| We all remember the fighting going on at Normandy 62 years ago this week. Kudos to the Allied Expeditionary Force, they deserve the attention they've received.
What we seldom remember is that, while the Allies were fighting in Normandy, the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) was finally starting to be withdrawn from northern Burma, after taking the Myitkina airfield with the last ounce of human energy they had. That was in May of 1944.
While marching across 750 miles of mountainous jungle, the Marauders had fought five major engagements and 32 smaller battles. After taking the airfield only 200 out of the original 3000 men were fit to remain in Myitkina. General Stilwell wrote in his diary "Galahad is just shot."
Every member of the Marauders was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, an extremly rare distinction. In June of 1944 the unit was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. |
