During the 1971 war, an AT convoy in J&K came under ground attack by Pak army. As per teaching, the AT drivers scattered their mules and went for cover, while the Infantry section accompanying the convoy went into counter-attack. During re-grouping it was discovered that 3 mules were captured and taken away by the Pakis, and Pedongi was one of them.
This usually happens and whenever they get a chance, our troops also kidnap Paki mules. Since the training of the mules is the same on both sides, so is the harness and saddlery, captured mules are simply put to work. Sure enough, Pedongi was also made to haul rations, water-pakhals and other loads in Pakistan. But a fortnight after her capture, Pedongi reported back in her unit in the Indian Army. And she was carrying a Paki MMG with two boxes of ammunition !!!
From the way Pedongi was exhausted, it was obvious that she somehow escaped her Paki handlers and ran back almost 20 kms, from the border, to her own unit in India. For this act of extreme bravery in the face of the enemy, the Div Commander asked the CO (Commanding Officer) AT Battalion to write Pedongi's citation, and made sure she got a Veer Chakra.
Now, what does a VC mean for a mule? Well, it meant that she never carried a load thereafter. She just ate & drank and roamed around freely & lazily in the unit, till she died of old age in 1978.
The above story is open for verification at ASC Center & College, Bangalore, where the medal is preserved to date, along with Pedongi's photograph.
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