museum and 140SQN where they viewed the RSAF’s F-16C Fighting Falcon
aircraft and were briefed on the squadron’s operations.
More recently, he served as Flight Commander of 222SQN, aptly named ‘The
Tigersharks’, an esteemed Fighter Squadron of IAF. Their motto ‘Vinashay
Dushkrtam’ means ‘Destroyer of the Evil’, because 222 Squadron is equipped with
the MiG-27 aircraft and is capable of inflicting a mortal blow to its prey
without remorse of fear.
Oswald was shortly to receive promotion to the higher rank of Group Captain,
before tragedy struck his aircraft on February 16 at his squadron’s home base
in Hashimara, West Bengal.
He is survived by wife Janice and children Nadia and Nathan, brother Orlando in
Taiwan and sisters Claret and Marina in Canada and UK respectively.
Oswald made his home in Goa at ‘Oceanview’, his waterfront cottage at Betim,
across the Mandovi from Panjim. It is from here that his mortal remains will
begin their last flight for a ceremonial state funeral and interment.
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