The FReeper Foxhole Revisits Merrill's Marauders - March 25th, 2005

www.marauder.org ^

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

MERRILL'S MARAUDERS
Code Name: "GALAHAD"

In August 1943 at the "Quebec Conference", President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and other allied leaders decided that an American Long Range Penetration Mission behind the Japanese Lines in Burma was needed to destroy the Japanese supply lines and communications and to play havoc with the enemy forces while an attempt was made to reopen the much needed Burma Road.

Brig. Gen. Frank D. Merrill
Commanding General, 5307th Composite Unit(Provisional)

President Roosevelt issued a Presidential call for volunteers for "A Dangerous and Hazardous Mission". The call was answered by approximately 3,000 American soldiers. The volunteers came from State side units, from the jungles of Panama and Trinidad they came, from the campaigns of Guadalcanal, New Guinea, New Georgia they came, to answer the call, some battle scarred, some new to the ways of war, each different but with one thing in common.
They Answered The Call.

The Unit was officially designated as the "5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)" Code Name: "GALAHAD", later it became popularly known as "MERRILL'S MARAUDERS" named after its leader, Brigadier General Frank Merrill. Formed into six combat teams (400 per team),color-coded Red, White, Blue, Green, Orange and Khaki, two teams to a Battalion, the rest formed the H.Q. and Air Transport Commands.

After preliminary training operations were undertaken in great secrecy in the jungles of Central India, the Marauders began the long march up the Ledo Road and over the outlying ranges of the Himalayan Mountains into Burma. The Marauders with no tanks or heavy artillery to support them, walked over 1,000 miles through extremely dense and almost impenetrable jungles and came out with glory.



In Five major (WALAWBUM, SHADUZUP, INKANGAHTAWNG, NHPUM GA, & MYITKYINA)and thirty minor engagements, they defeated the veteran soldiers of the Japanese 18th Division (Conquerors of Singapore and Malaya) who vastly outnumbered the Marauders. Always moving to the rear of the main forces of the Japanese the Marauders completely disrupted the enemy supply and communication lines, and climaxed their behind the lines operations with the capture of Myitkyina Airfield, the only all-weather airfield in Northern Burma.

The attack on Myitkyina was the climax to four months of marching and combat in the Burma jungles. No other American force except the First Marine Division, which took and held Guadalcanal for four months, has had as much uninterrupted jungle fighting service as Merrill's Marauders.

But no other American force anywhere had marched as far, fought as continuously or had to display such endurance, as the swift-moving, hard-hitting foot soldiers, of Merrill's Marauders


Men and animals of Merrill’s Marauders— predecessors to today’s U.S. Army Rangers—cross the Tanai River on a bamboo bridge built by Kachin tribesmen, 1944.

When the Marauders attacked Myitkyina they had behind them over 800 miles of marching over jungle and mountain roads and tracks. They had to carry all their equipment and supplies on their backs and on the backs of pack mules. Re-supplied by air drops the Marauders often had to make a clearing in the thick jungle to receive the supplies.

Every wounded Marauder was evacuated, an extraordinary feat in itself. Each wounded Marauder had to be carried on a makeshift stretcher (usually made from bamboo and field jackets or shirts) by his comrades until an evacuation point was reached. These evacuation points where mostly small jungle village's, where the Marauders would then have to hack out a landing strip for the small Piper Cub Evac. Planes. The brave sergeant-pilots of the air-rescue unit would then land and take off in these very hazardous conditions, removing every seriously wounded Marauder one at a time. The small planes, stripped of all equipment except a compass, had room for the pilot and one stretcher.



At the end of their campaign all remaining Marauders still in action were evacuated to hospitals suffering from tropical diseases, exhaustion, and malnutrition or as the tags on their battered uniforms said "A.O.E."(accumulation of everything).

For their accomplishments in Burma the Marauders were awarded the "DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION" in July, 1944. However in 1966 this award was redesignated as the "PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION" which is awarded by the President in the name of Congress. The Marauders also have the extremely rare distinction of having every member of the unit receive the "BRONZE STAR".


Walawbum, Burma
Early March, 1944
Group of Marauders after Battle of Walawbum.
Kneeling, L to R, Wilbur Smalley, "Murphy" Wonsowicz, Johnny Allen.
Standings 2nd from left; Bernard Martin, extreme right; Herby Miyazak

The unit was consolidated with the 475th Infantry on August 10, 1944. On June 21, 1954, the 475th was redesignated the 75th Infantry. It is from the redesignation of Merrill's Marauders into the 75th Infantry Regiment that the modern-day 75th Ranger Regiment traces its current unit designation.

I'd like to thank Marauder.Org for their generous permission to use their graphics on today's thread

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[Professional Engineer]

[Grzegorz 246]

[Grzegorz 246]

A large part of the British Army during WW2 were Indian and African units. Do you know exact numbers ?

[Samwise]

Way Cool!

[CarrotAndStick]

I have my doubts about native African units, but I do know that a lot of Indians fought in Africa, alongside the British. The total numbers of Indians involved in WW2 go into the hundred thousands, if not in the millions . Exact numbers aren't present with me. But Google® is your friend ;^)

[SAMWolf]

Just looking at all that area to cover makes my arms hurt. ;-)

[SAMWolf]

The "Liberal bomb" load? Isn't that Susan Sarandon and Al Franken strapped to those racks?

[SAMWolf]

There were over two and a half million Indian citizens in uniform during the war. The Fifth Indian Division, for example, fought in the Sudan against the Italians, and then in Libya against the Germans. From North Africa the Division was moved to Iraq to protect the oilfields.

After this relatively easy posting, the Division was moved to the Burma front, together with eight other Indian Divisions, and then occupied Malaya. It was then moved to Java to disarm the Japanese garrison there. The men from this Division won four Victoria Crosses. In addition, Indians served in the Royal Indian Navy and in the Indian Air Force which, in recognition of it's war contribution, was granted royal status in 1945.

The Fourth Indian Division also fought in North Africa, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus and then in Italy. Together with the 8th and 10th Division it participated in the taking of Monte Cassino, after which it was moved to Greece. Four men of the Fourth were awarded Victoria Crosses.

Over 36,000 Indian members of the armed forces were killed or went missing in action, and 64,354 were wounded during the war. Indian personnel received 4,000 awards for gallantry, and 31 VCs. The only VC winner from elsewhere in the Empire was Corporal Sefanaia Sukanaivalu, of the Fiji Military Forces, who earned this highest of all commendations in June 1944, at Bougainville.

[CarrotAndStick]

Thanks for the information.

[Grzegorz 246]

Thanks. Once when I was reading something about Monte Cassino, I realized that many of those "Brits" were Indians or Sudanese, but I didn't know any details. I also think that many of French soldiers were in reality Moroccans.

What about Canadians or South Africans ? Were they officially a part of the British Army ?

[Grzegorz 246]

"But Google® is your friend ;^)"

I know, but I am lazy today. It's Friday.

[Grzegorz 246]

They aren't mine. I "stole" them from other sites.

They should buy some fire absorbers. It looks interesting, but wouldn't be very effective in the real fight.

[Valin]

Colonel Logan Weston
United States Army (Retired)
http://www.marauder.org/weston.htm

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Colonel Logan Weston, U.S. Army (Retired), is a veteran of three major wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Col. Weston was drafted into the Army in 1941. He worked his way up through the ranks to Staff-Sergeant before receiving a battle field commission to Second Lieutenant. Col. Weston's unwavering devotion to his country and to his faith have earned him a larger-than-life reputation and undying devotion from his men even to this day.
He is considered one of the most heavily decorated soldiers in American history. Among the awards Col. Weston has earned is the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, Purple Hearts a Legion of Merit, Presidential Unit Citations, the Combat Infantryman Badge (3 awards), and the Parachute Jump Badge (3 awards). Col. Weston has received Commendations from the Governments of Australia, Nationalist China, India, Korea, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. Col. Weston has been honored by Senate and House Resolutions from the states of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. It has been recommended to the Department of Defense that Colonel Weston receive the Congressional Medal of Honor (No resolution to the recommendation has been reached at this time). Col. Weston was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger "Hall of Fame" in it's inaugural year of 1992, he also has been installed in the "Soldiers / Sailors Memorial" in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, he has been honored by the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge Pennsylvania.
Col. Weston's 28 year long illustrious military career terminated in 1968. At this time he assumed the position of "Coordinator of Religious Life" at Texas A & M University. After 13 years at the university, he retired to volunteer in Christian Ministry and telephone prayer/counseling work, as well as doing occasional speaking engagements.
Col. Weston is the epitome of one who from a humble beginning answered his God's calling. He achieved excellence spiritually, academically and in military service. It is a rare man who can strike such a balance of serving his God and his Country with such harmony. He is a true American Hero.

[Valin]

WHAT A MESS! You know I bet someone could fix it up into something like....oh say a sewing room.

[shezza]

Thank you! He passed away about two years ago, bless him.

[Valin]

I LOVE Google. It makes me look like I'm really smart.

[alfa6]

WHAT A MESS!

You should have seen it last Friday afternoon when my son and daughter were almost knee deep in plaster, lath, ceiling tiles and old rock wool insulation!!!

We filled my son's 16' trailer with 4' sides almost all the way to the back, aye carumba :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}