Evening star., 1942-02-10
By LELAND STOWE,

xoYeiGn Correspondent OF The Star and
RANaooN. s5ls.'f feb. R,'l1 Id.mon se1s, the Of
ficial roster Of the Royal Air Force
here. the American Army and Navy
trained flyers of the American Vol
unteer Group have just passed the
100-mark for Japanese aircraft shot
down by them in the defense Of
Rangoon-that is, 100 enemy planes
whose destruction is confirmed by
witness, or whose wreckage actually
has been found. lii recognition Of
their remarkable record, Air Vice
Marshal D. F. Stevenson, command
ing the r. A. F. in Burma, On Sum-
day paid rare tribute to the Yankee
airmen by issuing a special order of
the day.
The order of the day expressed
the deep admiration" Of the r. A.
r. and conferred high distinction
on the Americans with these words:
THE high courage, skillful fight
ing and offensive spirit dipSlayed
mark the A. v. G.'s as a first-class
fighting force and their equipment
as superior to that of the enemy"
1t was addressed to Brig. Gen. Clair
Chennault, A. V. G.. commander,
and the squadron leaders of two
Of their squadrons.
Become Heroes of Burma.
Behind the R. A. F. special order
OF the day further details may be
mentioned which explain why the
gallant A. v. G. boys have become
the heroes Of Burma, praised and
respected on all sides. The Amer
lean aviators have shot down more
than 100 Jap planes in only IA major
engagements and usually facing
odds of from 3 to even 6 or to /.
The r. A. F.'s official roster hAs a
justified reputation for conservatism.
1t does not include considerable
number of enemy aircraft which
have been shot down far out over
the Gulf of Martaban or any of the
numerous planes which have crashed
deep in the jungles where the
wreckage could not be found.
Consequently, in order to get a
complete picture of the punishment
dealt the Japs by the A. V. G. in
the air over Burma 1t Is necessary
to consider these factors. With an
effort to reach a truly conservative
estimate, the following figures have
been worked out. They are entirely
unofficial and are offered on the
writer's responsibility. but he is con-
f1dent that they are in no sense an
exaggeration. probably falling short
OF the actual figure.
30 More Believed Downed.
Observers are agreed that in
addition to the 100 officially con-
f1rmed Jap losses the Americans
undoubtedly have downed at least
another 80 whose wrecks never have
been found. This means that the
A. v. G. has averaged a bag of GA
enemy aircraft for IA major en-
gagements.
Out Of this total of 13o Jap planes
1t seems safe to estimate that two
flfths have been bombers. That
would make at least SO enemy bomb
ers and 78 fighters to the credit
OF the A. v. G. Put in terms of Jap
air personnel losses, the story is
most illuminating The smallest
Jap bombers have crews of five, but
most shot down in Burma have
had six to eight in the crew.
Taking a mean average Of 61a
persons in crews of 50 enemy
bombers, the Japs' personnel loss
In bombers from A. v. G. victories
would total 1913, with 78 more Jap
fighter pilots. That adds up to 416
Jap crew losses, of which only a
handful have escaped alive.
In these same IA engagements
the A. v. G. have lost five pilots
killed in action and one believed
taken prisoner. That number of six
Americans lost can be placed along
side Of more than 400 Jap airmen
who have been wiped out by Amer
lean fighter pilots in the Burma
war theater.
All feelings of national pride can