Evening star., 1944-03-18
BY FRANK L. MARTIN,


ON THE INDIA BURMA FROM
TIER, Mar. 18.-American engineers
and British infantrymen, landed by
American gliders and transports,
have carved out an air strip and land
base behind japanese lines in North
Central Burma and placed strong
force squarely across supply lines
linking the enemy's northern and
southern armies.
Details OF this daring assault were
disclosed today, nearly two weeks
after the operation established a
strong Allied position more than 100
miles south of where 1t. Gen. Joseph
w. Stilwell, with his Chinese and
American regiments, is driving
southwark to clear the way for a
new supply line to China.
The green-clad British and Indian
infantry forces were flown into the
Burma jungle from India bases by
a special air commando task force,
first proposed at the Quebec confer
ence Of President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill.
Commanded by Col. Philip G.
Cochran, of Erie, Pa, the special
air unit was whipped into shape by
the United States Army Air Force
as a. solution to the problem of get
ting a strong ground force into the
heart of Burma without struggling
through the mountainous jungle.
Col. Cochran is known as the origi-
nator of the cartoon strip Flip
Corkin.
Flyers Picked for Skill and Daring
Col. Cochran's unit was composed
OF American airmen hand picked for
their skill and daring. They were
men who had either already been
decorated for outstanding achieve
ments in other war theaters or had
had many years of army training.
Scores Of the planes with the Com
mandoS were under the command
of 28-year old Andrew P. Robert,
Darlington, III. The gliders were
under the command of William H.
Taylor Of Washington, d. c.
TIE bold attack caught the Japs
completely by surprise. Allied
forces established the air base and
famed out into a widening often
SiVe east and west out of their new
StrongboX southeast of Myitkyina
before the japanese discovered that
their supply lines between North
and South Burma were in danger
of being cut.
The first elements landed at night
more than a week ago.
Equipped With Machinery.
was on the field when the first
American gliders filled with British
assault troops and American en-
glneers took off. They were equip
ped with machinery to make a
landing strip quickly to pave the
way for the major attacking force
waiting at bases on the Indian side
In preparation for the invasion
bombers and fighters from an Amer
can air base in India lashed at JAP
anese supply lines and troop con-
centrations and in one quick oper-
| alton destroyed one-fifth Of the en-
emys air strength in Burma.
AS soon as they landed in Burma
British assault troops leaped from
the gliders and raced to strategic
positions around the valley.
American engineers unloaded ma
chinery from the gliders and begar
making an air strip for the trans
ports which were to bring in the
fighting force
Working with mules during the
night and all the next day, they
smoothed off the floor of the valley
Some "a hours later The airdromt
was completed and the first trans
port with troops and mules landed
Generator in Glider Lights Airfield
A huge generator built into on,
Iglider furnished electricity TO
landing lights along the strip. Fo