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N0KFQ > TODAY 24.02.14 17:34l 64 Lines 2936 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 13710_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Feb 24
Path: IZ3LSV<IW8PGT<F1OYP<F1OYP<PI8SNK<N0KFQ
Sent: 140224/1530Z 13710@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.58
Feb 24, 1944:
"Merrill's Marauders" hit Burma
On this day, Maj. Gen. Frank Merrill's guerrilla force, nicknamed
"Merrill's Marauders," begin a campaign in northern Burma.
In August 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime
Minister Winston Churchill agreed to create an American ground
unit whose sole purpose would be to engage in a "long-range
penetration mission" in Japanese-occupied Burma. This mission
would consist of cutting Japanese communications and supply lines
and otherwise throwing the enemy's positions into chaos. It was
hoped that this commando force could thus prepare the way for
Gen. Joseph Stillwell's Chinese American Force to reopen the
Burma Road, which was closed in April 1942 by the Japanese
invaders, and once again allow supplies and war material into
China through this route.
Within the military, a type of "Help Wanted" ad was put up with
the president's authority, an appeal for applicants to
participate in a "dangerous and hazardous mission." About 3,000
soldiers volunteered from stateside units to create what was
officially called the 5307th Composite Unit, code named
"Galahad." It would go into history as Merrill's Marauders, after
Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill, their commander.
Brigadier General Merrill trained his men in the art of guerrilla
warfare in the jungles of India, for secrecy's sake. The commando
force was formed into six combat units--Red, White, Blue, Green,
Orange, and Khaki--with 400 men in each (the remaining 600 men or
so were part of a rear-echelon headquarters that remained in
India to coordinate the air-drops of equipment to the men in the
field).
The Marauders' mission began with a 1,000-mile walk through dense
jungle, without artillery support, into Burma. On February 24,
1944, they began their Burmese campaign, which, when done,
consisted of five major and 30 minor engagements with a far more
numerous Japanese enemy. They had to carry their supplies on
their backs and on pack mules, and were resupplied only with
airdrops in the middle of the jungle. Merrill's Marauders
succeeded in maneuvering behind Japanese forces to cause the
disruptions necessary to throw the enemy into confusion. They
were so successful, the Marauders managed even to capture the
Myitkyina Airfield in northern Burma.
When their mission was completed, all surviving Merrill's
Marauders had to be evacuated to hospitals to be treated for
everything from exhaustion and various tropical diseases to
malnutrition or A.O.E. ("Accumulation of Everything"). They were
awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation in July 1944, which was
re-designated the Presidential Unit Citation in 1966. Every
member of the commando force also received the Bronze Star, a
very rare distinction for an entire unit. Merrill remained in the
Far East and was made an aide to General Stillwell.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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