Q... what were the supplies ... and what did they ask for the most...
Q...where did the supplies come from...
The DC-3 Aviation Museum
Proudly presents:
Memories of The CBI Theater
3RD COMBAT CARGO GROUP--12TH COMBAT CARGO SQ.
MORAN ,INDIA 1944-1945
BY:
BILLY PAT LATIMER
Memories of the Ranger's
Support Operations
Q...How did you know where to drop the supplies?...
Q... what were the supplies ... and what did they ask for the most...
Q...where did the supplies come from...
WE HAD FRONT LINES MAPS THAT SHOWED US WHERE TO DROP.
WHAT WE DROPPED WE DIDN'T KNOW.
THE GRAIN AND RICE WE KNEW CAUSE THEY WERE FREE DROPPED.
THE OTHER BY CHUTE
FRONT LINE COMMANDERS TO SOMEONE WHAT WAS NEEDED.
THERE WERE SO MANY DIFFERENT FIGHTING UNITS IN THERE. ,
AND SO MANY AIRPLANES.
SOMEONE MIGHT E DROPPING TO ANOTHER BUNCH
NOT THREE MILES FROM WHERE WE WERE DROPPING.
SOMETIME WE WOULD HAVE TO STAGGER BETWEEN THE OTHER PLANES.
LEDO BASE WAS THE BIG SUPPLY DEPOT.
UP IN THE TIP OF INDIA WHERE THE BURMA ROAD STARTED
COLORED SQUADRONS LOADED THE PLANES.
SWEAT AND HARD WORK IS ALL THEY GOT.
ONLY WAY BURMA GOT ANY KIND OF
VEHICLE WAS DISASSEMBLE
IT CUT THE FRAME WITH A TORCH
CARRY IT DOWN AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
HALF A FRAME OF A SIX BY SIX
WAS A LOAD FOR ONE PLANE.
THE RANGERS WERE JUST A LITTLE BUNCH
BUT THEY HELPED WIN THE WAR.
MULES WOULD DROP DEAD FROM A HEART ATTACK
FROM THE HEAVY LOAD AND STRESS ON THEIR BODIES
IN THE MOUNTAINS AND MUD. IF A MULE DIED OR CRIPPLED
HIS LOAD WAS LOADED ONTO ANOTHER MULE
THAT WAS ALREADY LOADED.
THERE WAS A THROAT SURGERY THAT WOULD
KEEP THEM FROM BRAYING. SAD FOR ANY ANIMAL.
ELEPHANTS WERE ALSO USED IS SOME PLACES.
BUT NOT WITH THE TROOPS.
WHEN WE FINALLY GOT A LITTLE FOOTHOLD ON MYITKINA
THE JAPS WOULD HAVE IT AT NIGHT
AND WE GOT IT BACK BY DAY.
WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AND CIRCLE TILL THE TOWER
WOULD TELL US IT WAS CLEAR TO LAND.
MY PILOT LET ME DO THE FLYING
AND A LOT OF TIMES THE TOWER WOULD SAY
'' BEARS ASS YOU ARE NUMBER 7 TO LAND"
WE HAD TO LAND TO THE NORTH AND TAKE OFF TO THE SOUTH.
ONLY ONE MUDDY STRIP , MUD-HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE STRIP
AND WHEN WE WOULD HIT IT WE WOULD LOOSE OUR FLYING SPEED
AND MUST TRY TO GET THE FLYING SPEED GOING AGAIN.
IN THE MEAN TIME A FLIGHT OF FIGHTERS WOULD LINE UP TO THE NORTH
AND AS SOON AS THEY WOULD CLEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY
THEY WOULD DROP THEIR BOMBS, SHOOT THEIR BULLETS
CIRCLE AND LAND AND NEVER RISE THEIR GEAR..
WE HAD TO WAIT TILL THEY MADE THE ROUND AND LAND
BEFORE WE COULD LAND OR TAKE OFF.
ABOUT EVERY 20 MINUTES A NEW BUNCH.
IF AN AILING OFFICER HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT AND WAS ON OUR PLANE
I WOULD GO BACK AND SIT WITH HIM.
STILLWELL USED TO SIT ON A BENCH WITH US WHILE
WE WAITED TO UNLOAD.
SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE SHOT HIM
FOR THE WAY HE DID
THE COMMANDER OF THE FLYING TIGERS.
HE PROMOTED ANOTHER COL. ONE DAY BEFORE
HE PROMOTED THEM TO BRIG. GENERAL
SO THE EX-COL. WOULD OUT RANK CHENAULT.
WHEN THE WAR WAS OVER AND NO ONE WAS THERE.
THOUSANDS OF SORTIES WERE NEVER PICKED UP
-----HUNG UP IN TREES--- MISSED TARGET COMPLETELY----
---TROOPS MOVED TOO FAST---
---SACKS BUSTED OPEN ON FALL---
---MOSTLY--- MISSED TARGET.
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