XX MYITKYINA – September 1944

1. Organizational changes:

Officer strength of the squadron was 61 and it’s enlisted strength 260 at the end of the month. The transfer of Lt. Shepherd to the 88th Fighter squadron and of S/Sgt. Wimberly to Group Headquarters was compensated for by the assignment of 2nd Lt. Robert E. Small as Armament Officer and the transfer back to the Squadron of Pvt. Robert S. Born born came overseas with us, accompanied the first group to China and then was transferred to us after a siege in the hospital at Chabua.

The move to Myitkyina was completed near the middle of the month with the arrival by all of the Dergaon detachment. This marks the into blank our arrival in India that the squadron has been to blank blank situation which everyone welcomes.

2. Operations:

All operational activities of the squadron during the month were carried out from mission and are reflected in the following tabulations:

Combat missions hours flown 1171, 591 sorties; bombs dropped 74 tons; Rnds. expelled 41,890

Contrary to the squadrons experienced during the prior month no missions were run during September in direct support of the ground forces. Principal bombing and strafing targets included Bhamo in the area road-east and in addition the Jap supply base at Kutkai. Observed results, particularly in the Kutkai area where large fires were started and numerous buildings destroyed, evidence the successful completion of these sorties. Several bridge targets were attacked with the principal damage being caused to the railroad bridge at Naba Junction and the road bridge near Man Ming. In each case the bridges was knocked out and made unserviceable.

Particularly during the latter half of the month sweeps along the Burma Road from Lungling going southwest to Wanting or (Wanling) and back up to Bhamo were run every day weather permitted. Observations as well as the damage inflicted to motor transport and stores and supplies along the road indicated heavy Jap concentration in the area. Other sweeps were likewise run against Jap airfields at NNawnghkio, Anisakan and Lashio, but no enemy aircraft were observed or encountered on any of these missions.

Ground and in some instances anti-aircraft fire was encountered, but no material damage was suffered by our planes.

The month of September saw six accidents occurring to the planes of the squadron in five of which the plane itself was a complete washout. Fortunately serious pilot injury resulted only in one case. Although the reason for this large number of accidents is not presently ascertainable, contributing factors could appear to be the general condition of the runway which is extremely narrow for fighter operations as well as a definite loss of power which has been experienced in some cases on take off. At the end of the month all planes assigned to the squadron were being subjected to a rigorous test in an effort to ascertain the cause for the lower condition.

3. Contact with the enemy aircraft.

Our planes made no contact with the enemy aircraft during the month. (The rest of the paragraph is washed out)

4. Awards and Decorations:

Second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal

1st Lt. Philip R. Adair

First Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal

1st Lt. Felix H. Jones, JR.

A copy of the order confirming the above awards is annexed as appendix 39.

5. Miscellaneous:

The entire personnel of the squadron has been kept busy during the month not only from an operational point of view but as well from that of one settling in our new abode. For most of the move here was accomplished expeditiously and with a minimum of confusion. Great credit is due the Air Transport Command and also 1st Sgt. Arnold and the men working with him. Myitkyina boasts few of the comforts of home, and it is with the realization that our stay here will be only as pleasant as we make it that all officers and enlisted men have pitched in to make the camp area as livable as possible. First in order the settling one’s own quarters, then came the “tarp” covered mess hall, first for enlisted men and then for officers, and perhaps the most welcome of the early additions was the installation of showers which, through though primitive, are certainly welcome blank blank. Blank the end of the month in an enlisted men’s blank blank all of the officers.

The rest of the report is very faded and unreadable approximately four or five paragraphs