September 1944 (3) – CBI Roundup

Major James England w/ Crew Chief Eugene Crawford

These articles appeared in the September 28, 1944 issue of the CBI Roundup.

  TENTH A.F. HQ., INDIA – Searching out a means of contributing “just a little more” to the war effort (having already purchased war bonds, donated blood to the Red Cross, held down absenteeism and given their time as air raid wardens), the 500 members of the little Universal Engineering Co. of Frankenmuth, Mich., conceived the idea of purchasing an airplane and turning it over to the United States Army Air Force.
In a very short time, they had enough cash to buy a P-51 Mustang fighter plane.
That plane is making history today in the CBI Theater.
When it was turned over to the US Army Air Corps, it was named Spirit of Universal. When it got overseas it was renamed Jackie, in honor of Mrs. Jacqueline England, wife of its pilot, Maj. (then Capt.) James J. England, of Jackson, Tenn.
To date, that plane – member of the “Yellow Scorpion Squadron” – has destroyed eight Japanese planes and damaged three over Burma. On several occasions, other pilots than England flew it, notably Lt. William W. Griffith. Between the two, they have two DFC’s two Air Medals, numerous clusters to each and the Silver Star. England has credit for all the sky victories, while Griffith won the Silver Star fro “gallantry in action.”
For the information of the good people of Universal Engineering Co., their plane has done considerable damage while flying air support over Burma, killing many enemy foot soldiers and destroying fuel, ammunition and storage dumps, barracks areas, bridges and sundry other installations.
They are also appraised that they never would be able to recognize the ship today, because in its more than 100 combat missions and 600 hours against the enemy, it has been shot up quite frequently. Besides having had 58 different holes, 38 from one mission, it has had tow new wing tips, two gas tanks,  stress plate, engine change, prop,  aileron assembly, tail section, stabilizer, electric conduit in the left wheel and several canopies.
Yet it still sees action regularly in combat.
When Griffith won the Silver Star for his feat of bringing back the plane when it was theoretically unflyable, the Universal employees rewarded him and his crew chief, S/Sgt. Francis L. Goering with $100 war bonds.

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 MOROTAL ISLAND – (ANS) – Pvt. Joe Aiello, of the Bronx, N.Y., was ordered to bail out of a Liberator with engine trouble on a mission to the Philippines, plunged 3,000 feet without benefit of parachute but escaped without a broken bone.
Aiello’s parachute failed to open, but treetops broke his fall. His first words on regaining consciousness:
“The goddam Air Corps! I should have stayed in the Medics.”
He added, “I was scared to open my eyes for fear I might see angels.”

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Ledo Road and the Monsoon

  One of the questions that the Roundup’s feature on the Burma Road provokes is – How are the U.S. Army Engineers making out on the Ledo Road?
That question is partially answered by an article received today from correspondent Walter Rundle of the United Press.
Writes Rundle: “Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Pick and his Ledo Road construction forces are proving that the new land supply route, which eventually will lead from India to China, can be kept open through the monsoon season. Maintenance he said recently, has proved a less serious problem than had been anticipated.

Ledo Road

  “As a result, only a few bulldozers and other heavy equipment are being retained on the upper sections of the road. Most of the construction machinery has been released to push down closer to the front where the actual construction now is underway.
“Engineers on the completed sections of the road employ huge scrapers to push aside excess mud and water and to fill in the spots softened by the monsoon. A constant patrol is maintained to keep drainage open. Damaged sections of the road are promptly repaired so that while traffic has at times been slowed, it never has been entirely stopped.

“Typical was the work done on a damaged 140-foot bridge, A report of the damage was received at 3 a.m. By 8 a.m. plans for repair were completed and men and materials needed had been sent to the scene. By 5 p.m. of the same day a temporary span had been repaired and put into operation. Nine days later, an entirely new bridge had replaced the old one and was opened to traffic.”
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 HEADQUARTERS, EASTERN AIR COMMAND – Three master sergeants in a U.S. Bomb Group, part of the Third Tactical Air Force, have 85 years service in the Army among them.
The wearers of the yards of hash marks are M/Sgts. William Hopkins, 54, Mike Jamrak, 53, and Hubert F. Sage, 49. Hopkins has been in the Army 26 years, Jamrak 30 years and Sage 29 years.
Hopkins saw service in France during the last war, later served in Panama, Hawaii, the Philippines and China. This time around, he has fought in Egypt, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and now Burma. In China, in 1923, he was in the 18th Infantry Regiment under then Lt. Col. George C. Marshall and later had as his regimental executive officer Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jamrak saw 22 months of fighting in France in 1917-18 with the Third Infantry Division, followed by nearly continuous service at overseas stations. he was transferred to the Air Corps in 1932. Because of his age, he had to receive special permission from the Adjutant General to come overseas in the present war.
Sage also served under Eisenhower when the latter was a captain and under Gen. H. H. Arnold, then a colonel. During the last war he was stationed in the Philippines. He has two sons in the Air Corps and a son-in-law in the Ordnance Department.

Click on images to enlarge.

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Current News – 

6 February is Waitangi Day in New Zealand.  Let’s commemorate this day with them.

Waitangi Day

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Military Humor – [” Strictly G.I.” comics by: Ehret, CBI Roundup Sept. ’44 ] – 

“And besides that, it only runs on 2 flashlight batteries!”

“Would you sign this requisition for 20 feet of rope, sir?”

Eating that Japanese sniper is one thing, but making a fool of yourself in front of the children is another.

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Farewell Salutes – 

Theodore AArons – Oakland, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII

Barry Bollington – Manurewa, NZ; RNZ Navy # 14185, seaman

Thomas Davis – Huntsville, AL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division

81st Infantry Div. monument on Peleiu

Gale Furlong – Johnsonburg, PA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, CBI & PTO, 678th Bomb Sq., tail gunner

William Jaynes – Elmira, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 351st Bomb Group/100th Bomb Sq., B-17 waist gunner

Raymond Logwood – Covington, LA; US Army, WWII

Norman Luterbach – Calgary, CAN; RC Air Force, WWII, 39th Squadron

Reid Michael Sr. – Mount Holly, NC; US Army, WWII & Korea

A.L. Lonnie Pullen – Bradenton, FL; US Army, WWII, ETO

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