Only Officer Who Served In All Three Armed Forces Turns 100
Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill (retired) is the only officer who has served all the three defence services; Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Indian Army Outlook Web Bureau 2020-12-12T14:28:08+05:30 Only Officer Who Served In All Three Armed Forces Turns 100 outlookindia.com 2020-12-12T15:50:28+05:30
Retired Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill who is the only Officer to bear the unique distinction of serving in all three armed forces turned 100 on Friday. He has served in all the three defence services: Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
Colonel Prithipal Singh began his military career in the pre-World War II era as a pilot in the Royal Indian Air Force. He then sailed the high seas with the Indian Navy. The veteran also served as a gunner officer in the Indian Army and during the India-Pakistan war in 1965. When Colonel Prithipal retired, he was serving as a sector commander with the Assa
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Officer who served in Indian Army, Navy, Air Force turns 100 ANI | Updated: Dec 11, 2020 15:22 IST
New Delhi [India], December 11 (ANI): Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill, who may be the only man to have served in all three defence services the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force turned 100 years old on Friday.
Colonel Gill led a unique and what may be called the only military career of its kind having started as a pilot in the Royal Indian Air Force, then sailing the High Seas with Indian Navy, and finally witnessing the action as a Gunner Officer with the Indian Army in the 1965 War.
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3 Colonel Prithpal Singh (retd) (in black coat and hat) marks his centenary in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune Photo
Vijay Mohan
Chandigarh, December 11
Marking a centenary is rare, and rarer still is a veteran, who has had the unique opportunity of having served with not just all three branches of the Armed Forces but also the para-military.
As Col Prithipal Singh Gill (retd) celebrated his 100th birthday in the city on Friday, he fondly reminisced his stint in uniform and aura, adventure and elan associated with it.
With a twinkle in his eye as felicitations poured in, and he cut the cake amidst a small gathering of family members and close relatives, the World War II veteran recalled his eventful and chequered service life in the cockpit, on the high seas and with the big guns. The demeanour and alertness behind his smile belied his age. Brigadier Ravi Kumar from the Western Command presented him a memento on behalf of the Army and another was also sent by 71 Medium