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U.S. Air Force Cadets honor Indian American Sgt. Sabu Dastagir
The Pentagon event honored Dastagir’s bravery and South Asian contributions to U.S. military.
Cadet 3rd Class Anoushka Rishi, far right, and six fellow U.S. Air Force Academy cadets stand before a painting of actor and World War II veteran U.S. Army Air Corps Sgt. Sabu Dastagir at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 12, 2024. The other cadets, from left, are Cadet 3rd Class Aditya Nair, Cadet 3rd Class Grace Kurian, Cadet 3rd Class Sweta Chandra Mohan, and Cadets 4th Class Animesh Bijawat and Reva Kalbhor. Also pictured is Cadet Group 1 Commander Col. Aarti Puri and Dr. Ravi Chaudhar / Air Force photo provided by Cadet 3rd Class Anoushka Rishi
U.S. Air Force Academy cadets of South Asian heritage honored Indian American actor turned World War II hero Sabu Dastagir with a portrait unveiling as part of the U.S. Air Force Art Program at Pentagon’s World War II hallway last month.
The Cadets included Anoushka Rishi, Aditya Nair, Grace Kurian, Sweta Chandra Mohan, Animesh Bijawat, and Reva Kalbhor, alongside Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Ravi Chaudhary.
Sgt. Dastagir, a Hollywood star known for roles in The Jungle Book and The Thief of Baghdad, left his acting career to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. After becoming a U.S. citizen in 1944, he flew dozens of combat missions as a tail gunner with the 307th Bomb Group in the Pacific, earning five Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. He died in 1963 at age 40.
Describing Dastagir’s story as a powerful reminder that “bravery knows no borders,” Cadet 3rd Class Anoushka Rishi, a Systems Engineering Major, said, “Sgt. Sabu Dastagir was a man who embodied great courage and sacrifice in his service to our country. His service on B-24 Liberator bombers after his beginnings in India reminds us that bravery knows no borders.”
Assistant of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment Honorable Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, June Xu, artist, and Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton unveil a painting of actor and World War II veteran Sgt. Sabu Dastagir at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Nov. 12, 2024. / (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)Chaudhary, who played a key role in spotlighting Dastagir’s contributions, emphasized the value of representation in military service. “My courage to join the military would have been much stronger if I had seen myself in the stories of service members flying the aircraft I spent my life reading about,” Chaudhary said.
“I set out on a mission to ensure the story of Sgt. Dastagir was told.These stories aren’t about the past; they are about the future. The stories are about you. I am thankful that we can share with our next generation a more fulsome understanding of our heritage, values, and heroes to give us strength as we serve.”
Inspired by Dastagir’s legacy, Cadet Rishi and her peers plan to launch a Diversity of South Asia Club at the Academy.
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