The Last Assam Draggins
25th Fighter Squadron, August - September 2024
In Assam, a lush state in northeastern India nestled along the Brahmaputra River valley in the shadow of the Himalayan foothills, the symbol of the dragon has long carried historical significance. The Tai-Ahom Kingdom, a thirteenth-century dynasty that ruled present-day Assam for over six hundred years prior to British occupation of India, bore a dragon-like symbol called Ngi Ngao Kham on the khing fra (the national flag) as well as on copper plates, coins, and countless monuments which are now regarded as precious archaeological sites. The Ahom dynasty would notably hoist the khing fra before going to war, as the dragon motif symbolized dominance, authority, and the legendary power to burn its enemies to ashes. Over seven centuries after the Ahom dynasty first established its influence over the Brahmaputra River valley, in 1942 the 25th Fighter Squadron flew its first WWII aerial combat missions over “the Hump” in the P-40 Warhawk to deliver wrath against the Japanese, later settling into combat operations out of Sookerating Airfield in Dinjan, Assam, India, where the squadron fittingly picked up the name of the “Assam Draggins.”
Operations for the 25th in Assam were concentrated on disrupting Japanese operations in northern Burma and supporting escort missions for B-25s and C-47s on supply missions; these combat missions were inherently dangerous due to the mountainous terrain and heavy presence of enemy aircraft in the region, which made it nearly impossible to rescue downed pilots. With the dragon presumably selected as a relevant regional symbol, the semantic shift from “dragon” to “Draggin” was a nod to the excess drag the P-40s encountered carrying 1,000-pound bombs over the outstretched regional terrain, connecting both the tendency of the Himalayan foothills to “drag in” pilots to their untimely deaths and referencing the affectionately crude phrase “Our Ass am draggin’” used by 25th P-40 pilots. With this parallelism in mind, Captain Robert B. “Skunk” McClung designed the Assam Draggin insignia, which showed a “flying dragon with short stubby wings twisting up into the sky with black smoke pouring out of the right side of its head (exactly as the Allison engines of the Group’s P-40s did)…” and bore the text “Our Assam Draggin.” Fittingly, in accordance with now long-established rebellious fighter pilot tradition, the insignia was never officially approved despite being widely worn and used throughout WWII.
After a long and storied history featuring various fighter platforms flying combat operations in WWII, the Korean War, and more recent contributions to successfully maintaining the three-quarter century peaceful armistice on the Korean peninsula, the 25th Fighter Squadron has nearly written its last chapter. Now based out of Osan, AB, ROK, flying the combat-tested and still notoriously high-drag A-10 Warthog, the squadron will divest in the summer of 2025 to be followed by the retirement of the entire fleet of US Air Force A-10s to the boneyard in a handful of years. With this bittersweet yet immutable fact in mind, Lieutenant Colonel Justin “RIOT” Davis, the current 25th Fighter Squadron Commander, and Lt Col Justin “Strobe” Ledvina, the former 25th Director of Operations, asked: “Wouldn’t it be awesome to bring the Assam Draggins back to Assam, India in our last year?” And so they did.
After inquiring with some PACAF contacts, RIOT stumbled upon Tarang Shakti 2024, which opportunely happened to be India’s first multinational air exercise, and immediately volunteered the squadron. Despite the good fortune of PACAF accepting this commitment, the exercise would take place in Jodhpur on India’s western border with Pakistan, hundreds of miles from the squadron’s symbolic birthplace of Assam. Without letting this deter the idea, on an initial site visit to India, the designated exercise PROJO, Captain Jacob “Breakir” Henigman, floated RIOT’s proposal for the squadron to fly to Assam for a few days at the conclusion of Tarang Shakti. The embassy was enthralled with the idea, as they had been attempting to gain access to that region of India for quite some time without success, and the squadron followed through with an official diplomatic request sponsored by the US State Department. The request stagnated with the Indians for many months, presumably due to internal debates regarding travel to the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, the home of the Hump Museum which memorializes pilots that flew over “the Hump” (the Allied name for the eastern end of the Himalayan mountains) in WWII. Both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are located in close proximity to China to the north, and flying A-10s to Assam would require navigating a thin corridor of Indian airspace called the “chicken neck” which directly borders China. After months of deliberation, amidst the execution of Tarang Shakti 2024 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified RIOT the squadron had received official approval for the 25th to return to Assam, with the caveat that the squadron was only allowed to bring its people, not its airplanes. Thus, seven decades since executing WWII combat missions in Assam, the 25th Fighter Squadron returned to India to fly multinational training missions in Jodhpur, and the Last Assam Draggins finally returned home.
Lt Col Justin “RIOT” Davis at Tarang Shakti 2024.
Tarang Shakti featured eight countries (the United States, India, Australia, Greece, Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the UAE) and eighteen different aircraft types, including NATO, Indian, and Russian-designed fighters as well as MAF assets and helicopters, with a primary focus on large-force air operations training and increasing interoperability between participating nations. The 25th Fighter Squadron flew six A-10s from Osan to India (with a brief stop in Thailand) for the exercise; the formation for the AOS movement (ocean crossing) was led by RIOT and included a diverse mix of inexperienced wingmen alongside experienced flight leads and instructors. One such instructor, Captain Niv “Zoolander” Maramreddy, was born in Hyderabad, India, the same city where the IAF has its own Air Force Academy. “Flying a fighter jet back to my home country was an incredible honor, and something that meant a lot to me personally… Even though I left [India] as a baby, I’ve always felt connected to my roots through family and the times we’ve gone back. To return, not just as a visitor, but as an experienced aviator flying one of the most employed combat aircraft, was a surreal experience. It felt like a unique blend of my heritage and my career coming together. I couldn’t have been prouder to represent both the Air Force and my Indian roots in such a meaningful way.”
25th FS A-10 pilots arrive at Jodhpur Air Force Station, Jodhpur, India after the AOS.
Capt Niv “Zoo” Maramreddy celebrates shortly after landing an A-10 in his home country of India.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) went above and beyond to showcase their rich culture and skill as hosts. Opening night festivities on August 30th included speeches from Indian leadership and an impressive outdoor cocktail party featuring traditional dancing and music, where aircrew and others had the opportunity to socialize and drink together for the first time. The following two weeks were filled to the brim with multinational training. The 25th established “deployed” operations out of a small building at Jodhpur Air Force Station not far from the flightline, sharing the tight space with the 179th Fighter Squadron, American counterparts flying the F-16 out of Duluth, Minnesota. Since driving in India was frankly chaotic and lawless, with sacred cows and peacocks roaming the streets and tuk-tuks and motorcycles weaving unpredictably across often primitive roads, the 25th used allocated drivers for the entire TDY to commute to and from the Taj Hari Mahal Hotel, our home away from home, and Jodhpur where we executed training. The two weeks of flying training consisted of Local Area Orientation (LAO) sorties, unprecedented 2v1 Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) against IAF SU-30 MKIs and Dassault Mirage 2000s and Rafales, Large Force Engagements (LFEs) with visiting nations flying alongside the IAF as Blue Air against IAF-supported Red Air, and 2 additional CAS vuls where the 25th integrated with IAF SEPECAT Jaguars and supported mounted convoy missions with the IAF and Indian Army Special Forces.
Sights while driving to and from Jodhpur Air Force Station, Jodhpur, India.
Technicalities and demands of training aside, the A-10 captivated the IAF and the Indian people. Tarang Shakti was the first time the aircraft had ever been seen in India which made it a true highlight throughout the exercise. At the culminating IAF airshow, the A-10 was a hit amongst other participating aircraft at the static display, and the 25th quickly sold out of every piece of merchandise the Lieutenants Protection Association (LPA) had brought to offset the costs of entertainment and shenanigans throughout the exercise. Members of the 25th split time between answering questions, taking countless pictures with community members in front of the static display jet, and helping to run the booming swag booth close by.
The A-10 was a hit at the IAF airshow during Tarang Shakti 2024.
TDYs are always a welcome chance for squadrons to let loose and socialize, and Tarang Shakti was no exception. On a free weekend, the LPA organized a bus tour of the sights of Jodhpur, including the Umaid Bhawan Palace (the principal residence of the former Jodhpur royal family), Mehrangarh historic fortress (initially built in 1459 by Rajput rulers), and an infamous textile/antique store that managed to swindle most of the squadron’s money in one sitting. The weekend ended with a visit to the Ghanta Ghar Clock Tower and Sardar Market and a thrilling tuk-tuk ride back to the bus.
Overlooking Jodhpur from Merangarh historic fortress.
Sardark Market, Jodhpur, India.
International Night on Saturday, September 7th provided an opportunity to sample the food and drink of each friendly foreign country and witness short cultural demonstrations put on by each country’s Air Force – in essence a massive party. Earlier that week, the region had experienced record-setting rains which canceled one of the LFE vuls and flooded the streets of Jodhpur, and as we arrived workers were still fruitlessly mopping the grass at the outdoor venue to clear it of standing water. The mud was unavoidable but didn’t prove to be a barrier to the guests having a memorable time. The IAF provided an impressive array of expertly cooked food and professional dances showcasing the cultural intricacies of different regions throughout the country. Working with the limited resources available, the 25th used funds raised from the airshow to cater an American staple: BBQ grilled chicken, creamed corn, and mashed potatoes from the Taj Hari Mahal Hotel. We even brought Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce as a sampler just in case barbecue sauce was unfamiliar or difficult to come by in India. This safeguard was likely an unintentional insult to the talented chefs of the hotel staff, but regardless they did a fantastic job preparing the food which was quickly devoured by the Indians and other visiting nations. We also brought a select assortment of American beers and liquor, including Budweiser (which the Indians actually frequently served at their own events), Miller Lite, Coors, and Jack and Cokes (which were immediately discouraged by a staff member to prohibit the guests from getting too drunk; the whiskey ended up disappearing one way or another). For the cultural demonstration, most countries showcased a dance or popular sport from their country; the Australians played rugby and the Japanese exhibited Kenjutsu swordsmanship. After weeks of deliberation on how to highlight American culture in a universal and refined manner, the 25th eventually settled on demonstrating a line dance to the popular song ‘Copperhead Road’ by Steve Earle. After all, every state in the Union has a country bar somewhere. In spite of some initial inhibitions, most of the squadron bravely approached the massive, brightly lit stage to participate. We encouraged other nations to join in on the simple line dance, and by the end of the song the group had nearly doubled in size and servicemembers from all over the world were kicking and high stepping to the country tune as smoke machines billowed behind us.
International Night at Tarang Shakti 2024.
At the conclusion of the flying exercise while most members of the 25th waited for the main body jet or the AOS movement to fly jets back home to Osan, a handful of pilots, maintainers, and support staff continued to finish the journey to Assam, the foundation of the squadron’s heritage. After a few layovers in overcrowded airports and an awe-inspiring flight with clear views of the Himalayas to the north, the Last Assam Draggins finally arrived in Dibrugargh, Assam. The contingent took advantage of some limited time to explore the local area, then shortly piled in to assorted vehicles enroute to Chabua Airfield for a tea party social with the 102 Squadron (Trisonics). In addition to the assortment of delicious tea samplings we were offered, this gathering was a unique opportunity to connect with a fighter squadron currently stationed in Assam; the 102 Squadron also operationally shares parallels with the 25th, regularly flying deterrence sorties along the disputed northern border with China similar to the P-518 Korean Tactical Zone sorties the 25th routinely flies along the DMZ. IAF pilots in attendance ranged from seasoned generals to brand new wingmen still working on their initial qualifications in the SU-30MKI. Amongst the American contingent was LCDR Tim Cameron, USN, assistant naval attaché to India, whose grandfather had flown Hump missions in WWII and who coincidentally had assisted in garnering approvals for the 25th to travel to Assam. Following some good food, conversation, and a handful of speeches by distinguished IAF hosts and RIOT, we took a commemorative photo as a squadron with an authentic WWII-era “Our Assam Draggin” painting depicting Skunk’s original design and signed by the pilots of the time (a precarious irreplaceable piece of history to safely transport all the way to India and back) alongside a mirrored painted replica bearing current squadron members’ signatures.
The 25th with the “Our Assam Draggin” paintings at Chabua Airfield (photo courtesy of the IAF). The original WWII-era painting (left) was donated by the Carmichael family.
The next and final day consisted of a three-hour trek through the countryside to the remote state of Arunachal Pradesh, technically a contested region claimed by China to be part of southern Tibet (which likely contributed to some of the original difficulties in obtaining diplomatic clearances for the 25th). The vast green rice fields and tea plantations scattered throughout the river valleys of the Himalayan foothills stood in stark contrast to the deserts of Jodhpur we had trained in earlier. It was easy to imagine the trepidation of early P-40 pilots taking off into uncertain weather conditions with minimal clearance above the looming terrain. The van convoy took us across unpaved dust-plumed roads and weaved through small villages fanned by children playing cricket and soccer out in distant fields, locals wading through riverbanks, and even a man casually riding an elephant. Eventually we arrived in Pasighat, the long-awaited home of the Hump Museum. The Museum Director, Mr. John Tayeng, ushered us inside out of the sweltering midday heat and initiated a tour of the museum which featured exhibits and historical artifacts honoring units involved in the China-Burma-India theater, a special tribute from the people of Arunachal Pradesh to the fallen heroes of WWII. After a ceremonial promotion ceremony for Captain Samuel “SWISS” Beatty in front of the museum, RIOT presented Mr. Tayeng with the replica “Our Assam Draggins” painting bearing the current squadron’s signatures to hang in the museum for years to come, hopefully serving as an enduring reminder of the 25th Fighter Squadron’s contributions and legacy spanning its combat-proven roots in India to its final breath in the mountains of Korea.
The countryside of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, India.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Dr. Alka Michael, Associate Professor in the Department of History at Gargi College, Delhi University, who I happened to sit next to on a flight from Dibrugargh to Delhi on the return journey back to Osan. After some conversation, she took a special interest in this project and provided references and insight from her own research on the relevance of dragon symbology to the culture and history of Assam. Additional thanks to Capt Jacob “Breakir” Henigman for his hard work in planning this TDY and for his After-Action Report which provided key information on its details and execution. Thank you to Lt Col Justin “RIOT” Davis and Capt Niv “Zoolander” Maramreddy for their written comments and insights for this piece. Pil Sung!