Posts Tagged ‘p-40’

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Burma March 1944 – Four-Ship Victory Record

17 Dec 09

Paul and P-40 (Esther was his mother)

At 1000 on 26 Mar 44, Paul wrote

The electrifying cry of scramble came over. We dashed to our ships, took off, circled our position for about 30 minutes, and then were told to “pancake.” False alarm.

On the morning of 27 Mar, 80th FG fighters intercepted a “large force of Jap bombers and escorting Zeros” on the way to bomb Lido. Paul wrote:

I didn’t get there soon enough to have some fun, too, but four of our pilots who were returning from a  mission ran into them and each got two confirmed bombers plus one probable.

That proved to be a four-ship record for the CBI Theater. Paul listed the successful 90th FS fighter pilots in his diary:

  • Capt Ward
  • 1Lt Patton
  • 2Lt Lyon
  • Flight Officer Hammer

In total, the group’s three squadrons recorded 13 bombers and 13 fighters destroyed, two bombers and two fighters claimed as probables, and two fighters damaged. The 89th lost two P-51s and one P-40.

Paul noted that “Marshall, the P-40 pilot, bailed out safely.”

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Pearl Harbor Remembered – 7 Dec 1943

7 Dec 09

Shortly after arriving at his squadron’s base at Teok, Assam,  in the CBI Theater, Paul found himself sitting alert and waiting for his first real combat mission. In his diary on 7 Dec 1943, he wrote:

Today I am on alert again, and it is two years ago today that Pearl Harbor was attacked. Sure is a difference now in my status, for two years ago today I was a civilian sitting in “Claire and Ethel’s” drinking beer and playing cards when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Now I am in Upper Assam – the wettest spot on Earth – waiting for an alert to fight in the sky. I certainly hope and pray we shall not have to witness another infamous anniversary while engaged in war.

He did log his first combat sortie four days later, flying over The Hump to Japanese bases, but they found nothing to attack other than one steam locomotive. He wrote:

We expected fighter opposition, as we went deep into their territory, but the whole trip – over 3 hours – was entirely uneventful. I’d sure hate to have to bail out in that country which we flew over. Nothing but jungle and mountains. Sure would be a tough proposition to walk out, for not only does it offer topographical obstacles, but Jap bases are everywhere.

In honor of those young men and women who served in combat theaters around the world following the “day that will live in infamy” let us all honor Pearl Harbor Day today. And, while we’re giving thanks for their sacrifices in defense of our liberties, don’t forget to say a prayer for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines serving in equally difficult and remote areas today to protect this great land that God has continued to see fit to preserve.

We must never resist the impulse to indolence and complacency, for that is a sure route to loss of our hard-won freedoms.

“It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”
John Philpot Curran
Speech upon the Right of Election (1790)

Paul with P-40 during in-theater training in India

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Most Forward Allied Airfield in Burma

28 Nov 09

On 21 Mar, a flight of 10th AF P-40s dive-bombed targets around Mogaung using the 1,000-lb “blockbusters” for only the second time. Damage over a two-block area of the town was extensive, and the bridge south of town is damaged. On that same day, Paul launched in a 90th FS four-ship from Moran with belly fuel tanks and a pair of 250-lb under-wing bombs. Paul described the next two days in his diary:

We flew over and landed in the Upper Moguang Valley in Burma, at Maigwaing. General Stilwell’s forces are advancing beyond this point now, and this airstrip was built under fire by our Engineers in just nine hours, during which one artillery lieutenant was killed. We moved in today, establishing the most forward Allied airfield in Burma. In the distance, I can still hear the sound of guns, occasionally booming out and echoing back and forth between the mountains on either side of the valley.

Signs of war are everywhere! Former Jap foxholes, gun emplacements, pill boxes, shell holes, and a multitude of unused 105mm shells are everywhere. The terrible stench of rotting dead is still lingering around this jungle spot.

Later that morning, they flew a close air support mission just beyond the airfield itself:

At 10 a.m., we took off on a mission in support of the infantry. They have a radio with which they contact us and tell us where they want us to dive-bomb and strafe. His code name is Gallahad,and the operator is quite a character. When we put our bombs where he wants them, he usually comes back with some quip like That’s it fellows – that’s putting ‘em on the bastard’s head or That’ll show the bastards. He always has some remark, and we wait for it, for they sure pep us up.

Following a second mission in the afternoon, Paul reported:

After a supper of C rations, we walked over to Combat Headquarters where Col Stilwell – son of the General – has his HQ, and where he compiles all reports on ground and air fighting and coordinates attacks. He was having a staff meeting and invited us four pilots to sit in. It sure was interesting to hear firsthand about the day’s advances and setbacks, and especially interesting to hear of what we four actually had done ourselves during our mission.

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