May 1944 (3)

Burma 1944, treating the wounded.

16 May – Merrill’s Marauders attacked the airfield near Myitkyina in Burma.  Stilwell became angry with the British, who had moved in antiaircraft guns before the glider-borne reinforcements.  This error allowed the Japanese to move in more troops before the Americans and monsoons hindered the sir supply.

Other Japanese commands in Burma were receiving pressure from Allied forces: the enemy U-Go operation ran short on supplies; by the end of May, Japanese Gen. Sato’s 31st Division had to withdraw from Kohima due to incurring 7,000 casualties and Gen. Slim’s XXXIII Corps broke the Japanese line of reinforcements at Imphal and the U-Go force finally went into retreat.

Garrison Hill, Kohima

The Chinese Nationalist Army, that Chiang had sent to assist in Burma, failed to make an effective ground defense.  Stilwell sent a long critique to Gen. Marshall stating that they were in danger of losing the B-29 airfields and Washington should decide to either pull-out or put in the US Army.  As he saw the situation, “… ultimately the Japs must be fought on the mainland of Asia.”

This was completely counter to Washington’s policy and Marshall replied by telling the general, in no uncertain terms, “Japan had to defeated without undertaking a major campaign against her on the mainland of Asia.”  Stilwell’s job was only to protect the bases.  The Joint Chiefs of Staff, by the end of May, had finally and realistically written off the Chinese theater.  From here on out, the CBI would only play a peripheral role in the war against Japan.

Biak Island, Japanese base, site of first tank battle.

Further south, after a week-long bombing of Biak Island, [Indonesia, nw of New Guinea], and the successful landing of the 41st Division, a dispute arose between Japanese Commanders Nakajima and Kusaka.  Nakajima felt the next target planned by the Americans would be Saipan, but Kasaka’s argument was to defend Biak and the Americans would not be so close to the Philippines.  Other factions in Japan felt the Caroline Islands were the next target.  The hastily devised plan of Operation Kon-1 was devised.  The 2nd Amphibious Brigade troops under RAdm Naomasa Sakonju would attempt to reach Biak  The IJN cover group were spotted by submarines, Cabrilla and Bluefish and then the 2nd Brigade troops were spotted by subs, Gurnard and Ray. [On into June there would also be Operations Kon-2 and Kon-3].

The enemy’s 43rd sailed from Japan to Saipan, but after submarine hits, only 5,500 arrived and many were wounded.  Only some of the troops had any weapons or equipment being as thousands of tons of building materials, (cement, barbed wire, lumber, etc.) had been sunk.  To add to the Japanese problems, an American armada of 535 ships were on the way with the US 2nd Marine Division, the 4th Marine Division and the US Army 27th Infantry Division.

Click on images to enlarge.

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Military Humor – 

If at first you don’t succeed – call in an air strike!

Someone had WAY too much time on their hands!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Farewell Salutes –

Perry Boden – Huntsville, AL; US Army, Vietnam, Sgt.

Nathan Bruckenthal – Stonybrook, NY; US Coast Guard, Iraq, Damage Controlman, KIA

George Craft – Vienna, VA; US Navy, WWII, PTO/US Army, Korea & Vietnam, Lt.Col. (Ret.)

Mary Chapman Foster – Cuero, TX; US Army (WASP), pilot

Evelyn Gotthart – Montvale, NJ; USMC, WWII

William Jacobs – Sydney, AUS; RA Air Force, WWII, Lancaster bombers

Paul Meli – Pompano, FL; US Army, WWII, Major (Ret.), antiaircraft

Frederick Pitts – Highlands Ranch, CO; US Army, 11th Airborne Division Medical Corps, neurosurgeon

Michael Scully – Douglas, CAN; RC Air Force, WWII, Lancaster bomber tail gunner

Mayford Williams – Lenoir, TN; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Biloxi

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