In the final days of his life, Alfred Tyrone Cooke returned to India carrying a nation’s gallantry medal and a decades-old grievance. These last few days have witnessed intense debate over the gallantry award given to the late Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke, Vir Chakra (Retd), during the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict. His interview on New Delhi Television (NDTV), which lasted more than an hour and was ironically recorded less than 48 hours before he passed away, gained considerable traction and fuelled debate about leadership, bravery, cowardice, the fog of war, and the gallantry award he received. Character, honour, guts, glory, valour, courage, grit, determination, and a never-say-die spirit are all the building blocks of a soldier. For military aviators, flying skill, presence of mind, and leadership play a significant role in gaining the upper hand over a determined adversary.